trip planning part 1: Put my crap in bags
trip planning part 2: Put bags in car
trip planning part 3: Pray, pray, pray that many long hours in the car alone with my sister does not drive me absolutely insane.

Driving up the east coast from Florida to Maine with my sister is going to be an interesting time. It's not that we don't get along, we do, but if we don't kill each other by the end of the trip it will soley be by the grace of God. We used to do this thing as a family years ago. Mom and Dad would take turns driving while Stephanie and I would be in the back of our Chevy Cavalier station wagon, seat folded down, playing. The parents would spread an egg crate matress over the back and we could sleep, play, or whatever else came into our small little heads. They would be up front driving on and off, no stopping anywhere for this train, straight shot from Orlando to Centerport, Long Island. A trip of approximately 24 hours.

The memories of years of cross country family travels bring a warm smile to my face... sometimes. Of course being small children the smallest slight by one or the other could erupt into fights of mythic proportions. So what was the elders solution to this, and here is where I think some of my personal problems come from, they doped us up. That is correct, they would give us dramamine to make us sleep. Instead of constructively dealing with issues they resorted to drugs. Ah the memories associated with that... "NO! I don't want to take the bye-bye medicine!" Oh how I fought its soothing effects. As the neural transmitters in my brain were blocked and synaptic activity slowed I fought, with all the remaining strength I had, I fought. I distinctly remember a time sitting in the front seat with my eyes held open staring into the dark of night before us using every ounce of my being to be stronger than the drugs. I prevailed. Mind over matter. I conquered the beast. However, when daylight came I crashed for about 14 hours.

Last year I did this with my dad and we straight shot from Gainesville to Dover, NH in just over 21 hours. It was some of the most impressive marathon driving I've been involved in. We'll see how this year pans out. There are some family stops on the way so that'll slow us down considerably, but it'll be nice to get free food and beds.

only 5 days...