I can honestly say the last few days have been one of the biggest adventures of my life. I can easily write an entire 1700 (somehow dad and I made it 1780) mile driving recap filled with dad and I’s musings. I think it could be considered a race recap. I went a certain distance, had plenty of stops for food and water and it was filled with highs and lows…
Day 1: 180 miles
Dad and I left around 4pm on Wednesday night. We wanted to be able to put a few miles in the night before. Driving is not one of my strong points. Most people would easily be able to drive the entire journey in 3 days. I am not most people and we ended up taking 5 and stopping along the way.
After getting coffee for the last time at Wawa for a while we actually left.
Our first stop came in Emporia at a Cracker Barrel for dinner. I asked a line of elderly about 4 times if they were in line to be seated. They didn’t hear me and finally the hostess realized dad and I were not part of their party and sat us.
I will give a shoutout that Cracker Barrel pancakes are one of the few restaurants that I love their cakes. (Mostly because they will put lots of whip cream on them).
Then we just kept driving and located a Hampton Inn off the highway. Dad was instaimpressed by their stash of cookies.
We then proceeded to just relax and hang out in the hotel and go to bed early like the 90 year old people we are.
Day 2: 450 miles Durham to Auburn, Alabama
After getting a good nights rest, dad and I woke up and ran around Durham. We somehow made it downtown and to Duke University. It was one of the hilliest runs I have ever done. It was hillier then Atlanta, Oswego and wherever else. I was struggling holding 9:30 min miles. (How the hell am I going to run a half in three days…I don’t know).
I like staying in Hampton Inn’s because we can run in the am and breakfast is already being served when we get back. They also always have a giant tray of eggs which since I can’t make eggs without making them burnt and crusty, any eggs are amazing. These eggs in Durham were just plain scrambled eggs (important later).
Then we drove and drove and drove. We stopped in multiple gas stations that had more beer then coffee.
I saw a giant peach watertower.
We had planned to meet Laura in Atlanta so I was using that to excite me throughout the drive. It was working somewhat.
When we did get to Atlanta I went straight into a parking garage. Only to realize that like a derp dad couldn’t go in there because the uhaul topped out at the roof.
I also literally walked right into Laura in the parking garage.
After a nice grandma dinner at 4:30, we got back on the road and made it into Louisiana.
But not after hitting far too much traffic.
From around 6-8 we just kept driving. We finally made it out of Georgia and into Alabama and found a hotel.
I ended up getting hungry after getting to the hotel around 8 so we went down to the Wendys. Out of all the fast food places I choose, this one was extremely slow. We felt bad for the cashier because it looked like she was dealing with a bunch of goobers behind the counter. It took us roughly 20 minutes for our food…20 minutes that was worth it.
Then we went to bed at 8pm central time and 9 Eastern time…because we wanted to up our old people status more.
Questions for you:
Favorite travel food?
What time do you normally eat dinner?
I knew you drove through Charlotte. I need to read your blog more. Had I known you were in Durham I would have stopped by to meet you for breakfast— Duke is 30 min from me!!! Next time hopefully!! Can’t wait for part 2!!
WAHHH. I had no idea you were so close. Next time! 🙂
I usually pack a huge bag of travel snacks. I’m such a salty fan, I love Wheat Thins, Pretzels, etc.
I used to eat dinner super late, but now that I’ve been getting up early, and going to bed early, dinner is now at like 6pm haha
Aw, I love that you’re traveling with your Dad! I like staying at Hamptons for their comfy beds! 🙂
My go-to travel snacks are usually things like raw nuts/seeds, Giddy YoYo chocolate (seriously amazing), Simply Bars and raw veg with hummus.
I’ve never heard of giddy yoyo chocolate! It sounds quite interesting. Where can I find that?
I love reading the adventures of you and your dad 🙂 Hampton Inn’s are amazing, nice clean rooms, cookies and awesome breakfasts… Definitely agree on that!
I’m not really a fan of road trips, but I bet the morning runs helped to keep you from getting too antsy. It’s wonderful that you are so close with your dad!
Cracker Barrel is the best! We used to stop there all the time during roadtrips to Florida or Pennsylvania to see cousins. And of course, my grandparents love it too!
Dang, you beat me with the grandma dinner time. I eat mine around 5 or 5:30 and can’t even fathom how people manage to eat dinners around 8. But then again, I start my day super early so I guess it only makes sense. As for travel food, sandwiches. I don’t know what it is, but packed sandwiches always taste SO good on road trips.
It makes sense I guess, people who start their day at like 10 or 11 have breakfast at 10 or 11…by that time I’m on lunch LOL.
I usually eat dinner between 5:30-6:00. It depends whenever my mom finishes making dinner or whenever I get home from getting food. I would have scoped out diners or food network places throughout the road trip. I’m just weird like that, though. Diner pancakes for the win!
I like Diner pancakes the best too but there weren’t any that we were able to find along the way! 🙁
Boo! I love finding little hidden gems. They always have the best food! I’d pick a diner over most restaurant chains.
I like dinner at 6! My friends all eat at like 8 and it blows my mind. I like to be in bed at 10, who wants to eat right before bed??
Fun adventures! Cracker Barrel pancakes are really good, I haven’t been there in awhile but maybe I’ll hit them up sometime soon for some!
I am horrible in cars/driving long distances because I can’t sleep a wink so I’m sure this trip would take me a long time to get through as well. My friends and I roadtripped to South Carolina in August…took about 12 hours. I ate a million pretzel sticks. Good times.
Haha love the giant peach — do you watch House of Cards at all? There is a funny segment in about it. I like eating around 6:30 or so 🙂
I’ve never seen it but maybe I’ll have to check it out thanks!
Driving is TOUGH so I totally give you credit for making it that far! It would have taken me 5 days or more, too!!
I think it is always adventurous to do long car rides. I adore places that have free breakfasts and of course coffee
I swear I’ve drove passed that giant peach. Was it near Spartanburg, SC? Or Greenville?
Yes! Somewhere around there!
love hearing about your travels to texas! My family and I usually stop at subway. We even have it down to a science of someone orders while everyone pees, and another person pumps gas. then we route. We are usually out of there in 5 minutes haha
I love love love Cracker Barrel but not as much as Bob Evans… Unfortunately there are not as many of those. what did you get at wendys? I am not a huge fan of Wendys… bad memories lol. We normally find a Subway or 7-11 for late night eats
HA! I just read part 2 and now I understand the whole egg thing 🙂 I personally believe to be a good traveler, you kind of have to embrace the old lady within. Diners are THE BOMB when on the road and there really isn’t much to do after checking into a random hotel at night, so you might as well go to sleep at an ungodly-early hour. It’s the way it should be.