1st trip for 4 - The Full Report - Part 3 Getting There Day 1

[Jennifer_and_Chris]

Saturday, October 15

I had the alarms set for 4:30am. But, apparently during our pillow talk about the trip, I forgot to actually turn on the alarm. I don’t get up until 5:00am and that’s because Chris got up and woke me up. Chris gets in the shower and I get the last of the stuff packed. I stage the cooler in the kitchen to be filled with the stuff in the fridge marked for our trip. While I’m working quickly in the kitchen, I hear the pitter-patter of little feet. Natalie got up and ran to our bed. I had to wake Isabel up. Boy, Natalie = Chris and Isabel = me. Totally.
I shower and get ready while trying to get the kids to move their little behinds. Chris is on the computer paying the last of the bills for the next couple of weeks. After I’m ready and everything is packed from the bathrooms into our toiletry bag (I got a gardening tote from Target on clearance. It’s like a big canvas bucket tote with pockets all around for gardening tools. This works EXCELLENT as a bathroom/toiletry bag for us!) , I stop at the computer to post on Intercot that we are leaving in a few minutes. The post was at 6:06am.

The 15 minutes turned into 50 minutes. I had to repack the cooler and take some ice out to fit more. Chris packed the cooler w/o consulting the yellow “for the cooler” sticky note. The kids start SCREAMING as soon as they get in the car since Minnie and Mickey left them a fun bag w/ stickers, sticker book, colored pencils, coloring packs, etc. So, we pull out of the driveway at 6:55am. It was 44 degrees and light/misty rain.

We had a few stops to make before getting on the freeway. A quick stop at the USPS box across the street from McDonalds to get a b-day card for my SIL in the mail. Stop at McD’s for 4 sausage biscuits and 4 hash browns. And we are off! Since it is misty, raining and still mostly dark, we can’t see the Detroit skyline but, we can see Ford Field and Comerica Park. That’s always fun to say goodbye to those parks. A moment of silence for the Detroit Tigers please…..


8:09am – 70.9 odometer – 50 degrees… We cross the Ohio Border. As soon as we get out of the Toledo area, we pray the rosary for a safe trip and Isabel quickly declares that she needs to go to the bathroom. But she doesn't sound so convincing so, I estimate that we can go a bit further before she really needs to go.

8:23am – we pass the huge Bass Pro Shop. Don’t know why I always write this down but, it’s so huge and in the middle of no where.

8:25am – 1st cop car sighting at mm(mile marker) 185

8:29am – 2nd cop car sighting at mm 188

8:35am – pass Bowling Green University and TONS of tailgaters already. (hence the cops I think…)

8:37am – 102.9 odometer – Our first rest area stop. It’s not raining but, it is overcast. Ground is dry. Opened up the back to organize it already. Crazy how it’s already messy from the kids stuff. We’ve only been on the road for about 1.5 hours.

8:50am – Back on the road.

9:03am – 3rd cop car sighting around mm 150

9:04am – Call my BFF to see where they are. They are about 1 hour behind us.

10:20am – 199.7 odometer – 53 degrees – mm 78 - 2nd rest area break – Chris and I need to go potty AGAIN! Darn that coffee! Ironically, after going potty, we refill our coffee mugs. Kids want to change out of their pj’s so, I get them into their yoga outfits. I’m already very bored and loving that I have a smart phone this trip. So, I decide about this time to start doing live updates.

10:31am – Back on the road.

11:41am – mm 1C at the OH/KY border, we hit crawling traffic. The construction traffic is now on the southbound side. The last 2 years it has been on the northbound side. So, if history is any indicator, on our way down next year, southbound will be crawling again. Traffic is about 3 miles long. There is huge crowds right off the freeway… everyone in red across from a large stadium– TAILGATING!!! Not sure if the majority of the traffic was from construction (down to 2 lanes) or the tailgating.

11:52am – 279.8 odometer – 61 degrees – WELCOME TO KENTUCKY!

12:07pm – 293.6 odometer – mm 177.1 – Stop at KY Welcome Center for a potty break. Note to park in the back of the building. There’s no one there instead of the crowded front of the building! This is the rest area that has a huge “balance” wall (as the kids call it). They walk the length of the wall. Nice rest area with picnic tables for lunch if needed.

