Friday, October 3rd, 2008
Heading to the Gulf of Mexico, not Persian.

We're leaving sometime around 8:00 tonight and driving the 14 hours in one shot (hopefully). This is year four in the Gulf Shores area after one year in Nag's Head, and probably the last, now that both kids are in school. We'll see parts of Illinois (including Lebanon, of course), Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama - but mostly in the dark.

Hopefully, I'll be able to update here during the night!



TRIP LOG:

7:23 - We are officially on the road after a stop at Wendy's. The GPS says we should pull into Gulf Shores at 10:30 tomorrow morning. Whatever.

I'm obviously not driving.

7:28 - Emma just asked the first "Where are we?". Oy....gonna be a long trip.

7:58 - We have made the Lebanon exit! Homefree now. GPS is telling me we'll be there at 9:37 now. What gives, GPS?

8:41 - First stop of the night at a rest stop on 64. Long night ahead. Still on pace for 9:32 arrival.

10:39 - Made it through Paducah. Woot.

12:05 - Tennessee. Just nine more hours to go.

Hey Kentucky, get some cell towers.

12:23 - First drunk driver of the night....and not just a little swervy. All over the map drunk. Somehow, they made the exit just as I was looking up the number for Tennessee Highway Patrol. Dumb......

Speaking of dumb....I just realized we're driving right through the heart of SEC country on a day when Kentucky fans will be heading down to Alabama, Auburn fans heading the other way to play Vandy, and 200,000 NASCAR fans heading to Talladega for the weekend. Good timing.

1:56 - Alabama. We're in the right state....sadly, only about half way there. Ugh.

6:30 - The sun! That 4 1/2 hour gap was me driving while nobody else in Alabama was awake. GPS says that we'll be on the beach at 8:33.

8:22 - Made it. Hello beach.