Beauty in the Mist - I

It is the dream of every tourist to visit Niagara at least once. I was not an exception. My dream came true in the September of 2010 when we planned a road-trip to Niagara from Atlanta. It was a good 15-16 hours’ drive, so we decided to break it in two parts. In first part we decided to drive from Atlanta to Columbus, Ohio, take a night’s halt there and the next day drive from Columbus to Niagara Falls, New York.

We started early in the morning. The September weather was really refreshing. The thick foliage on both sides of the road was showing different shades of green. Suddenly we came across a huge water body. So huge that initially I took it as a river. But then the board ahead clarified that it was part of a lake – Lake Allatoona. It is situated on river Etowah and is a popular recreation site.

After entering into the state of Tennessee, we encountered an area of dense fog. All the vehicles were literally crawling in that area. After getting out of the fog, the lush green plains and the famous Tennessee cows greeted us. In Tennessee cattle are raised for beef production.

After travelling through the plains for some time, the road entered into the hilly region of Cumberland Mountains. It is the mountain range in the southeastern section of the Appalachian Mountains. From Knoxville in Tennessee towards the Kentucky border, the road cuts through some of the highest points of elevation in Cumberland Mountains. Though this twisty road was passing through some of the rough terrain, it was maintained in an excellent condition. Travelling on this road was a visual treat and an experience in itself. Some elevated regions were giving the feeling of flying as one can only see the sky above and the tree tops below due to the structure of the road.

After driving for hours through mountains and plains, we approached an urban landscape which was Cincinnati in Ohio State. The beautiful Ohio River runs between the states of Kentucky and Ohio. The Brent Spence Bridge connects Kentucky with Ohio. It is a double decker bridge with upper deck serving southbound traffic and lower deck serving northbound traffic. While travelling northbound, the bridge offers a breathtaking view of Cincinnati skyline. After an hour and a half’s drive, we finally reached Columbus. It was our night’s halt.

Beauty in the Mist - II