We smuggled Matt out of work for 2 days to steal a quick family trip 'somewhere'.

Pre-trip costs:
Oil Change, vehicle check-up by Mr. Holmes, the best mechanic in the universe
(Holmes Tires in Eva): $23
New tire thanks to drunken sot leaving a bottle at the playground parking lot: $85
Snack~picnic supplies~drinks for the road: $46

Day One-April 22, 2006

Leave home 8:45 a.m.
Drive to gas station and fill up.
Next stop-FOOD.

Yes, I know I nag about eating before you leave home, but we were anxious to get going. So, I had the kids shovel down some 'fast' breakfast while Matt packed and I finished loading the car.

I had looked over the map the day before while the kids were playing at the playground (where I ran over a broken beer bottle and had to fund a new tire, ugh) and decided to stick 'close' but not too close. I had written out 2 possible routes and decided to just go whichever way the van turned the next morning.

We hit the road a little late, but Matt's soon-to-be-ex-boss' boss made him work over Friday night. Hurrah for the new job! That starts on the first of May. Woo! Anyway, we started late because Matt had to get some sleep, he is a big crab when tired.

We stopped at Scottsburo at a random grocery store and picked up lunch stuff to round out the massive snack run I had made Friday-I had not gotten lunch meat. We picked up hummus and Hawaiian bread, too.

I drove us to the park by the river and we had a picnic of sorts, dipping chunks of bread into the hummus or blueberry cream cheese and guzzling chocolate milk while wandering around looking at flowers and bugs. After a dessert of bananas and a ritual 'cleaning of the van' in which I threatened lives for hoarding trash, we hit the road again.

Next stop was at the Ocoee Dam #1, where I totally missed a letterbox AND I had the clue on me! grrrr

We stopped next to the river and watched some guys go down in kayaks, the kids got all excited about going rafting. : )

Next stop was Buck's Bald in the Cherokee National Forest where we grabbed a snack and some pictures and back in the van for the last leg to Etowah, where we planned to stay the night. The Choice hotel chain there wanted $97 for the night. ACK. We hopped back in the van and drove to Sweetwater, about 25 miles away and got a room at another Choice hotel for $43.

I opted to make tomorrow a bit easier for us and reserved a room at Cherokee, a little over 2 hours from here. Now we can take the whole day to get there.

Expenses for Day One:
Gas: $47.50
Grocery store: $22
Hotel room: $43 (free internet and breakfast)
Taco Bell: $15

Day Two
Sweetwater, TN to Cherokee, NC