Last Leg

The preceding picture was taken last night upon having first entered the state, but as of this moment (about 4:35pm CST), it is still accurate because after nine hours of driving,

::Billy Mays::

WE'RE STILL NOT DONE! IN FACT, IF YOU CALL NOW, WE'LL ADD 200 MORE MILES TO YOUR ORDER, ABSOLUTELY FREE!

::/Billy Mays::

Sorry for yelling - I couldn't resist.

Anyway, we are now on I-10, which means that there are about three more turns between here and home. West Texas remains a vast vortex of absolute suck, from which no light or hope can escape, but we were at least able to tackle it this time after spending the night at Brittany's cousin's house. Becky, Ryan, Miriam and Ben graciously opened their doors to us late last night to allow us to sleep in a real bed, which was greatly appreciated over the car seats we had slept in on the way out. Of course, I ought to clarify that "real bed" is something of a relative measure, as the bed in question was Miriam's, and she stands (and sleeps, incidentally) at just over four feet tall. While I was comfortable from the shins up, my feet spent most of the night suspended off the edge, which led to the further problem of shifting every few hours. At least two of said shifts sent me off the side edge of the bed, and there are few things quicker to rouse one from the stupor of sleep than the sudden realization that the bed is no longer there, and that the floor is an indeterminate distance away. Regardless of my inability to stay still, the generosity was very much appreciated, and we look forward to returning the favor in a few months.

97 miles to El Paso . . .

On Our Way

We are now just over the Louisiana border and are therefore just a few hours away from today's goal of Flower Mound, Texas. Rather than go all-out and race for Arizona non-stop, we decided it would be better if we stopped for the night, caught up with Brittany's cousins, and recuperated before taking on west Texas. That stretch of road makes for a long fight, and both of us had best be well-rested before undertaking that portion of the adventure.

Brittany summed up our (busy) week pretty well, so all I really have to offer at this point is my take on a few things:

1:
Having now crossed the Mississippi River, there are no longer any live trees to be found. As a precursor to Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, that is extremely depressing.




2:
The following picture was taken at the Alabama welcome center:




The Welcome Center has a back porch and rocking chairs. The only way it could possibly be more Southern would be if it had a bug zapper and a resident hound dog or two.

3:
Rain is terrifying. Perhaps it's exacerbated by the fact that I live in a desert now, but as we entered Alabama, we were hit with a wall of water that would have drowned most species of fish. This was a "seven-foot visibility," "shake-the-semi-next-to-you," "don't even think about using your brakes" kind of storm, and it played havoc with our travel time. After nearly playing hydroplane pinball with a Mack truck and a Chevy Suburban, we decided to get off the highway and wait it out for a bit.

4:
The laws of physics are not my friends today. Motion and force, along with the energy needed to provide them, walk a delicate line in a dance of balance and grace that while predictable, rarely work in a motorhead's favor. I, for example, would like to get home as quickly as possible. In order to accomplish this, my strategy would typically be to put my foot to the floor in selective recognition of local speed limits in order to expedite our arrival. However, I would also like to spend as little money as possible to do this, which means that I need to manage my fuel economy. The catch-22 lies in the fact that as speed increases, the need for power to make and maintain it increases as well. As that happens, the rate of fuel consumption can jump dramatically.

This paradox came about during the aforementioned deluge - between my questionably-excessive speeds in Georgia and the inclement weather in Alabama, our fuel economy dropped significantly from 350 miles per tank on the way out to just under 300 on our first tank going home. I had averaged about 80mph coming out of Georgia, and the Alabama downpour had me on and off the throttle sharply for the better part of two hours, which greatly increased consumption. After filling up for the second time, I decided to try to increase the Fit's fuel economy back to its previous numbers by parking the cruise control right at 70mph and holding it there. This has been painful to do because 70mph is the speed limit for most of the way, and I am certainly not known for my profound respect for white signs with black numbers. I had grandpas in Buicks passing me with quizzical looks and the occasional trucker blow by me with horns, lights, and middle fingers flying in full force, but it seems to be working. With 3/4 of a tank remaining, we have gotten almost 250 miles, and I would venture to guess that we will get another 100 miles before the "low fuel" light comes on.

This leaves me with a quandary: do I get the extra tank or two of gas to get there sooner, or do I take it easy on the wallet and back my speed off?

The answer is actually easier than you might think. I stopped at a rest area and let Brittany drive. Now it's her decision.

