We had hoped to explore the Cape Fear area, but nothing seems to open until 10 a.m. So we headed out of the hotel fairly early, after the teens used the luggage trolley and the toilet broke.

The Red Roof Inn was decent, even if the plumbing was unpredictable. The staff was friendly. The pool cute. Yes, I went swimming. And the breakfast was bagels, cereal and danish.

The coffee has been getting progressively worse.

So we hit the road, and almost immediately, we saw this truck (which broke my heart):

I used to be a vegetarian. I used to buy my eggs and milk and meat at a local farm where I saw the chickens running around.

But this is the reality for an industrialized farm. This is how these chickens live. Many of them were upside down. I’m wondering if they have ever seen daylight before. I am wondering if they are off to slaughter.

I said all these things in the car.

That it is completely possible these chickens spent their entire lives in a warehouse style barn in the dark. They might have seen daylight for the first time this morning as they were loaded onto this truck without leaving these awful cages.

The sunlight may have terrified them and burned their little eyes. And then the truck started moving.

Have you ever ridden in the back of a open air pick-up truck? I have. Imagine being a small bird and all that wind.

And then when the truck finally stops, they are killed.

All so agribusiness can make money.

Support local farms! Support small business! Think about where your food comes from.

On a brighter note, we have two whoopee cushions in the car. Or we did. My daughter tried to get Gayle, but failed. So Gayle kept that one to have her turn.

My daughter was messing with the other one and popped it.

I also introduced my daughter to the concept of reveille as a bugle call. So now she might try to master that. After she gets Taps.

Route 95 in the South has lots of day lilies and sunflowers everywhere.