Best First Day Ever

Sunrise near Hudson, Wisconsin

Photos.

We've been driving to Florida since 2014. During our first trip, the journey from winter to summer
was very dramatic. We left home on a frigid late February morning, and spent most of the day in the car.

So different this year, and I loved the day so much that it's hard for me to do my usual hand wringing routine over climate change. This morning, we left early after a restless night's "sleep", way before 7:00 a.m. The temperature was already way above 32F. A few hours later, we shed our jackets and spent 10 minutes or so outdoors at every rest stop. We ate our lunch (turkey sandwiches with deli meat from Lund's & Byerly's) at a picnic table half-way to our destination. I forgot to apply sunscreen this morning -- a daily ritual every day of the year -- and am looking at my ruddy face in the mirror as I type this blog entry.

I have always dreaded my time at the wheel but today I really enjoyed myself. I drove about a third of the way and could have done more. On this Presidents' Day weekend, we were lucky to have "wide open freeway" for most of the journey. I am a slow learner: after all these years, I've finally mastered cruise control and I don't agonize over every truck I have to pass. Bob -- who has been the object of my wrath over the years as I criticize his driver coaching -- was very complimentary and helpful. I'm (somewhat pathetically) proud of myself.

We had booked the Drury Inn in Mount Vernon last week and we pulled in around 5:30 p.m. It is a modest, cookie cutter, hotel. A Minnesota bus tour arrived at about the same time as we did and I laughed at the room of cheap Minnesotans enjoying 3 free cocktails (scotch & soda for Bob, red wine for me) and appetizers (salad, meatballs, mostaccioli, hot dogs). We stayed here last year too, but were too tired then to take advantage of the free food and beverages.

The day was one of out best ever on the road. We're happy campers this evening, looking forward to a comfortable night in a great king bed.