Recap

Well folks, the time has to come to head back to the desert. Car is packed, tears have been shed, and goodbyes have now been said. We are now out of Georgia, and as for me- I'm not too happy to be going back to reality. This trip has been wonderful and packed tight of visiting and eating. A diet will be in order after our return....

I'm sorry we haven't been updating as often as we should, but as you can guess we have been very busy bees.



Monday was full of sleeping and visiting. For the first time that day in a long while, all of my mother's children were home. That was a joyous occasion! (Those pictures will come later as we don't have them yet.) The evening was spent with David visiting with an old girl-friend at Steak and Shake(I still win!) and I stayed at home with his sister and mom to watch chick flicks.


Heather played with my phone durring the movies- and when there is a camera around, there's sure to be one of these pics.

Tuesday we got up bright and early to drive another 4 hours to Savannah. First off, it should be illegal to have to awake so early while on vacation. And second, we realize we are crazy for driving so far after our first long drive. But honestly, after 29 hours of driving, 4 didn't seem too long. Besides, it was worth it. We had lunch with Trevor- David's youngest brother then headed to the beach.



The tunnel of trees and Spanish moss made a beautiful drive to Tybee.


Then to see the landscape change to above picture, well I was getting excited knowing we were so close.


The water was numbingly cold, but felt so good.


We enjoyed the beach, then headed to Riverstreet.


This picture doesn't do it justice. Riverstreet has so many awesome little stores and so much history! I don't know that you can consider rocks pretty, but the cobblestone streets are absolutely gorgeous. We made sure to stop at Riverstreet Sweets to pick up some of the best fudge and prailines in the country. But I think we had the most perfect day ever in Savannah. The image of holding David's hand walking down Riverstreet listening to a man sing 'Georgia' and tasting candy pecans will be filed under 'Most Picturesque Day' in my memory.

Wednesday was spent gathering decorations for B's wedding and visiting with friends. I went visiting with my mom and David went out on his own. That night, we had Nana pizza! Between Nana pizza and Nana cookies alone- our trip was worth it. Yum!

Thursday we hit O'Charley's with my brother.


Don't those nachos just look so delicious? We really need O'Charley's in Arizona. After that, Paul and I hung out.


We hit Stone Mountain and it was totally empty. We walked around and a lot of it was blocked off. It didn't stop us, but the cold and rain did. So a drive we took until it was time for dinner. David and Heather were supposed to cook, but Heather was sick. So David did most of it himself. Bacon wrapped shrimp, garlic steak, broccoli, garlic mashes potatoes, rolls, and both of our families made for a great night.

(Are you tired of reading yet? Sorry, we're almost done.)

Friday I spent with my sisters while David caught up with more friends. We ran around a lot that day and ended up in Peachtree City decorating for the main reason we came out. We were worn out by the time we finished, but we still went to Steak and Shake to meet the old girl-friend I mentioned earlier in this post. While out, we found out David's brother Brett got into town and proposed to his girl-friend. Congrats to Brett and Suzie!

Saturday was the wedding, which deserves it's own post. But in short, it was beautiful.


We enjoyed another night of friends and today we are on our way. We are sad to be leaving, but ready to get back to our own life. Sorry for the long post- we promise to update better in the future.

Arrival!

Sorry for not letting all y'all know we got here safely. We've been a little distracted. But we made it! We made it home! We arrived at 4:00 a.m. yesterday morning and conked out pretty hard. But we got some good rest and were able to visit with a lot of family and friends already.

We're already trying to get our hands on every food that we don't have in Arizona and by the end of this trip will most likely have gained 20 lbs from said good food. You just can't beat southern cooking.

Today we're headed down to Savannah. It is one of our most favorite places in the world. It's so absolutely beautiful you can't help but love it. And for the old lady historian in me, there is plenty of good ol' southern history down there.

We just hit the I-16, so not too much further. Yay! Enjoy the picture below from one of the Georgia rest stops.


Fail!

Quick Hello

As David said, we are in the final stretch and we are just flying by. Alabama is becoming a blur. So while David fills up for gas for the last time before arriving, let me just say,



(waves hello)

Home Stretch

Finally - after 1700 miles and 24 hours of driving, we are finally in Alabama. There is precisely one refueling stop remaining between us and home, so it is now time for the final push. It's my turn to drive, and this will be the last leg of the trip, so that means just one thing:



Let's go home.

