We were packed and ready to go by 8:30 a.m. We decided to head up I-75 rather than I-95 to avoid traffic jams. The GPS said we would arrive at our hotel in Lenoir City, Tennessee by 6:20 p.m. Turned out to be a bad decision!
Calvin had made sandwiches for us so we didn't have to make meal stops - just two gas stops and one extra pee break. Nevertheless, the trip took five hours longer than planned due to severe traffic tie-ups all day long. Too damn many Snowbirds allowed into the state - they need to do something about that!
So, we arrived at about 11:30 p.m., just a bit frazzled after fifteen hours on the road.
Sunday the traffic was much better, but after one stop for gas we discovered that the ramp to the Interstate was closed. We had to take an alternate route back to the previous access point which took several minutes. Then we met this.
The weather forecast called for lake effect snow on the south shore of Lake Erie, so the plan to head east from Cincinnati to Cleveland and then take I-90 was scrapped.
We didn't want to cross at Detroit, so we headed north to Port Huron/Sarnia. Except that the ramp to the road we needed was closed and by the time we figured out how to get where we wanted to go we had lost another half hour.
However, other than these inconveniences, the trip was easy, A short period of a few snow flurries made the pavement wet, but quickly cleared. Twelve hours on the road and Calvin and I were able to have a drink at 500 Green Road (tea for him, rye for me) after we had moved his clubs and luggage from my van to his SUV (which Mardi had retrieved from Hamilton airport for him and used while we were away).
Soon we will be booking next year's timeshare. Matt has already booked the house rental for March, so the guys' trip will be on once again.
'Till the next time - ciao.
