I have just returned from a 10 state adventure starting in SC and ending there......in my driveway as a matter of fact. Actually, this happened the week before Christmas. A friend and I were driving to Missouri to see my son graduate from basic training. When talk of this trip first transpired, I began plotting the best course of travel.....wanted to get the most bang for my buck so to speak.
After declaring "empty nest" and turning 50 all in the same year.....I was raring to go. Looking at mapquest and heading to Barnes and Noble to buy the obligatory atlas.
1st day: Ate lunch at the Dillard House in Mountain City. If you've never been there, it's worth the trip. $20.00 will get you approximately 19 dishes (I counted) of home-cooked food. Not to mention the strawberry cobbler and coffee for dessert. Quite the culinary adventure.
Decided not to venture into Nashville as there was no Grand Ole Opry that day. Stayed the night on "yonder" side of there.
2nd day: Onward and upward to St. Louis. Went through Kentucky and Illinois....Both are really quite pretty. Didn't realize Illinois had as much water as it does. Saw my first oil rig there. Stopped at a couple of wineries. Once in St. Louis, we located the airport as we had to pick up 2 of my daughters there that evening. Got a room across the road from there and relaxed until time for the pick-up. Both girls wanted to check out Harrah's as they've never done that before. We were all bored with it after about 45 minutes. The other 3 had "donated" all their money to the Casino and I came out a winner........by about 6 or 7 dollars. Oh, well, better luck next time.
3rd day: In the AM, we opted for the Anheuser-Busch tour. We absolutely loved it. That place is immaculate. No dust, no dirt. Aren't all you beer drinkers glad to hear that????? Great tour. Definitely, you want to do this if you are presented the opportunity. Saw the arch. Wasn't about to go inside. I just don't do heights......especially THAT high. Lunch at an Irish pub somewhere downtown. We just happened upon it....and isn't that the BEST kind of adventure. Small, smoky, and great food. With our hunger pangs satisfied, we journey on.........to Fort Leonard Wood where we had a reservation at the BEST WESTERN.
OH, YEAH, the Best Western. Normally, and I repeat NORMALLY, the BW is a safe place to stay if you're picking a hotel off the Internet. NOT ANYMORE......The proprietors were Indian and could barely speak English. The room .....as my middle daughter says.....was do-it-yourself remodeled. In front of the hotel was an abandoned gas station. The proprietor suggested we eat supper at the restaurant next door........can't remember the name b/c I'm afraid I'll have nightmares about it. We didn't go. Cracker Barrel..here we come. After we got in the room, out came the laptop and cell-phones. NO other rooms to be had anywhere around. We finally found one at the Candlewood Inn for the next night (only due to a cancellation), so we made our reservation. All night long at the BW, I was getting up and down turning on the heat, turning off the heat. What fun.
4th day: Off to family day on the base. Joseph had already told me that I may not recognize him. I laughed. "I gave birth to you. I'd know you anywhere." We won't tell him how long it took me to find him. He had lost 35 pounds, shaved head and was dressed like 100 other people. But when our eyes met, he lit up and I knew that was my baby......only he didn't look like a baby, anymore. VERY PROUD MOMENT. After a short ceremony, he was free to roam the base, but couldn't leave the base. There was a mini-mall where we all bought our "HOOAH" bumper stickers and various and sundry other items. You know......Proud Army Mom t-shirts.....My Brother serves in the U.S. Army. Oh, yeah, we got it all. Back to the barracks for Joseph and off to the Candlewood Inn for us.
5th day: GRADUATION DAY. I went to this expecting pomp and circumstance and I got it, but with a lot of proud parents and friends cheering their graduate on.......We were encouraged to celebrate the graduates and we did. That was such a proud and patriotic time. I'm so thankful to have been able to travel and be a part of something like this. After the graduation, there was a special ceremony........4 of the graduates were sworn in as American Citizens. WOW. We got to be a little part of this history being made. Pretty overwhelming.
Back to barracks to get duffel bags......and OFF TO HOME!!!!! Our journey was not over as we continued home through Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia...........quickly. Got home at 4:30am on Friday, just in time for Anna the teacher to get ready for school. We, of course, woke everyone in the house up, so Joseph could see the babies. We were home. Joseph was with us for 2 weeks and then to Baltimore for training.
Very thankful to live in such a beautiful country and to be able to travel and see some of it. Got to get the pictures printed because.......
Next week-end is the trip to BALTIMORE.
Alright Donna!!!! Ya'll were in my neck of the "woods", well cornfield I guess. So glad you made it to the Candlewood, that's Heiths' standard on the road when not in the camper.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you guys had such a fun & safe trip, you're going to love Baltimore as well!