Louisiana

Finally!!!! We made it to Louisiana! We beat Texas!




And now we just plan on flying through. We'll try to update, but forgive us if we don't add pics for each state. We need a shower and a real bed so we are going as safely and quickly as the law allows us. We'll let you know when we reach Georgia at the very least.

But we beat Texas!!!!! *Does happy dance!*

Little Over Half-way Stop

We are now leaving our first major stop- Flower Mound, Texas. Random stop you may say, but to us it is now home to some of our most favorite people.

We were sad when our best friends (who also happen to be cousins) moved so far away. But we are so happy that they happened to be on the way to Georgia. We didn't get to stay long, we still have a long drive ahead of us. But it was a welcome stop and now we are feeling refreshed and ready to be home.





(How cute is she?)

The Morning After

Good morning, world! We are still driving, and we did not stop to sleep overnight. The power of beef jerky, granola bars, and Amp should never be doubted, and while the last item in particular is likely to rupture my digestive tract at some point, the bottom line is simply that it worked. We are now just a few miles outside of Abilene, Texas, and therefore just a few hours from our first big stop to see Brittany's cousin and family. Our excitement continues to build and morale is still good.

There have, unfortunately, been casualties along the way, though. This is a hazardous trip, and is certainly not for the faint of heart or weak of stomach. The horrors of interstate rest rooms often cannot adequately be described, but perhaps their worst offense comes in the form of a lingering olfactory assault in our vehicle. We happened across one stop somewhere back in the badlands of west Texas where there was no soap in the ladies' room with which to wash hands - Brittany had already thought ahead and purchased some hand sanitizer, but I did not realize until now just what kind it was. Though it pains me to say it, our car - and very likely its occupants - both smell of sweet wild honeysuckle.




I suppose it could be worse, as eau de rest stop is highly unfashionable, but as a man, one loses a certain degree of machismo by having an odor reminiscent of his mother.

The other casualty has been my pants. This particular pair has held up through countless casual Fridays, many a motorcycle ride, and the frequent (and sometimes infrequent) washes that come as a result of being one of two - and later one of one - pairs without holes. As of early yesterday afternoon, this pair finally gave up the ghost as well, splitting completely in one knee and nearly splitting in the other as I packed the car:


Favorite pair of jeans, you will not have split in vain. You will be missed.

And now we are in Abilene. Home stretch to Fort Worth. Almost there!

Daunting

We have now arrived at the most challenging part of the journey: west Texas. This barren, God-forsaken stretch of desolate nothingness was by far the hardest part of our last cross-country trek, and I am now about to take it on again. I once swore that I would not drive West Texas again until I was coming home for good, but here I am breaking my own word. Ah, what else will man give up for the sake of adventure?

And away we go . . .

Leg 1 down

Ahhh... My turn to lay out and rest. After working a full day I insisted on driving the first leg. I knew I would be way too excited to sleep. Also it was requested by several moms that David take the night shift since he does nights way better than I do. But in any case, the next driver is up.

Driving 6 and a half hours and 410 miles wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. My back and neck are a little sore, but for someone who gets as restless as I do, I didn't go crazy.

Recently, I watched an episode of Top Gear where they were doing an endurance race. When one driver tires or has to get out, another one takes their place. We are doing just that and I am beginng to have a small idea of what it must have felt like. I think our "race" is a lot more exciting though. At least much better scenery. If our phones could only capture the beauty of seeing Las Cruses from the rest stop above, all lit up. Or the numberless stars we saw at the same stop.

This has been one beautiful adventure so far and we still have a ways to go. I do believe we will be hitting Texas very soon and then we will tackle the hardest part of the trip- West Texas.





(Yes, I am seriously that cold in what would still be considered desert. I am going to freeze in Georgia!)

(And we just hit Texas!)

(Un) Welcome Mat

Well, our first border has been crossed and we are in New Mexico. Oddly, New Mexico has no welcome center over its border. Most states have a glorified rest area shortly after the border to show off why their state is awesome; not New Mexico - apparently their nickname (the Land of Enchantment) is awesome enough that no further information is needed.

Anyway, one state down and six to go. We're well on our way now. It's getting awfully cold now, though.

Good Fortune

Thus saith the Panda:


Panda hath spoken. No matter how hard it tries over the course of 2000 miles, this trip will not kill us.

