We're Off Like a Herd of Turtles

In the past, I didn't begin the blog until we arrived at our destination. I didn't blog at Miami International, I waited until Antigua. But on a road trip the road itself is the destination and so I begin despite the fact that Chris, who disparages Indiana which we spent much of the day driving through, sits next to me saying, "but nothing has happened yet."

Does the road trip begin on Dakin Street? It doesn't feel like it. Does it begin once we're out of Chicago? Too many (hundreds and wonderful) trips to Michigan makes my gut say no. Today, it wasn't a mile marker that started our trip but a bill board. The first one I saw in Indiana that said "HELL IS REAL" and I knew we were on our way. I knew, too, when we passed 12 churches in 8 miles of Ohio road. For sure I knew when we passed the Creation Museum at the Kentucky border. The billboard had a dinosaur on it and when I checked their website it boasted exhibits depicting that same dinosaur walking with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. I wanted to go but 25 bucks a pop seemed a heavy price to pay just to poke some wicked fun. I guess I'll probably pay a heavier price when I spend eternity in that real hell the Hoosiers were advertising.

When we arrived at the motel in Georgetown, Kentucky, at which we had arranged to spend our first night, we discovered we had actually arranged to spend next Sunday night there. Unfortunately, we won't be here then so we had some scrambling to do. We used Priceline for the first time for this trip and the man behind the counter was quick to tell us that costumers using Priceline always pay more than the regular room rate to stay in his joint and that there was nothing he could do to help us because our contract was with Priceline. We were primed for some frustration, but it only took three minutes on the phone to cancel our existing reservation and book a room with him at his regular rate, about $10 less than we had originally agreed to pay.

A quick drive around Georgetown revealed that Kentucky closes up shop early on Sunday nights, that there are some lovely antebellum buildings and that Georgetown College--established in 1787 and the oldest Baptist college west of the Alleghenies--is probably not easily confused with Georgetown University.

Tonight we sleep. Tomorrow we drive.