Midnight Train to GA

For Labor Day, we headed to Atlanta for the game (more later) and to visit with friends.  Bill, the lucky dog, was in Vegas all week for work, so flew directly into the ATL. In anticipation of the fun (ya know, several hundred miles in a car with loud littles ones), I woke up at 4:30am.  I thought that it was still too early, so I rolled over and got up at 5:45.  I carefully buckled in two sleepy boys in jammies, and we were on the road by 6!  Despite C asking how much longer after 15 minutes on the road, the boys did pretty well.  This thick fog finally cleared up around Salisbury.

I had such a strong sense of deja vu - it was such a weird feeling.  I did the same drive from home to  UNC and back twice a week for 2 years during grad school.  So much had changed, but also not really.  I kind of missed the old white Accordion.  Though, the Rogue with satellite radio is an upgrade for the spotty radio coverage.  Since we hit the road so early,  I decided to take a detour by our old house on Leisure Lane and to let the boys play at a park by Lake Norman. 

Ole 7906 Leisure Lane still looks pretty good. I have no idea if it's the same folks that we sold the house to in June 2005.  Besides the fence that now blocks the view of the nice walking trails and greenway, I didn't see too many changes. The trees are so much taller and the bushes bigger.  Carter couldn't get a sense of when daddy and mommy lived there, despite my attempts to explain.  Not the best pic - sorry - I was like paparazzi driving by and the humidity fogged my iphone camera big time.  And no, I didn't stop - I figured 9am on a Thursday with two toddlers would be a bit awkward.  Ok, ok.  I will admit that I was even a bit emotional.

We continued on our drive to ATL.  My beloved Pottery Barn outlet in Gaffney wasn't even open yet, so no stopping. The boys got a kick out of the giant peach water tower.  We also stopped in Anderson, SC to say hi to our UT buddy (who used to blog and live in FL) Meg.  She hooked us up with a great park off the interstate.  We got to visit briefly while the boys played and ate lunch. 

from:Chapel Hill, NC to:7906 Leisure Lane, Huntersville, NC to:Anderson, SC to:ATL

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And the drive continued some more.  I strongly recommend buying your gas in SC.  It was $0.40 more per gallon in GA!  Since we made such good time on the road, Reed punted on Bill's afternoon airport pick up since Hurricane Isaac command central with the HD procurement team was still in full mode.   

I have to admit that my Dallas rockstar road skills are a little rusty.  My Chapel Hill bubble of work, live, play is about 6 sq. miles now.  I was a bit nervous to navigate down to the airport, especially since I have only connected vs. coming out of the airport.  Navigating through the city and traffic lead to one of my favorite questions from Carter (and let me tell you, there were many, many questions).   

credit - http://atlstuaffairs.mercer.edu/housing/atlanta-off-campus-housing-blog.cfm

C (In response to the skyscrapers) - MOM! MOM!  Are we in New York City?!
Me - No, it's Atlanta.
C - Are you sure?  I think it's New York City [editor's note, of course he's never been there]
Me - Yes, it's Atlanta. I promise.
C - But look at all this TRAFFIC!   I still think it's New York...
Me - [while simultaneously laughing and face-palming, thinking I give up]

The good news is that we all survived. I didn't even have to use my ear plugs (I told you that those two boys get loud - I was prepared!)!  Though, Bill did promptly drop me off for a pedicure once we made it back through the city up to Reed's hood :)