neil - nopanic Geoff - what a trip you have had so far, meeting interesting people and seeing the real america that the normal tourist does not usually see. We are now up in Seattle ourself and doing 10% of what you have done. 4th of July, Declaration of Independence, in 1776, declaring independence from the Great Britain. So are you going to play low profile with your english accent, or pretend to be a Yank? Which way I'm sure your see some great fireworks. Have a great trip and keep driving safely. Thanks Neil, it's been great being off the usual tourist trail, and having to fend for myself. I was speaking to an American guy last night, he asked what we do in the UK for 4 July... Tomorrow I'll be at a Blues Festival in a park in Davenport, probably from lunchtime till 11 pm. I've no idea what they have planned in the way of celebrations but I don't want to miss anything! I hadn;t thought of being British being a problem, this seems like a nice place so I doubnt it will be. You have a great holiday too, thanks for keeping up with mine!! Geoff

Pete O'Connor Just read the lot Geoff......I'm impressed as would be Dan Giles ! ( if he could still read ) Seriously, you write really well. b***** the IT biz when you get home, get this looked at and off you go around the world writing travel books/ articles. 9/10.....those pink papers finally paid off. ( dad will explain girls when he gets home ) Pete

Nikki (Daughter 2!) Dad - so glad to see you are having a fantastic time! Now that all of my friends have gone, I've taken to telling staff at work about your various adventures, they are very jealous! :) What's it like out there with hype about MJ?? Apparently there's been at least 12 suicides around the world because of his death... Your experience of a festival amused me, however I'm concerned that your drinking habits are becoming like a patient I've just discharged (who was an alcoholic!!!). I thought you didn't like Bud anyway?? And after all the lectures you've given me over the past years, I hope you are being careful about driving the morning after a drink...! Less than a week to go now, it's passed so quickly, do you think you've made the most of your time? Would you go back again to do more? If so take me please :) Mum - I think this is a lost cause. Maybe he will use the washing machine at someone else's house though, like he did with the Motel.... Debby - Don't forget this is our dad you are talking to here. A) he will make you fix the wing mirror yourself anyway (or he would if it were me!) and B) You never, ever, ever merely replace something because it is broken if your name is Geoff/Daddy. It must find a safe place in the loft to be kept for eternity (or when we clear out things such as the old net curtains!) Speak to you soon, miss you xxx I'll tell you at the end whether I've made the most of my time - without a doubt, I couldn't have squeezed in many more states/cities! My drinking habits have been developed and honed over a lot longer than yours, young lady!! I am not keen on Bud, but when it's the cheapest by far then I have to drink it. I just had a 34oz Canadian (I think) beer, only $5 - that's like a pint and three quarters, over late lunch! As I don't watch much TV I haven't seen much media coverage about MJ, although Pa Jackson (who I thought I understood was a bully, and was almost despised by Michael at one stage) was on saying they needed to know more about some missing hours, and what was the doctor doing during them?There was a DJ on the radio yesterday being quite cynical about the whole thing, said there would be a whole new commerative industry springing up. And most of the blues bands in Beale St seem to think it appropriate to knock out Billy Jean once in a while, to the delight of some of the audiences (not all, by any means!). They should stick to what they're good at xx.

Debby If mum comes out to fix your loose button, will you fly home to fix my loose wing mirror?? Had a bit of a ding a ling this morn, nothing that a bit of masking tape won't fix!! PS - You'll have to go to walmart and buy a new shirt!!

Jan I will have to introduce you to our washing machine when you get home, an area of the house so far unexplored by you!!!! xxx All joking aside, bit of an emergency here, you might need to fly out. A button is loose on my blue check shirt. Reception can't help. Will call travel insurance tomorrow to see if it's covered. Will probably cost the excess, but these are desperate times... xx

Debby Helen will be very jealous of your elvis trip, don't forget to take tons of pictures for her!! Wasn't planning on doing much of the Elv is stuff but will take some snaps if I do...

Jan Yes now we can see the bear!!!!!!!

Jan Well you are over half way now, how many miles still to go? Take care xx In a straight line, about another 600 miles. My original estimate was another `1034 miles from here, but it will be more.

Nikki Well, I have to say, even though it may have taken me over a week to find out I could look at your pictures on here, I did at least manage to see the bear in the first shot, which meant the second one cracked me up laughing! Have been reading your blog entries when they come through, and my friends have begun to enjoy hearing your updates too - especially the funnier parts!!! Spoke to you earlier so you're fairly updated on me really! Funny how the couple of days I happen to not be in Birmingham, you are!!! Miss you lots, will start to use the message board more now that I know of it's existence :) Love you xxx Thanks Daughter 2, was good to speak earlier, shame about the laptop though. In all the years I've had laptops, I haven't spilt a drink over one. Now that's you and your Big Sis both done it within a year! I did however once press down the lid while a USB plug was on the keyboard. I couldn't lie to the company as there was a cleear silhouette of the plug on the screen. .Glad someone managed to find the bear!! xx

Geoff The bear is the fuzzy black blob in centre shot. The camera was doing it's usual thing of tryijng to use the flash even though I turned it off, which messed up the auto focus.

jan Nope can't see the bear! Just back from a walk with the Bryant lot, only six of us, followed by home made cakes in Maz and Adrian's garden.... Glad to see you are doing some washing, try anything once. Unfortunately daughter 2 has had similar accident to daughter 1 with her laptop. Will lend her mine until you are back to sort things, on the plus side we managed to watch a dvd last night! So are you saying you missed Dollywood? xx I didn't do Dollywood, nor did I miss it. It wasn't high on my agenda, theme parks just don't do it for me any more...

Debby So when you were sat behind the tractors did you edge out a little bit then go back in for fear of getting killed and keep on doing this whilst the traffic builds up behind you and you think you should be a man then someone from several cars back tried it and you willed him to DIE???? Those of you not familiar with the comedian Michael McIntyre will not recognise this piece from his routine. However, a straight answer is that I have seen noio road rage, and as I am never in a rush it isn't bothering me either. There is a lot of debris clearing and power line re-erection going on around here! Geoff

George This blog is as funny as a blog from an American Tourist in Europe ;-) By the way, I would be interested to know what States are "dry". Keep up the good work, we are getting some good chuckles out of your travels adventures through the colonies. Glad you are tuning in and enjoying it George. At the moment I'm drafting the update at the cabin then sitting outside hotels piggybacking on their wifi to update the site, so it's all a bit messy but hopefully back to normal when I am back in civilisation *Nashvile) I guess no states are dry, but with only two bars in a town the size of Maryville, it's at least in drought! Geoff