Snowbird, Freebird - 12/31/12 -1/1/13
I left Mass at 5AM.  It was dark, freezing, flurrying and I was excited and nervous as hell.  I was hoping to cover at least half the mileage, which would land me in North Carolina.  I got happier and happier as the miles went by, sharing life with Siri. who periodically had to recalculate all of my life functions. She was excellent company, talking occasionally, never interrupting, giving pertinent information, and not asking to change the station.

 The last time I took a long road trip I drove to North Carolina with my kids who were 13 and 17 at the time.  The fight over the radio was a nightmare.  I wanted lite rock and they wanted music (and I use that term lightly) that hurt my eardrums. ACDC was the hot band at the time and I don't know if it was AC or DC, but one of them drove me right to the edge.

Anyway, the dark went away and it was a perfect day to drive, overcast with no traffic.  I was in a very festive New Year's Eve mood.  I stopped at 5PM in Florence, South Carolina.  786 miles from home and enormously proud of myself.

 I found an inexpensive motel and realized that it was New Year's Eve and I was in Florence, South Carolina, in a suspicious area.  I asked the desk clerk if I could have a quiet room and she said, "not tonight".  Uh, oh.  The first room had no lights.  The second room had no cold water in the bathroom.  I was so tired, I just fell into bed.  That seemed like a good idea, until 2:30 AM when I woke up. I thought about taking a shower, but I remembered the Bates Motel, and couldn't do it.   I hung around until 5:00 and left.  Thankfully.

Again, the drive was great. At this point I was feeling like Magellan.   I was all set to meet Audrey, who is the manager of the complex, who would be giving me my keys and explaining stuff.  I had told her I'd arrive around 5:00, but I was making much better time.  I called her at 1:00 to say I'd be in at 2:45.  She said, "Uh oh".  Those are never good words, but at mile 1200 it was like hearing I had to turn around go back to the tundra.  She was out shopping and wouldn't be back when I arrived.  No problem Audrey, I'll just hang around and wait for you.  How long do you think you'll be?  She showed up at 5:15.   I was really hungry and tired and sweaty (remember no shower in South Carolina?).  Cut to the chase, the apartment is clean!  It's bright and pretty.  And best of all?  It's 75 degrees outside.  Not a sign of snow.

Siri and I toasted the New Year and called it a day.  No, we called it a conquest.