Movin' Right Along

Location: Just outside Casa Grande, AZ

Miles: 63




We are officially underway. After several weeks of waiting, lots of planning and thinking, we are on the road headed for Georgia. 2000 miles of highway, lots of open, empty space (read: west Texas), and unknown weather conditions lay in our way, but we are ready for the adventure.

We've already cleared Phoenix, are rapidly approaching Casa Grande on I-10 (the one rest area is closed now, apparently), and I've already learned something new despite having been on the road less than an hour. Prepaid Visa cards do not work at gas pumps. In fact, the little buggers freeze up when you try to use them there - a rather emotionless woman on the other end of the 866 number said that when they are swiped at a pump, their balance is instantly frozen for a few days. Seems like false advertising - "Use anywhere Visa is accepted" is not the whole truth, apparently.

Regardless, we have a car full of snacks, plenty of music on our phones and about 8 hours of Top Gear episodes to watch/listen to - we're ready.




Bring on the road.

The Noble Steed

In a few short hours, we will be on our way. This trip has been a long time coming, and it is finally here. I am not sure whether I should try to get some extra sleep or finish packing, though my natural inclination is to put face to pillow for a few hours.

Alas, excitement is proving the more powerful emotion, and I am still awake. I am sure that I will be able to sleep in the car, given the distance and its rather amazing flexibility. While by no means a Sleep Number bed, our 2007 Honda Fit is at first glance the ideal small car. Time - and nearly 5000 miles of driving - will tell, of course, but the Fit makes an excellent case for itself as a road trip vehicle for two people.







First of all, the Fit is as economical a vehicle as currently exists on the market. For just a shade north of $15k, the car comes with nearly every option available in a small car except navigation and stability control (though this is now available as of the 2009 version), a flexible, foldable "Magic Seat" arrangement that allows this miniscule vehicle to haul around 60 cubic feet of cargo, and an average government fuel economy rating of 30mpg (28 city, 34 highway, even though that technically averages out to 31 . . .). Combine that with Honda's refusal to play the "options shell game" - each Honda vehicle has a few trim lines with options specific to that level, so there is no negotiating individual options as with other companies - and the Fit is an ideal choice for a small hatchback.

Of course, you can't have everything at this price point. The tradeoff for all of this is the fact that instead of a 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine under the hood, Honda instead equips the Fit with the less-talented animal actors who did not make the cut for the most recent Alvin & the Chipmunks movie. They might not be bright or gifted in the acting sense (not that the actual Chipmunks are . . .), but they are decent little runners. And if they run fast enough on their little wheels, they will get the Fit to 60 mph in about 11 seconds. The little guys could definitely use a caffeine buzz from time to time, but oddly, Honda discourages the addition of Red Bull to the fuel.

It is also not the most quiet vehicle on the road. For one, the stock chipmunks have a tendency to emit tinny shrieks of protest during higher-RPM accelleration. 109 horsepower is not a lot of "get up and go" when trying to pass a semi at highway speed. I have looked into aftermarket rodents, but chinchillas are far too costly for the limited performance upgrade they offer. Turns out that both PETA and the fur industry object to this point as well, so performance chinchillas are very hard to come by - politics certainly make for some strange bedfellows.

On another front, while the Fit's 15-inch wheels and econo-box suspension are adequately plush under most surfaces, over any highway asphalt less than glass-smooth, they transmit every little imperfection into the cabin, making for an occasionally-raucous ride. While the decibel level varies depending upon the condition of the pavement, it is fortunately never so intrusive as to be disruptive to conversation or concentration. Or more importantly, to beauty sleep.

The latter is a good thing because the Fit's seating arrangement allows the passenger to lay out and take a fairly-comfortable nap while still remaining buckled and legal:








Though not easily seen in this shot, Brittany is actually sitting in the back seat and reclined all the way out over the front seat, which is folded flat and connected the the rear. Here's another shot from Brittany's point of view:







Well, that's not much better, but you hopefully get the point. This seating configuration allows the passenger to stretch out without their legs dangling off and into the floor, keeping them from cramping and allowing the passenger to sleep leaned up against the rear window. If the rear seatbacks would just recline a few inches, it would make for the perfect rolling lounge chair.

Even with the seats folded in this manner, we still have enough cargo space to carry all of our luggage (choke on that, airline baggage fees) and all the outside snacks and drinks we like (choke on THAT, TSA restrictions). No airline weather delays, no inconveniences in packing or comfort, and complete control over environment, entertainment, and route - plus the fact that every seat is both a window and an aisle seat - make the Fit a compelling road tripper for two. Now if it only didn't take a full day (and then some) to cross the country . . .

