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Glad you arrived safely! I thought about you when I saw all the flooding yesterday in Albuquerque!
That was quite the trip. The longest road trip I have taken was 1000 miles each way and that was a regular trip back and forth from Kansas City to NC. I enjoy driving and so have often thought I would be a good candidate to take a trip across country. I have had some issues come up mechanically with vehicles over the years, but things one might expect - tires, water pump, windshield wipers suddenly shredding. Rock cracking my windshield. But no accidents.
I know folks that take off on journeys of a month or more but I find I want to be back home b/f three weeks are up. I know what you mean . . . ready to get back and settle in after 2 1/2 weeks. So good you could do this and catch up with relatives, too.
You've had quite the adventure!
Thank you, and I'm glad to note some kindred spirits out there! I got out of Albuquerque before any rain started there, but I'll bet it was the same band of extreme thunderstorms that I drove through in Arizona on my way home. Slowed down to 25 mph on the interstate but I still couldn't see. I wanted to pull off the road entirely, but there was a bus on my right during the worst moments. Saw a car off the road in a ditch on my left. Didn't stop in the traffic lane for fear of being rear ended. I was actually scared, but nothing bad happened. Weather systems in the U.S. typically move from west to east, and this one was really bad, which makes me think it was the same system which caused the flooding in Albuquerque.
Speaking of flooding - I hope Lenora isn't floating away. I saw on the news that Baltimore was having some bad flooding also.
Even now? I heard about the terrible flooding on LI as the storm came up the coast. They said it was "historic."
Another thing about road trips--you can take all your stuff with you and not be limited to what you can take on a plane. I like Looooong trips so I could need anything from a bathing suit to a winter coat. You take everything if you're driving from New England to FL in winter. You've got all the space in your car to fill up. Oh, and you can take your dog if you want. But most of all, you get to really see things, something that doesn't happen if you just fly over them.
Even now? I heard about the terrible flooding on LI as the storm came up the coast. They said it was "historic."
Another thing about road trips--you can take all your stuff with you and not be limited to what you can take on a plane. I like Looooong trips so I could need anything from a bathing suit to a winter coat. You take everything if you're driving from New England to FL in winter. You've got all the space in your car to fill up. Oh, and you can take your dog if you want. But most of all, you get to really see things, something that doesn't happen if you just fly over them.
This was on the news last night with pics and looked bad. L.I. was also mentioned - West Babylon.
I always joke about bringing my house with me on these road trips - but you just never know what you may need but by George I have it if I do.
I rained non stop for most of May & June and even part of July. Now it is dry as a bone. My yard started looking bad so I finally dragged out the hose and am watering it.
Great trip! I seem to remember reading the same type of comment about people driving because they can't afford to fly. When you consider the gas (interstate gas prices are much higher) + lodging it's not cheaper to go by car but it's my choice also - if I have the time. There's so much more freedom that way and you're not tied to schedules. Plus flying these days is a real pain. I flew a lot with my jobs but I didn't really see the country because I flew over it so I saw the airport and the building I was in all day + a restaurant or two. There were times I extended my stay and then toured the area.
For some reason, when my dogs are with me I don't feel quite alone - even though one can be a PIA. You really should take a pup with your next time.
You don't fit the stereotype of the 70 year old driver - a regular hot rodder.
I'm always happy when I pull into my driveway. Glad you made it without incident.
YES!!!! I agree about driving and taking my time and being able to pack what I want, take my dog if I want, etc.
I never drove back and forth b/n KS and NC b/c it was cheaper. Actually, flying was really cheap back in the 90s! Specials all the time. And sometimes, it was easy to fly (and quick) but luggage was always a problem.
Typically, I always had a bunch of stuff to pack up and take on either leg of the trip. And I liked stopping where I wanted to. Most of my trips were by myself but maybe 1/4 were with my husband alone or with hubby and 1 or 2 kids.
I/we discovered so many wonderful places along the route. Hubby and I decided one time to stop at every casino close to the route, lololol. Now that may sound NUTS, but we learned that some of the most inexpensive yet bountiful buffets are to be found at good casinos. As luck would have it, only one time did we lose money. Our goal was to grow our money into enough to cover a hotel stay and a buffet dinner, or dinner only if we were going to get back on the road. One year, we had a goal to make enough money in the casinos to pay for Christmas gifts - and we reached the goal! I hit an $800 jackpot after investing $60. Those were such fun adventures.
We stopped at outlets along the way, too. We were both using Hartmann luggage back in the day, and there is a Hartmann outlet in Lebanon, TN. There is a Johnston Murphy outlet somewhere in TN, too (I forget where). And there is a quilt museum in Paducah, KY. And beautiful lakes in that region, too, where we liked to picnic and spend an hour or two in good weather.
There are so many historic sites and many are not far off the road. We tracked every Civil War site (within a short distance from the interstate) in Missouri through Illinois down to Tennessee.
I also get a lot out of visiting shrines, so we often made trips to shrines along the way. We discovered a restaurant in Southern Illinois, I think it was, near a shrine and for several years, made sure we stopped again there to eat. It was a farm setting and the food was "home cooked" and absolutely delicious.
After 9/11, flying has been NO FUN - EVER - ON ANY TRIP ANYWHERE!!!!! For me, anyway.
God bless my cousin . . . her mother is in hospice and it sounds like on a morphine drip (I didn't ask any questions, so this is an assumption). And in the midst of all this, my cousin called me and put the phone on speaker phone so I could tell my Aunt goodbye, as the hospice team said there were just hours left. The nurse and my cousin said her face changed when she heard my voice. I told her I loved her dearly and would treasure the memories . . . she is 98 years old.
She has been in declining health. I thank God she can have a peaceful passing and hope that is how I exit this plane of existence someday. Regardless, it is still so hard to grasp that I will never see her again.
Thanks, I tried laying down but no sleep. I did lay down earlier, I went into the attic to get a box and BAM you could have knocked me over with a feather.
DH got the FBI virus again so I had to mail his tower to my geek. Warning to all, update your antivirus software and run all your antivirals and malware programs.
Thanks, I tried laying down but no sleep. I did lay down earlier, I went into the attic to get a box and BAM you could have knocked me over with a feather.
DH got the FBI virus again so I had to mail his tower to my geek. Warning to all, update your antivirus software and run all your antivirals and malware programs.
I ended up fixing dinner, lol. I had put the chicken on (frozen) earlier so it would cook. Went downstairs and decided it was time to shred the chicken and add the caribbean jerk sauce and pineapple, etc. So letting it simmer til dinner time. Made the rice and salad, stuck the squash in a timed oven, so that's DONE and kitchen CLEAN - yay! I do not like to start cooking in the evenings. Would rather get it over with early and then whenever folks (or in this case, hubby) are hungry - dig in.
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