6 quirky facts about Tennessee (#6 wouldn't let me sleep!)

1. Tennessee is remarkably long and narrow, and it's bordered by eight other states: Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri. The Mississippi River forms the western border, and the Appalachian Mountains fill much of the eastern part of the state.

2. During the Civil War, the state provided more soldiers for the Union army than any other southern state and more for the Confederate army than any other state. It was the first state readmitted to the Union at the end of the war (and had been occupied by Union forces since 1862).

3. As happened in too many states, various disenfranchisement laws passed after Reconstruction excluded most blacks and many poor whites from voting until these laws were challenged and changed during the Civil Rights movement of the mid 20th century.

4. The 20th century saw many other changes as the state transitioned from having an economy based on agriculture. The development of the city of Oak Ridge, created to help build the first atom bomb, was a huge boost to the diversification of the state's economy.

5. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (which is the most visited national park in the US), is headquartered in the eastern part of the state (a section of the Appalachian Trail follows the state line between Tennessee and North Carolina as it passes through the park).

6. Tennessee (and Kentucky) fall into two time zones, Eastern and Central. This can wreak havok as one passes through the state (which is why I was up an hour earlier than I needed to be this morning).

6 things you need to do in North Carolina

1. Visit a cemetary next to or behind a church (Baptist churches are everywhere in the state). Though North Carolina was (perhaps) the last Confederate State to declare secession from the Union, the state suffered huge losses during the Civil War. Of the 125,000 men who served in the military during the conflict, 20,000 were killed in battle and 21,000 died of disease.

2. When you go to Charlotte, stop by the Billy Graham Library, especially in the spring. It's beautiful, interesting, and surprisingly well done, especially after the cow stops singing.

3. Taste-test pork barbecue. If you don't eat meat, compare slaw. There are at least two styles of each, and every restaurant has their own recipe. So do most households.

4. Try to see the state bird, the cardinal, on a blooming dogwood tree (it's the state flower).

5. If you see Pilot Mountain, go a few miles north to the town of Mayberry... or rather, Mount Airy. Take a tour of the town in a squad car, or have a sandwich at Leon's. A few miles west of town, visit Scoops Ice Cream and wander through the sculpture garden.

6. Drive through Smoky Mountain National Park and take a walk in the woods. It's free, but watch out for bears.