Road Trip Day 4

Day 4: Friday July 19

Friday Ava was 2 weeks old, and doing great.  After an awesome hotel breakfast, we drove off toward Huntsville, Alabama.  We passed the Space Center there and went to Scottsboro for lunch and the unclaimed baggage store.  This is the place where all lost and unclaimed airport baggage ends up.  We thought that was too weird and random a thing to pass up.  but really it was just like a Winner's or other cheap department store with used stuff.   It was all washed, tagged and organized.  Prices were good.  Clothing, books, luggage, sporting goods, and accessories all for sale.  We spent a while there just eating lunch and letting Rachel run around.  We bought a few books for Rachel and left. 

From there we drove North East toward Chatanooga, entering TN, then GA, then TN again, and finally North Carolina.  We had a terrific dinner at the Haysville diner.  We passed on the frog legs and all you can eat catfish but enjoyed the service and food.  Rachel was a challenge during dinner, clearly done with sitting still.  While running around outside the restaurant and chatting with other folks, Rachel said "that lady talks funny"... So we had a chat about accents.

We arrived in Culowhee to see our friends Sara and Rob, and put Rachel to bed.  Ava helped us play a game called Dixit, and we enjoyed the social adult evening.

Road Trip Day 3

Day 3: Thurs July 18

Jason had a quick run in the morning, and after a luxury breakfast from Debbie, we were off.  We drove south and east through Arkansas toward Little Rock.  A lovely rest stop made a great early lunch picnic spot.  Rachel and Jason played hide and seek in the trees and I got a few exercises in after playing Go Fish with Rachel and nursing Ava.

It was hot and sticky!  We stopped at a gas station to feed the car and Ava and we were very uncomfortable in the heat.  We were using "Gas Buddy" on our phones to pick the cheapest gas, and filling it as late as possible in the tank (causing me some stress!). Ava was so sweaty but we couldn't do much about it.  We bought cold drinks at the gas station and shoved off.

From Little Rock toward Memphis, we entered a series of storms with a lot of rain.  Hard rain!  When Ava needed to nurse, we weren't sure where to stop, because a) there wasn't much around and b) Rachel was not going to be able to run around outside.  So we pulled off the interstate and under an overpass so our car was protected from the loud rain.  The water level rose around us as Ava nursed and Rachel played Go Fish with Jason.

The rain slowed our progress a bit, so we decided to have an early dinner in West Memphis.  Thanks to our smart phones, we chose a little shack of a truck stop called Ray's BBQ with great reviews.  It wasn't pretty inside or out, but the folks were friendly and the food was legit.  Jason has pulled pork and I had pork ribs.  This meal was the real deal and an awesome experience for authentic local cookin'.

We have to add more pictures showing the weather and the dinner!

Driving through Memphis, TN in the pouring rain took a while.  Water pooled on the roads and traffic piled up, but we eventually got through and entered Mississippi.  We wanted to push through to our hotel, but Ava needed one more stop.  A church parking lot that wasn't too wet offered a rest for us.  The rain had stopped and Rachel and Jason were able to run around outside.  We made it to Corinth, MS and stayed at a Quality Inn for $68.

Road Trip Day 2

Day 2: Wed July 17

Everyone awake by 6:30 central time.  Breakfast free at the hotel.  I get in a power walk before showers and packing up the car.  Rachel rides her bike around the hotel and calls grandma before we leave.  Drive out at 9am.

Ava not as happy on our drive south, but we make it to Wichita and the Sedgwick county zoo by 10:45am... Wake both kids up and go in.  It was hot and we enjoyed it but we didn't have the energy for the whole thing.  We think Rachel's favorite part was the cheese pizza we bought her for lunch.  My favorites were the chimps and the spider monkeys and Jason's favorite things were the giraffe facts.

From there we drove south and east toward Arkansas.  Occasionally Ava would fuss and we would pull over to feed her or change her.  We can pull over and give her a 'quick snack' in about 15 or 20 minutes, and then enevitably 15 min later on the road she will fill her diaper!

We arrived in Fayetteville, AR in time for a late dinner, some playtime, and bed.  Debbie made us a delicious dinner and snuggled Ava while Lin Oliver kicked a soccer ball and watched fireflies with Rachel.

 That night was quite reasonable.