I love a road trip!

I took a week off at the end of September/early October. (I had budgeted vacation days to take a week off this summer and go to the beach, but that didnt really work out. So come fall, I had vacay days to burn, a friend getting married in Virginia and a great deal on plane tickets.)

I figured I had about a week to see as much of my east coast family and friends as possible.
So I did this:

Seriously.

I borrowed my dad's car and hit 5 states in about 8 days.

It was kind of awesome. I love road trips...the hum of the tires on the road...the awesomely bad music on the radio...the beautiful scenery.

I also saw quite a few public restrooms on this adventure. Some were nice (Panera in MD), most were decent (rest area on Hwy 29 just across the Virginia border), but there was one in particular that was awful.

I was trying to get to my friend's house in Atlanta and really needed a restroom stop. I thought I could wait til I got to her house (where I was planning to join a conference call) but after I got off the interstate, I ran into traffic and road construction. I realized I was going to have to join the conference call from the car, but still REALLY needed to potty. So I stopped at this kwikee mart. First of all, I'm not entirely sure they had a ladies' room. I did not find it, despite having instructions from the store owner. So I went into the mens' room. In a kwikee mart in a suburb of Atlanta. Yeah.

I decided I never want to live in Atlanta (ATL - what's with all the jaywalking?! SRSLY), had a good time exploring Roanoke, VA with Pie and Carson. Had a GREAT time at Paula's wedding, singing along to Boom Boom Pow with the mother of the bride. And totally impressed my dad with my ability to stay dry while watching an entire football game in the dumping rain. (Since moving to Seattle, I've become very good at watching football in the rain).

Overall, it was a great trip. I got to visit with lots of friends (including The Belton Belle, Bartoneus and LucyBell). I got to see Paula get married, meet the creators of my new favorite game (Fluxx...it's awesome) and eat some Chick-fil-A. Pretty much a week of awesome and win.

Over. Rated.

Speaking of people I'm over:

Rachel Ray - loved her on "$40 a Day" but when they gave her 2 cooking shows, a travel show, a talk show and a magazine, that was just too much.

Brett Favre - ok, yeah, he's got a career of top-notch football performance and a heart-warming family story. But this "I'm in...no, I'm out....I'm retiring....no, I'm not" mess is just getting old. Honey, you shoulda quit while you were....not the butt of many jokes. Go throw Nerf balls on the beach and get out of my headlines.

Oprah - I mean...she thinks she's a deity of sorts; she's the only person on the cover of her magazine on EVERY ISSUE. And what the heck is up with her relationships with Gayle and Stedman?!

Paula Deen - bless her heart, she cooks some good food, but she kinda sold out. She pulled herself up by the bootstraps when she was pretty fair licked, but lately it's like she forgot her home trainin'. Even Grandmother is disappointed. And Grandmother used to have a major crush on Paula.

Over it.