Are we there yet?

For most people traveling can be… You know, I don't know how to finish that statement. I don't know how traveling is for most people. I haven't travelled for a long time. More of that "phobias from my past" thing. I can remember as a kid that I loved to travel from Topeka, Kansas where I was from, to Pea Ridge, Arkansas where my mother's family all lived. I enjoyed watching the scenery pass by the car window. I saw so many fun things. As I was thinking about how to finish that opening statement I remembered my fun travels as a kid, but I also remembered the "Vacation" movies that poked fun at the travails of travel, and how Chevy Chase was almost insane by the end of the trip. I have heard horror stories as well as tales destined to be part of family lore for generations.

This last weekend I had the privilege of traveling to Louisville Kentucky. The cheerleading squad my daughter is on went to an event sponsored by the Christian Cheerleaders of America. So, we packed up five cheerleaders, five parents and a lot of luggage into two mini-vans and started what was supposed to be an eight hour trip. One of the mom's husband was a truck driver and had the whole trip laid out for us down to the best rest stops and gas stations. But, you know the old saying about the best laid plans… The first person to ask for an un-scheduled rest stop was me, thirty-three miles into the trip. I should have followed my own advice when I was yelling at everyone to go to the bathroom before we hit the road. So, what was supposed to be an eight hour trip turned into a ten hour trip. We even tried to shave time off by eating at a rest stop somewhere in Indiana. Let me tell you that trying to eat a cold sandwich out of a cooler in the middle of February, standing outside is very conducive to making the meal go faster, but boredom on the road leads to restlessness and lots of stops. Each place was nice and I saw a lot of interesting things, with one exception. My advice to anyone traveling along I-64 is to not stop in a little town called Sulpher, Indiana. The only gas station in town had two port-a-potties out back next to an eight foot tall block and tackle (used to hoist either car engines or large animals for meat processing) as we left, I swear I heard strains of "Dueling Banjos". Scary, very scary.


Our trip back to Missouri took even longer, but this time we had an excuse. We spent an hour taking photos in downtown Louisville and we also stopped at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. To further our complications, it started raining and snowing. So, our eight hour trip took thirteen hours this time. We rotated who sat where both directions, and I honestly got the chance to talk to other adults (being a single, homeschooling mom, this is a precious commodity!) and deepen our relationships. I had a great time, and I look forward to the next big team event this summer when we all get to drive to Dallas. I guess that I just don't get what the big fuss is about, but that is OK!