Alaska to Florida Adventure: Day 17

Leaving Memphis behind, we had at least 2 days of driving between us and home.

Medical Emergency?

Let me say that I enjoyed every last bit of our adventure, but the trip was starting to kick my butt in the physical stress department. Here’s why:

1. 6 hours of flights from FL to AK (I get motion sick plus fear of flying)
2. 17+ days in a confined space with a dog I’m allergic to (medication was critical for cooperative lungs)
3. No sleep for the first 3 days
4. I get sleepy after exactly 30 minutes behind the wheel on normal days (COFFEE)
5. 1,100+ miles of driving/towing duty over the past 3 days

The day’s drive proved uneventful until Alabama. The 2-lane country roads wound through forest cluttered hills, offered unending blind corners and fewer signs of people (noooo! People, come baaaack!).

Then I did a thing. I started feeling outrageously unwell and very, very cold. Turning off at a rest stop, I quickly switched out my basketball shorts and t-shirt for jeans and a hoody (my body temp was literally low, as evidenced by purple finger nails; all I had to do was get it back up to at least 97 degrees and I’d feel better).

Back in the cab, I left the driver’s door open for a few minutes with the summer heat in my face, hoping to warm up, and shivered. Megan just kind of looked at me. So close to home, we needed to make progress and we couldn’t stay there so, seeing no other option, we carried on (with one important change – no AC).

For a good 20 minutes I shivered. 20 minutes after that I felt less like crap. A little more after that, only one hand’s finger nails were purple (progress!). About an hour or so after the mayhem began my skin was finally warm to the touch (YEAH!) so we resumed AC and normal-ness.

But Megan DID Drive

For an hour on a flatter and quieter (and very straight) stretch of country road. (See? It’s not so bad.)

Oh Wendy’s

We found a Wendy’s with enough parking space for our chariot and bought warm chicken sandwiches.

Lower the Drawbridge! The Guests have Arrived!

Our last night in Not Florida was spent in Valdosta, GA, at a surprisingly inexpensive and yet highly rated hotel: The Drury Inn & Suites (I didn’t really care where we stayed; I just wanted hotel blankets – all ten layers).

Drury was fabulous! It was super-fancy with everything shining glass, modern chandeliers, loud brass, mirrors and cool granite (I might’ve been delusional at that point but I’m pretty sure that description is close to reality). The elevator was massive and luxurious (mirrors on all sides, anyone?). The hallways were like a mansion library without the books. And the rooms were beyond lovely (complete with a roomy bathroom with black marble tile – again, might be delusional).

Pleased with the accommodations we finally truly felt able to relax. We were in Georgia, after all. Florida was a skip away.

(I’d recommend Drury Inn & Suites to anyone. They were great! Oh, and they welcome pets.) 

The Final Leap in the Alaska to Florida Adventure: Home

[Did you wanna read the AK to FL mayhem from the beginning? Start here: Road Trip Manifesto: Go Big or Don’t Go.]