Drive Across America...Day One

We are off to a good start!
Chad had to teach his last class in the afternoon.  So we ended up leaving around 6:30 PM.  We knew we wouldn't get too far, but we still wanted to go ahead and start.
Our first stop was 4 miles down the road to use our last Atlanta area Half Off Depot Coupon for supper.  Yummy, healthier than regular restaurants, Evos!  They have airbaked fries, hormone free beef, organic fruitshakes, etc.

Yes, I did take a bite before I snapped the photo :0)

Then it was time to hit the road.  Here is a map of the road we took.

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Oh my goodness, I have to tell you about this!  In an earlier post I told you what we use for motion sickness.  The pressure point wrist bands and the essential oils had been what we found worked the best.  It didn't take it away, and at times Rose and I were still pretty miserable, but that combination was the best so far.
Well, not being satisfied with that, I begin to do some more research and came across the I-Trans bands.  I thought they were pretty pricey, but with our long drive approaching I thought it would be worth a try.  Oh my YES it was!

Rose was coloring a picture and said her usual "Mommy, do you want to see my picture."  To look back at her, I normally brace my head against the head rest, cringe, and very slowly turn my head...knowing that the movement will increase the intensity of my headache and my nausousness.  But with my new band I was able to just turn and look and comment on her lovely creation.
That may seem like a little thing, but it was so HUGE!  I thought this is too good to be true.  I decided to test it.  I leaned over to get paper and pen out of my bag that was on the floorboard.  (again, HUGE....with motion sickness, you can not lean over!) so far, so good.  I decided to write out a list, again I was still okay.  I read the list!  WOW!
I was just hoping to not feel miserable, but still expecting to have to be completely still, no moving, no writing, and absolutely no reading!!!
I felt so FREE!  I could turn my head and talk to Rose whenever I wanted.  Look at everything she pointed out.  Grab things as needed.  Wow!

(Yes, I may have cried some tears of joy.)

Now I can even use my laptop in the car.  (insert happy dance)

Rose used her new band as well.  She kept saying, "Mommy, I don't have a headache!"  "I can color and draw!"  "This is the best trip, ever!"

If you suffer from motion sickness, you can imagine how life altering this felt!  (insert chorus angels)   For those of you who are fortunate enough not to know what in the world I am talking about....sorry for just boring you.....now back to our adventure...


Once we were nearing Birmingham, we decided to to do a "Name Your Own Price" on Priceline.  We got the Sheraton Birmingham.  At a 3 1/2 star rating some sites state that it is one of the best hotels Birmingham has to offer.

Our room was comfortable and roomy for the 3 of us.

"Convientently located off of I-20"....ummm, yes, you could say that again.  This is the view from our window.  Yes that is I-20.

The traffic noise was the downside, but it wasn't too bad.  But just in case this happens again, we are going to put a variety of classical and some Kenny G music on the Ipod to give us some nice background noise.  (We were too tired last night to do it, so I guess the traffic noise didn't bother us too much)  At our Atlanta house, we loved listening to the crickets and tree frogs from our backyard as we drifted off to sleep. 

Day One is short and sweet...as we only traveled 157 miles.  We left Georgia and are now in Alabama. We traveled on interstate roads, without varying to other types of roads.
During the drive we listen to "Buried in the Snow" audio book from Lamplighter.