If you don't know where you're going, you'll end up somewhere different...

Ok so the drive from Strafford VT to Southern Pines NC took me just over 15h. I left @ 4:40 this am and got there @ 8:45pm. Missed rush hour in all the major cities (the am ones -- the first one I was just before and NY I was just after. The last one I was well after the dinner rush).

I can't take credit for that -- the timing was sheer luck since everybody who I asked about has only done the drive w/ a horse trailer which takes significantly longer.

This drive was longer than the ON-VT one, but went by much faster -- whether that be the obscene amounts of sugar and caffene I consumed on the way or just a more fun drive, I'm not sure. Was also kinda kewl to watch the seasons in reverse... I left in winter, went through fall in NY/NJ area, and eventually got back to late-summer (it's about 18deg out now - @ 11:00 @ night) and none of the leaves have started changing. Although the DO get winter here, it's just shorter and not as brutal...

My iPod randomly decided to start working half way through the drive. I have absolutely no idea how or why but was greatful for it. Although no book cause I didn't bother to dl one since it wasn't working yesterday >;-P

GPS is a wonderful invention. It may not always take the most *direct* route, but it WILL get you there. Eventually :) Or @ least mine does. Although I will admit I opted NOT to follow the direction that suggested a U turn on a divided highway!!! hahaha

So all was good -- till I got to where I'm going to be living and there was NOone there :( Well -- except the horses. I called the girl I'm going to be living w/ and left a message. N then my phone promptly decided it didn't feel like communicating. Any number I tried after that (including hers again) just got a busy tone. Weird. But could be some strange cell-to-cell while roaming issue -- I've hit that b4... Anyways, end result is I couldn't stay there, couldn't get a hold of the other two to find out if they came all the way today or stopped somewhere else, so didn't want to go to the farm not knowing that. Found (yeah GPS) a hotel like 5 mins from where I'll be living -- yeah they had one room left, directly above the bar and "it's music night". No thanks...

That did take me through the actual town of Southern Pines though -- which (on first impression, in the dark) is very much like downtown Oakville (ok I realize there's a very limited number of readers who'll get that reference, but I've been up since 4:30 this am and can't think of a broader one right now!) But the same little rows of shops and it looked like water in the background but I'm not *really* sure of that.

So I went back to the highway and followed a sign for a Best Western (and like 4 others who are all in the same parking lot). The guy who signed me in was awesome -- did some fiddling and got the price dropped about $30 so that was hugely appreciated. Now I'm here, and I mostly signed in so that those w/ the "mom" gene who were worried about me driving alone can know I made it safely :)

Might write something more coherent tomorrow. Now though I must . . . . ZZZZZzzzzz