Alas, until the Star Trek transporter is invented or the highway speed limit is revoked, such an undertaking is not feasible for everyone. Truthfully, though, even if the transporter were invented, I'd probably prefer to road trip it. I'd just assume save the money and keep all my molecules where they're supposed to be.

On the way shortly!

The Continuing Quest For The Perfect Coat

The search for the perfect coat continues. Burlington Coat Factory had a couple good ones, but out of our budget. Wilson's Leather had a better selection and much better prices, but I decided to sleep on it. Anybody in Phoenix, please let me know where to find a good place for coats!

In the mean time, enjoy this picture of me looking like a polar bear.





"Rawrrr!"

The Quest For the Perfect Coat

Talking to my family today, I found out it's around 17 degrees in GA. When it's 71 in Phoenix, we have no use for things known as sweaters and jackets. So on the Great Georgia Trip Checklist is to shop for winter items.

Thankfully, since it is 71 degrees, all winter clothes are on sale and clearance. Unfortunately, said winter clothes are hard to find. Phoenix has no clue what winter clothes are! Not a surprise since Phoenix doesn't do winter, but you'd think they would have some winter clothes.

I was able to manage to find two sweaters. And tonight I'm on the hunt for a jacket. David has a leather jacket, so he's taken care of. But I only have hoodies. Not exactly wedding attire. So hopefully we'll have luck on the hunt. Otherwise, it's going to be very very cold...

Is It Pronounced "Root" or "Rowt"?

We have a start point, an end point, and a "stop-for-breakfast" point somewhere around the middle to visit some family. Start and end are ludicrously far apart, but therein lies the adventure and the challenge: enjoy the voyage just as much as the trip itself. Here's hoping, though that this idea does not progress from "adventure" to "irreconcilable differences." Nearly 2000 miles of road and over 24 hours of drive time is a long time to spend with anyone, no matter how much you love them, but I think our combination of patience and stubbornness (Brittany calls it "determination") should see us through.

First off, though, there has been an update as to the timeline. Brittany cashed in a bit more PTO than we had originally planned for, so we consequently have a total of three extra days for this trip. We will leave from Phoenix on Saturday, January 16th at around 5pm, as opposed to the Tuesday plans that we originally had. While Google says that this trip will take close to 29 hours, it assumes that one drives the speed limit - in some cases lower than the speed limit, as the average speed needed to make that time is right around 60mph. While I'm certainly not known for heeding speed limits, who in their right mind only does 60mph on the highway?

The route we plan to take is fairly simple: get on I-10 eastbound in Phoenix and stay on it until it meets up with I-20 in west Texas. At that point, we take 20 clear through the rest of the state - the gigantic, desolate, boring western portion of the state - until we take a slight detour to Flower Mound (just north of Dallas/Fort Worth) to see Brittany's cousin and family. After the drudgery and monotony of west Texas - the only consolation of which is that most of it will be covered overnight - this will be a welcome break. After stopping to see them, we get back on I-20 and follow it until it reaches I-285 in Georgia. I have yet to deduce why 285 has an "interstate" designation, as it is barely an "inter-city" highway, but this blacktop ring will eventually point us in the correct direction and hopefully put us home sometime Sunday evening. All in all, not a difficult road to follow - very few brains are involved in following it, which is fortunate for me.

In talking about and preparing for this cross-country trek, though, we have encountered a fair share of raised eyebrows and quizzical questioning of our sanity. "Why not fly?" is a common question. "Isn't it that much easier?" Easier perhaps, but there is something to be said for the control over one's trip that driving allows. While certainly longer in duration, driving one's own car allows control over personal space - no crying kids with inattentive parents, no random seatmates with poor hygiene (hopefully, anyway), and one's itinerary is largely in one's own hands rather than the TSA and the airlines. It's also comforting to know that Mother Nature has less pull on a car than on a jet.

Still, covering nearly 2000 miles of road is no walk in the park, and as such, preparation is of the utmost importance. Things to consider include food, sleep, (frequent) bathroom stops, clothing, and mental stability in the face of monotony and road hypnosis. All of these things will be covered later, but the risks are very real and definitely warrant exploring and planning for.

It's going to be quite the adventure - strap in and hold on!