Enjoy the journey

A country road requires a country song, and I found myself scanning the south Georgia radio dial on Wednesday.

A DJ somewhere over the tall pines was urging listeners to call in suggestions for the names of the two whales out in the San Francisco Bay. He wasn't satisfied with “Delta” and “Dawn.’’

One listener suggested Bill and Hillary. But my favorite was “Saya” and “Nora.’’
When the dial slammed the brakes on a new Brad Paisley song, I couldn't stop laughing at the lyrics.

'Cause I'd like to see you out in the moonlight
I'd like to kiss you way back in the sticks
I'd like to walk you through a field of wildflowers
And I'd like to check you for ticks.

I love the backroads. Give me the backroads over the interstate any day.
Here’s what you can find out there:

• A bargain store by the name of “Honest Al.’’
• A Dairy Queen marqee that reads: ‘’Jesus Loves You. Single Burgers 89 cents.’’
• Old dogs in trashy yards.
• Mailboxes designed in the shape of a tractor.
• People who will wave to you, even if they don’t know you and very few out-of-state license plates.
• Trailer parks.
• Swing sets.
• Water towers telling you what town you just stepped in.
• Logging trucks and pulpwood plants.
• Streets with names like Knotting Pine Drive and Power Line Road.
• A man who will give you these directions to get to where you're going: Go around this curve, go across the highway over yonder and keep going about 2 miles until you go over a bridge. It's the first house on the right after you go across the creek.