12:26pm – Back on the Road. My turn to drive and BFF calls as we are pulling out, they are now about 30 minutes behind at the OH/KY border where all the traffic is.

12:31pm – 298.5 odometer - mm 172 – Traffic at a near standstill. Construction down to 2 lanes.

12:50pm – 303.5 odometer – Traffic starts moving. We are still in construction zone but, at least we’re moving. About a mile later, construction ends and we are back to posted speeds.

1:33pm – 357.8 odometer – Exit 113 – Gas stop for the last 3 years. Someone in the bathroom is taking FOREVER at the gas station so we go next door to go potty. I take a look at their allergen information and the pasta (Fettuccini Alfredo) and garlic bread stick is safe for Isabel to eat (egg free). So we get both girls kids meals for the road. While we are waiting for the food, Isabel is getting crazy and I take her to the car (against her will) and she has a full meltdown. (we won’t see this side of Isabel until the last day! Thank goodness).

2:11pm – back on the road. Food is too hot for the kids to eat in the car so, we will wait until we find something for Chris and I before giving them their lunch.

2:18pm – Exit 108 we stop. That’s just 1 exit down from 113. This is a very nice area and one that we will stop at next year. There is a mall and just about every restaurant known in this exit. Very nice area and everything looks new and sparkly (if strip malls could be sparkly, that is…). Chris wants McD’s and I can’t stomach that again. I walk over to Taco Bell next door. When I get back, Chris suggests that we eat at the picnic tables outside McD’s and that’s where we have lunch. By this time, it’s bright and sunny. But, windy. So we eat.

2:46pm – back on the road.

4:13pm – 471.0 odometer – 68 degrees – ENTER TENNESSEE

5:49pm – 583 odometer – 72 degrees – Rest area break. This has lots of black flies. But, it’s newer and clean.

6:04pm – back on the road. Chris’ turn to drive.

6:15pm – I’m already bored. So, I call BFF to see where they are and she’s not answering.

6:42pm – 630.0 odometer – 71 degrees – ENTER GEORGIA. This is the first picture of the Welcome to Georgia sign that I’ve gotten in the light of day. But, of course, it’s blurry.

6:51pm – BFF calls to talk about the hotel in Calhoun vs. Kennesaw where we are staying. Their kids are doing great so, they’ll call our hotel and go the extra hour to get to Kennesaw hotel.

7:16pm – we pass the Calhoun exit where we normally stay. I look at my notes from last year and we arrived here at 8:23pm. So, we are doing GREAT on time!

7:50pm – 712 odometer - we arrive at the Hilton Garden View in Kennesaw, GA.

8:30 – 9:15pm – kids swim and we get a hold of Chris’ sister who lives less than a mile from the hotel. She made us dinner so, we plan to go over there after swimming. BFF just arrived at their hotel right next door at the Homewood Suites. In fact, the Homewood and Garden View share the indoor pool at Garden View. When they call, I look out the window and they see me in the window from their room. They’re coming over to swim since the kids are wide awake.

10:00 – 11:00pm – Late dinner at SIL’s. Kids fall asleep on the couch after a few bites of dinner. They need sleep more than anything.

11:53pm – kids are snoring, and we tuck ourselves in bed. Alarm is set for 5:30.
NOTES: Will stay at Homewood Suites next year since they have complementary breakfast and Garden View does not. And it was the same price. Plus rooms are suites w/ kitchen and ours was not. Kids watch 5 movies today with an hour or so break to do homework.

[SallyMcQueen]

Love the reports so far! We are driving down from Wisconsin in February. Its nice to see that its not going to be too terrible. Can't wait to hear how the rest of the trip went.

[faline]

Well, you're moving right along! Everyone must be so excited!

[Goofy4TheWorld]

8:25am – 1st cop car sighting at mm(mile marker) 185

8:29am – 2nd cop car sighting at mm 188

9:03am – 3rd cop car sighting around mm 150

By the third sighting report I was . Thanks for the morning laugh!

12:50pm – 303.5 odometer – Traffic starts moving. We are still in construction zone but, at least we’re moving. About a mile later, construction ends and we are back to posted speeds.

Based on the previous quote, I'm doubting "posted speeds".

[pdrlkr]

Thanks for the Report!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

Thanks for the report

[vizsla]

Thanks for the report.

[January-2007]

Thanks for reporting.