On Sept 7, 2007 I started my yearly pilgrimage to WV to visit family and friends. I had packed as much as I knew to pack, knowing that I most likely forgot something but not really caring much about it. My plan was to get up at 5 AM and pretend it was a normal weekday morning by going through my normal routine. I altered it some but for the most part it was the "same old, same old" that all my readers are used to :-).
My wife had gotten up to toss the clothes we washed last night into the dryer, not realizing that I had already done it. Since she was up and did not have anything to occupy her time, she got the dogs food ready. I continued on with my routine, adding things to my gear as I went. At nearly 7:00 my wife comes to the table and asks me to sit with her while she eats. Knowing I will not see her for 9 days or so, I obliged her. She finished eating and I brushed my teeth and packed the cooler (note to self, Ruth's old cooler is not very insolated. The ice blocks already melted). Once all was packed, I noticed it was 7:15 AM and I still had to get cash and gas. I was able to accomplish those tasks and hit the road at 7:30 AM, 30 minutes later than I had planned on.
I tried an alternate route out of the area to the interstate. It shaved 15 minutes off of my time to the interstate, but put me 10 minutes further south. I ended up saving 5 minutes. Ok I was now onlyh 25 minutes behind schedule. I can make that up.
I arrived in Texarkana at 10:15 AM...15 later than ORIGINALLY planned but about 15 minutes ahead of my current schedule. I made up 15 minutes in three hours of travel. Nice.
I arrived at Little Rock at 12:10 AM, gaining 5 minutes on my schedule. I was going to at least be on schedule at this rate. El Gee is HAPPY!
Just north of Little Rock I get gas, paying $2.69 a gallon. Not as cheap as home, but it was the cheapest in the area. This stop in Little Rock was my first stop. I had been driving four hours and did not have to stop to use the toilet.
With a full tank of gas, I continued on East towards Memphis. The road is peppered with semi trucks, many that will not get out of the passing lane. While my speed stays near the posted limit, I am running slower than I wanted to.
I arrived in Memphis at 2:10 PM, 10 minutes behind my original schedule but right on my revised one. From Memphis to the campground is about 2 hours of driving going a resonable speed, but I was not sure if reasonable was in my future.
East of Memphis I stopped by a McDonald's for a quick bite. I did my calculations and realized that since I did not stop frequently that I would be in the park by 4:30 or so, a full 30 minutes ahead of my original schedule and about an hour head of my revised schedule. SWEEET!
While at McD's I called my wife and checked in with her. I got back on the road and was confronted with a massive downpour that lasted right up to the campground. I arrived, scoped out a good spot and started collecting firewood. I have heard thunder and it is sprinkling off and on but I think we will get out of this mess yet.
During the trip I had talked with Block a few times and told him that if he wanted to back out he could and I would understand. He is such a trooper. "If we have to eat hot dogs cold and sleep in your van, I don't care." Wow.
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