Spring Break 2005: Day 1

Bright-eyed and eager we set forth on our first family Spring Break adventure. Actually I took one more Dramamine than prescribed so I was fighting to keep my eyes open. Not a good start. Each May brings our annual family beach vacation, but being out-of-town each week makes family time more precious, so we’re working this week to maximize fun, food and frivolity; not necessarily in that order.

Today’s iteneiry included a brisk 9 hour drive concluding in the cultural mecca of the south, also known as Little Rock. As most of our trips begin, we’re a mere 12 minutes out when #1 son says, “I need to use the bathroom.” It’s happened so many times we actually weren’t surprised.

Took lunch at Cracker Barrell. Is it possible not to? Due to poor clock management, we (and when I say “we” I mean “I”) neglected to account for the loss of an hour moving into Central Standard Time and ran smack-dab into the lunch crowd. I’ll take the blame for this one as our schedule took a severe hit.

When traveling with young kids, unlike adults, they don’t care if you play a CD a second or even third time in a single trip. Our boys pleaded for another run through of John Rueben’s Professional Rapper. Years from now “I got treats for your audible. Anything’s possible. Yup, I know you like what you hear” will bring us back to this trip. Ahhh. The power of music.

The only other noteworthy item was a billboard for Reverse Vasectomies. How many people driving down I-40 is that message going to appeal to?

For some reason, the La Quinta here in Little Rock doesn’t have Internet access. Also they have those old room keys where there are actual holes punched through a thick, plastic key rather than using the code embedded in a magnetic strip, like a credit card. I knew Arkansas was poor, but c’mon. Remind me to fire the idiot at my Travel Agency. Scratch that, I’m that idiot.

Tomorrow we’ll finish that last few hours into Dallas and stay at a “nice” hotel. At least, that’s the plan. Who knows what actually might happen.

Update: 2:08 am brought some strange noises to our door. It took a few moments but I realized someone was trying to use their key to enter our room. He left so I went back to sleep. Mere moments later he returned. I walked to the door and said, “Go away.” He replied with, “Is this room occupied?” Who says alcohol doesn’t help people meet?