Keep Movin’ Brenda Lee, or the Kudzu Will Git Ya!

Heading down the interstate from the Northeast, you don’t need a map to tell you that you’re entering the South.  Cracker Barrel restaurant signs start popping up at almost every exit.  Ordering iced tea with a meal requires stating whether you want it “sweet” or “unsweet”.  “Waffle House” and “Huddle House” diners replace “Steak and Shake” and “Bob Evans”.  And the landscape begins to be transformed by Kudzu (cud-zoo). 
Kudzu was introduced to the United States in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Countries were invited to build exhibits to celebrate the 100th birthday of the U.S. The Japanese government constructed a beautiful garden filled with plants from their country. The large leaves and sweet-smelling blooms of kudzu captured the imagination of American gardeners who used the plant for ornamental purposes.  As people began to plant it, especially in the south, it became popular not only as a flower but for grazing cattle and erosion control.  Unfortunately, or maybe not, the insects that control Kudzu in it’s native environment didn’t come here with the plant.  Blink your eyes…..and today there are over 7 million acres of Kudzu, growing by 150,000 acres a year, blanketing the Southeastern U.S.  You can understand how it earned the nickname “The vine that ate the South”.
Some people love Kudzu – you can make baskets from the vines, jellies from the blossoms, and it makes great grazing for cattle and goats.  But the good uses for Kudzu don’t come close to the damage it causes.  It covers and kills trees, shorts out power lines, and has been known to smother elderly people if they don’t keep moving (I read it on the internet, so it must be true).  It also grows into some really interesting shapes – click here.
Kudzu vines can grow as much as a foot a day, and it is almost impossible to kill.  One researcher spent 18 years trying to find a herbicide that would kill it, and found that one actually made it grow better, while others took ten years to have an effect.  Goats are the most effective Kudzu control – a herd can eat an acre a day.  So if you’re planning on Rving for extended periods in the South, trade in that dog or cat for a goat or two – it could save your life!
We’re settled in as Winter Texans in a nice park in the Hill Country near Wimberley.  Check back, we’ll be out and about!

Too Hot in Nashville

We’ve always enjoyed visiting the Nashville area, and on this trip we managed to grab a great spot at 7 Points Corps of Engineers Campground, just outside of town on J. Percy Priest Lake.  You can see our review here.  The weather was insufferably hot – mid 90s and humid, and we decided to pass on a visit downtown with the crowds, heat, and very expensive parking.  Instead, we decided to revisit one of our favorite places, the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center.  We had attended a conference here back in my working days, and were amazed then, as we were again, at this huge, beautiful facility.  With 2800 rooms and over 600,000 square feet of meeting space, 15 restaurants  and 3600 employees, it’s a city in itself – and all that space doesn’t include the four magnificent “atriums” that cover nine air-conditioned acres.  The largest atrium, “Delta” is so large that it has a 1/4 mile river that meanders through the gardens.  Each Atrium has a separate theme, but all four are filled with trees, flowers, fountains, and waterfalls.  It’s hard to believe that you’re indoors – I can’t imagine the energy cost to keep the entire 9 acres at a comfortable 72 degrees!  Some views of the atriums:


The sound of rushing water from the many fountains and waterfalls is everywhere:



Ah, and the flowers; everywhere flowers….




As we were walking around, we were shocked to find a group of Vulcans having lunch.  Turns out there was a Star Trek convention going on while we were there, and many of the attendees came in full costume:


Nashville was great, but it was time to move on, so we’ll get back to you with more tales of our travels!