Oh boy, we're having a rough start!

Day 2 – June 30, 2016

Conway, AR – Dodge City. KS

566 hours/9 ½ hours

So I had ambitious plans for today. The night before I set the alarm for five, because I was going to sneak down to the gym for a quick workout before the kids woke up. And I’d planned to be on the road by 7:00 a.m. I swear I was, I swear I was…

At about 4:45 I heard moaning and I thought I was dreaming, but then it registered that it was not a nice moan. Then I realized it was Barrett. He was in the next (connecting) room, and I truly thought he was having a nightmare. But he got louder and louder. I jumped out of bed and walked into the room and realized he was in the bathroom.

All I can say is that poor boy was suffering…

Holy crap! We had a very long drive in front of us. What should we do????

Well, I will spare you all the scenarios that played out in my mind. And I will spare you the logistics I employed to, well, I guess stay on schedule. And I will not describe the paranoia I experienced during my ten hours on the road – many times in the middle of Bum F. Egypt. And I will not describe to you the looks I got from people when my fifteen year old son and I entered gas station bathrooms together (I had too, the poor kid was not well). If anyone said anything, well I had the transgender law on my side. I’ll play any card I can.

I am happy to report, aside from the 5-6a.m. nightmare hour, we were spared major disaster and major embarrassment. Screw all the people who looked at us.

We rolled into town around 5:30 p.m. I was disappointed. Dodge City was not all that I imagined. And it stunk like cow s*** – literally - and the road warriors felt compelled to tell me that, over and over.

We went to dinner at a “local establishment.” And I would love to tell you my real thoughts, but then I’m afraid I’d cement my image as a snooty-wannabee-gluten-free- decent-chardonnay-loving-*****. So I won’t.

Everyone went to bed early, well almost everyone – Hunter and I got sucked into Friends reruns.  

Westbound and down!

Day 1 - June 29, 2016

Cumming, GA – Conway, AR (30 miles NW of Little Rock)

587 miles – 9 ½ miles

It was a very easy drive today – with the exception of the length. We didn’t leave Atlanta until 9:00a.m., because I was up till midnight getting things ready to go. Since this was just a driving day, I felt little pressure. We visited Little Rock five years ago and toured the Clinton Library and the Capitol. We’ve done this town and this was just a stopover on our way to Dodge City, KS.

The kids really were extremely well behaved. Rich called me in the afternoon to see how we were doing and I had nothing to tell him. And no good stories to share with you. It was much more interesting when they were younger, wasn’t it?

When we got to the hotel, Hunter and Audrey went to the gym (Hunter has to follow his coach’s training schedule). I was going to go…but I feel kind of achy. I hope I’m not getting sick. We’re planning to walk over to Outback for dinner. As I type this, Bear’s having a coke, mommy’s having a glass of wine, and Camden has all his Transformers spread across the floor. Hoping for early to bedtime, because we have another big driving day tomorrow!

Preview for tomorrow…Holy Mother of God – day two, 4:45 a.m., I was awakened by a child moaning in the bathroom…it wasn’t good.