Today is the BIG day!
Well, we're here! We are in Chicago! We made it in fairly good time, but boy- Illinois roads are the crappiestly-marked, stinkiest roads I think I've ever been on in my life! If not that, then they are definitely the crappiestly-marker, stinkiest roads that Heather and I have been on together; therefore, they are the snarkiest roads we've encountered.
(And yes - for those of you keeping track at home, this does mark the second time we've been on these roads before [the first was our BEE road trip in '03], but I don't think the roads were anywhere NEAR this bad that time... though the bathrooms have improved GREATLY.)
We left the Bellevue, Nebraska area around almost 3pm yesterday. We could have left much earlier, but when I got my oil changed on Wednesday, I was informed that my car's battery was going to die at any second (even though I'd not had a flicker of a problem with it). I didn't want to get on the road and risk having troubles out on the highway, so I took it in yesterday for the new battery. It took over TWO HOURS! Heather ended up coming to pick us up at Wal*Mart and bring us home. We did more of our packing/last-minute stuff, and then she picked us up, took us back to Wal*Mart, and then we finished the rest of the packing and then went and picked HER up at her house.
And oh - road trips. ROAD. TRIPS.
*sighs contentedly*
About 15-20 minutes into our trip, a white car loomed upon us from the front. Yes, the front. Actually, this little white car was driving SO slow in the fast lane that it really did appear he was moving backwards into US for a second there. Heather slowed way down, and all the big trucks zoomed past us on the right. While we tailed the white car, we remarked about how he was veering much too far to the left, sometimes even straddling the rumble strip. Heather had a window, and we passed him on the right, but we still kept watching him in the rear and side-view mirrors. His driving just looked kinda suspicious, you know? Like there was something wrong with him, even though when we passed him, he appeared to be fine and was talking to himself (or singing... or what have you). However, just a minute later, Heather saw him go off the road and into the ditch. We couldn't stop (no place to turn around), but we did call 911. Even as I just started to tell the guy about the white car, he interrupted me and already knew the mile marker information, etc. He said they'd had about 15-20 calls already about him.
So we felt that he was going to be helped, and we continued on our merry way.
Or not.
I am scared of big trucks, folks. I don't think it's much of a big secret. But a bigger fear of mine? Big RED trucks that NEVER look in the mirrors and then try to smash us as they switch into our lane when we have nowhere to go but into the concrete wall. This happened SO many times yesterday. Just as Heather and I would remember how to breath again, it would happen again - and every time it was a RED truck.
I think they should be banned.
We stopped and had Chick-Fil-A in Davenport, Iowa, and it was blissful heaven, of course. Mmmmmmm! The boys liked it okay, but they just didn't realize what they were partaking, I think, because they haven't been talking about it the rest of the trip the way we have. ;-)
And of course, when we arrived at the final turn in our trip, the bridge was out. We took a detour, and then we finally arrived! Our Hilton is a very classy hotel, and when I walked to the front desk to check-in, I was ecstatic to find a pair of RAVENCLAWS already there!
There are RAVENCLAWS in the Common Room, er... Lobby of our hotel! And as the saying goes (or does it? It will now, anyway), "where there are Ravenclaws, there will be more!" *squeeeeee!*
The boys took turns "flying" from bed to bed in the room, and then we settled in for the night. I had a message waiting for me from Jill at the front desk (I forget which website she's affiliated with). Heather hooked up our internet, and I talked to Catherine from MuggleNet about today. Her New York accent is such a trip every time - I love it! We are so stoked about today!
And now, I've got to get off this computer and get going on my hair. Naturally, I forgot to pack shampoo, conditioner and a razor after my last-minute shower, so I had to use the hotel stuff. It works, but I don't feel as "springy-fresh" as I normally would. We're off to breakfast then, and then we should be at the mall for SPELLBOUND! by 9:30am or so. Then the fun begins!!
(And yes - for those of you keeping track at home, this does mark the second time we've been on these roads before [the first was our BEE road trip in '03], but I don't think the roads were anywhere NEAR this bad that time... though the bathrooms have improved GREATLY.)
We left the Bellevue, Nebraska area around almost 3pm yesterday. We could have left much earlier, but when I got my oil changed on Wednesday, I was informed that my car's battery was going to die at any second (even though I'd not had a flicker of a problem with it). I didn't want to get on the road and risk having troubles out on the highway, so I took it in yesterday for the new battery. It took over TWO HOURS! Heather ended up coming to pick us up at Wal*Mart and bring us home. We did more of our packing/last-minute stuff, and then she picked us up, took us back to Wal*Mart, and then we finished the rest of the packing and then went and picked HER up at her house.
And oh - road trips. ROAD. TRIPS.
*sighs contentedly*
About 15-20 minutes into our trip, a white car loomed upon us from the front. Yes, the front. Actually, this little white car was driving SO slow in the fast lane that it really did appear he was moving backwards into US for a second there. Heather slowed way down, and all the big trucks zoomed past us on the right. While we tailed the white car, we remarked about how he was veering much too far to the left, sometimes even straddling the rumble strip. Heather had a window, and we passed him on the right, but we still kept watching him in the rear and side-view mirrors. His driving just looked kinda suspicious, you know? Like there was something wrong with him, even though when we passed him, he appeared to be fine and was talking to himself (or singing... or what have you). However, just a minute later, Heather saw him go off the road and into the ditch. We couldn't stop (no place to turn around), but we did call 911. Even as I just started to tell the guy about the white car, he interrupted me and already knew the mile marker information, etc. He said they'd had about 15-20 calls already about him.
So we felt that he was going to be helped, and we continued on our merry way.
Or not.
I am scared of big trucks, folks. I don't think it's much of a big secret. But a bigger fear of mine? Big RED trucks that NEVER look in the mirrors and then try to smash us as they switch into our lane when we have nowhere to go but into the concrete wall. This happened SO many times yesterday. Just as Heather and I would remember how to breath again, it would happen again - and every time it was a RED truck.
I think they should be banned.
We stopped and had Chick-Fil-A in Davenport, Iowa, and it was blissful heaven, of course. Mmmmmmm! The boys liked it okay, but they just didn't realize what they were partaking, I think, because they haven't been talking about it the rest of the trip the way we have. ;-)
And of course, when we arrived at the final turn in our trip, the bridge was out. We took a detour, and then we finally arrived! Our Hilton is a very classy hotel, and when I walked to the front desk to check-in, I was ecstatic to find a pair of RAVENCLAWS already there!
There are RAVENCLAWS in the Common Room, er... Lobby of our hotel! And as the saying goes (or does it? It will now, anyway), "where there are Ravenclaws, there will be more!" *squeeeeee!*
The boys took turns "flying" from bed to bed in the room, and then we settled in for the night. I had a message waiting for me from Jill at the front desk (I forget which website she's affiliated with). Heather hooked up our internet, and I talked to Catherine from MuggleNet about today. Her New York accent is such a trip every time - I love it! We are so stoked about today!
And now, I've got to get off this computer and get going on my hair. Naturally, I forgot to pack shampoo, conditioner and a razor after my last-minute shower, so I had to use the hotel stuff. It works, but I don't feel as "springy-fresh" as I normally would. We're off to breakfast then, and then we should be at the mall for SPELLBOUND! by 9:30am or so. Then the fun begins!!