Georgia to Virginia, 2021, Day 1

Mile 0.0

A Prayer For The Road

Lord, your protection we do seek.

As we take to the road for the next two weeks.

When fuses are short and tempers flare, 

Lord, help me not yank out my hair.

To our bodies, bless the gas station vittles. 

Roller food, chips, slushies, and skittles.

May they provide strength to our muscles so we,

Can visit historic places and taxidermy.

Please uphold the transmission of my old Yukon,

We pray that she makes it both hither and yon.

When Mr. Bullington’s head is about to burst, 

Fair child, please don’t utter, “She touched me first”. 

When we are lost, be our road map. 

Lead us unscathed to the next tourist trap. 

When we are trekking to the World’s Largest Things, 

May we be free of breaks, scrapes, and stings. 

We ask your pardon for the commandments we break, 

Not honoring your mother and father is the main one, you little jerks. Poetic license I did take.  

As we ride for hours on numb haunch and hiney, 

Let us not be underwhelmed by the states that are tiny. 

For they all have something to offer that’s great! 

Rhode Island’s the smallest, Delaware’s the nation’s first state!  

Help us honor and learn about this great nation

As we try to see all the states by Charlotte’s graduation.

After this summer, we’ll only have four more!

Where to after that?  Hahira? Kuala Lumpur? 

But mostly, bless the children, Father and Mother

Help us to not kill each other. 

AMEN!

Saddle up! It’s gonna be a wild ride! 

Our 9th year of STNBG started per usual with some last-minute changes of plans. Originally, we’d planned to leave Wednesday. Thus, affording me a luxurious Tuesday afternoon to work out the kinks and pack the car in the style of Tetris. But, after reviewing the ground we had to cover, Mr. Bullington and I agreed that if we left Tuesday, right after I finished up work, we could get a head start on the straight-crazy, 17-hour drive to Rhode Island. We will be breaking it up into two blissful days of close quarter togetherness.  You see fair readers, when we first decided back in 2012 that our family goal was to “See the Nation by Graduation”, I thought it prudent to plan all of the trips so that we could account for cost (we tried to alternate driving and flying trips), region, and age of kids. I thought I had it ALL planned! Except for one thing…. When we checked off all the Northeastern states back in 2014, I forgot stupid Rhode Island. I mean, I’m sure she’s lovely and not at all stupid. And, I am sure Mr. Bullington will be burping rainbow glitter bubbles when he gets to drive our angelic crew NINE extra hours to Rhode Island. And Bonus! You get to drive though New York City. Twice! Oh, the giggles Mr. Bullington is going to have over Mrs. Bullington’s little oversite! But, here we are. Out of all the girls in the world, he picked me! Next Stop: High Point, North Carolina! 

Mile 324: World's Largest Chest of Drawers! You know what teens love?  Sleep. You know what they don't love? Getting woken up for this.  Isn't she a beauty! 38 feet tall and dripping with socks! A nod to the High Point hosiery industry, which until today, I didn't realize was a thing. 

First Stop! World's Largest Chest of Drawers!

Mile 555-We pulled into Richmond, Virginia around 10:00. We treated ourselves to some ice cream from the snack bar and called it a night. But, not before Thomas found the rocks.

Perhaps Some Meditative Parking Lot Rock Stacking Will Help Calm My Road Trip Nerves