A familiar journey
We have taken this trip so many times, I almost take it for granted...the 12 hour trek from SC to IL. I always have one thing in mind and that's pulling in to the driveway of our final destination. I never really stopped to enjoy the moment-all 12 hours of them-until yesterday. It may have been the fact that Matt drove the WHOLE trip. That has never happened. I always do at least 4-6 hours, especially in the mountains, due to my sensitivity to car sickness. It may have been the fact that my almost 2 year old was a complete ANGEL the entire 12 hours.
Not a peep out of him. He watched a little bit of the DVD player and read a lot.
A lot goes into getting ready for a 12 hour drive and most of the time-the 2 week stay that follows. Laundry and packing and piles and bags. Food for Harley and preparing lunch and snacks for the 3 of us to limit stops in the car. Yesterday was an ideal ride home. They aren't all like that. Sometimes we have to stop an hour into the trip, sometimes we have to stop 45 minutes after that. Sometimes we have to turn up the static of the radio to drown out the whines and cries. Sometimes we have to eat out breakfast and lunch and we are left feeling bloated and unhealthy. But not yesterday. The drive, the journey, the trip went off without a hitch!
We were well on our way by 5 am. We scooped up a sleeping Lane, who awoke on our way down the stairs to the car and when he was placed in his seat started chattering away. "Hi Harley, going for a ride?, in the car. yeah yeah." It was like he knew. He knew where we were headed and he definitely liked it! Like when you were a kid and your parents woke you up at midnight and you were headed for Disney World! You were so excited you could hardly sleep. That was Lane yesterday, although his Disney World?...it's Peru, IL baby! :-)
Since we were headed out of town around 5am, we hit up Dunkin' Donuts on our way out. Surely we were the first car that went through the drive thru that day. And honestly, the DD was for McBaby. For some reason, I was hungry when I woke and started feeling nauseous. Matt needed coffee anyway and I disgustingly ate at a crazy insane hour of the morning. But it helped!
Here's Lane after he got up for the 2nd time. Matt and him like the 'old fashioned' doughnuts. So he was munchin' on one while watching Dr. Seuss' "Sneethches" and "The Cat in the Hat' on DVD.
The Smokies were in all there smoky glory yesterday morning. Beautiful! And to think we only live 3 hours from them.
Harley is a super traveler as well. As long as he has something to rest his chin on, you barely know he's there.
Matt assumed his position...coffee...check! iPod...check!
Kentucky is just how you see it in the movies...rolling hills for miles and miles with horse fences and big beautiful estates!
And this...this is a good sign. This is Louisville, KY. And that means just across the bridge is Indy and Indy? well it's one short state away from IL!
We made really great time. We got through SC, NC, TN and KY by 10 am. We were halfway done with our trip and heading into Indy by 10 am eastern time.
Can you tell where we are now? The land of flat cornfields and Central Time!
1 Jeep. 5 states. 3 McConvilles. 1Harley the Dog. 2 DVD's 2 iPods. 2 suitcases. 3 duffel bags. 1 bag of Cheetos. 12 hours of travel. 6 waters. 1 pregnant belly. And surprisingly only 2 bathroom breaks.
Ahh! Home Sweet Home!
