Our first stop was the Pine Grove Furnace State Park in Pensilvania. We arrived at one o'clock in the morning. By this time I could barely keep my eyes open and I hadn't had time to teach Pat how to drive the truck. Unfortunately the campsite was closed for the season. Unwilling to risk an automotive accident falling asleep at the wheel, I made the executive decision to stay in the deserted campsite. In the morning we had a quick chat with the rangers and we were off.
Next stop, Cherokee National Forest. Pat, now understanding that I don't plan things out, decided to call ahead and make sure the campsites were open. It was their off season, so most of the camping was closed, but the tent camping was fair game. And because it was their off season, the whole campsite was left all to Pat and me. Not to shabby. We picked a spot, set up tent, and chowed down on some left over noodles from Chinatown. Then the storm rolled in. I love tent camping through storms, but it would have been nice if it stopped by morning. With haste we gathered our things and got back on the road.
New Orleans was pretty cool. We met up with a friend of a friend and stayed in a luxurious hotel. It was Pat's decision, but I put up little resistance. I could use a good night's sleep. My early routes were no more that seven hours on the road, and with Pat I've been pushing ten. That coupled with the poor rest I got the previous nights had burnt me out pretty quickly. We didn't stick around long, just enough to check out the touristy area and grab brunch before I was back behind the wheel.
It was a quick eight hours to Austin, or at least it would have been if either of us were capable of navigating. It ended up taking us an extra hour to make it to Chase's place, but like mom always said, "all things happen for a reason." Maybe she was right, either way it was great to see Chase again and get to rest in such a welcoming home.
Change oil ........................ Check
I could stand to spend a few more days in Austin. The brisket alone makes it just about worth it. Plus I've been hearing nothing but good stories from Chase.
For more of the adventure, check out Pat's Tumblr:
http://halvingit.tumblr.com/
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