Day One
Up early and ready to hit the road! We packed the night before, got the kids up, fed and in the car all before 6am! It's a good thing we are all early risers!
We were ready with lots of car games, snacks, drinks, movies, you name it. Fortunately Shannon was happy to either have me rub her feet, what a diva?!, or look outside and John was locked in on games.
The views were beautiful!
Shannon was also happy to sleep lots of the time. We didn't realize that it was the first signs of her coming down with a cold!
Our destination was Destin, Georgia. We wanted to make it as far north as we could the first day so that the second day was less time in the car.
We stopped in a cute town in Alachua, Florida for lunch. There was a nice main street type place with brick buildings and a delicious pizza place. What a shocker that my father-in-law knew the owner and played softball with him. Bob knows someone every where we go!
The kids were very happy to get out of the car and stretch their legs! Especially Shannon!!
Waiting on the pizza!
We got back on the road in record time and before I knew it, we were driving into Georgia!! I almost missed the sign!!
We passed by the famous Magnolia Plantation, but we didn't stop since the kids were both napping. Something I learned . . . I know that you never wake a sleeping baby at home, but you seriously NEVER wake a sleeping baby on a car trip, even if that means no potty break, no getting gas and whispering for two hours straight!!
We drove under a train which John thought was AWESOME!!
I must have had to do some serious distractions for the kids because the next photos I have is of us at the first hotel stop. We made it all the way to Macon on the way up. We found a nice hotel, stretched our legs and a quick dinner out before we all crashed I think before 8pm.
Is this a downward dog? Yoga people?
It was a long day, but we felt we made a very good dent into the driving time of day 2!
Day Two
The kids were thrilled to have an early morning tubby before hitting the road!
The hotel we stayed at had a map of where we were and offered a complimentary breakfast! Yum!
The kids were happy and ready for another day of travel!
We were driving smoothly until we hit Atlanta, during morning rush hour . . . and came to a complete standstill! We probably could've thought that one out a bit better!
Shannon was pleased, clearly!
More traffic!
We got a chance to see some cool Atlanta landmarks along the way!
The morning fog was also very cool!
Thankfully (and finally) Shannon was happily sleeping.
Then the scenary started the change. This photo is for Jeff who also jokes that he is a "towny, work at the mill." I don't know why, but it's funny!
Apparently people use hay for mulch north of Florida, who knew?
Beautiful sights out the window!
Getting creative!
Then we stopped for lunch at good ole McDonalds! There was a grassy area where the kids took full advantage and stretched those legs and got out some energy!
The McDonald's was at a beautiful crossroads!
Loaded up and ready to go!
So here's where we were told that we were less than two hours from Destin. And here's also where Bob decided to literally take the scenic route. Things got interesting.
For a Florida girl (I mean for more than 17 years) these mountains were HUGE! The photos do NO justice to these things!
Then it started to rain . . . then pour!
That sign says "bridge ices before road" ICE?!
We were on some old mountain scenic highway that went straight up and down with hairpin turns and mack trucks. I was freaking out!
Seriously!
Thankfully Jeff had everything under control!
A short four hours later and we were almost there! Thanks Bob! ;)
I don't have photos of us getting to the cabin the first day because I was quickly becoming the most religious person in the car, praying to God that we wouldn't die right then and there on the road. I swear it was a 90 degree, straight up, gravel hill, right after a rain storm where the gravel was making the tires slip. I was white knuckled and counting to ten until the car went into park which wasn't even that comforting because the "driveway" was a teeny tiny concrete square that had zero room for error. It was an experience to say the least!
Gripping my baby for dear life, we had made it!!
John was happy to be there too!
The stairs went straight up to the front door. I think I broke John's hand holding it on the way up!
The kids ran wild and the adults unpacked and relaxed.
I couldn't get over the height of everything here!
The boys looking over the local lay of the land.
Jeff went grocery shopping and I encouraged the kids to have a little quiet time before dinner.
On the way to dinner I attempted to capture the gravel road. It was intense!
Oh but the views! The views were AMAZING!
BBQ place here!
Bernie had heard about an award winning BBQ place and we were all set to go . . . they were closed. It was raining. Kids were antsy. ADULTS were antsy. Tummies were hungry. We were in a one stop light kinda town. And finally, FINALLY we saw an OPEN sign! It was a welcomed sight for all of us!
They took one look at us and put us in the "back room" which was their makeshift office/storage area. It turned out great because the kids could run wild, the Sponsellers could be . . . well Sponsellers and everyone was happy and full! Oh but it was a dry restaurant, have you ever? Crazy!
That night we got back, relaxed with a few cold beers and settled in for what we thought would be a restful night. Turns out, it was one of the worst thunder and lightning storms of the summer for them up there. The rain was loud, the kids were in a weird place, Shannon's cold was getting worse, at one point we were in bed with the two kids, next thing John's on the floor and Jeff's in another room. Fortunately that was really the only rough night of the entire trip. So much more fun and adventure was ahead of us!! :)
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