Wife drove to Chicagoland alone... her longest solo trip ever.

[GoofyTimL]

Our son is studying to take his 3rd of 7 architectural licensings exams next week. So he asked if there was any way we could come up to help babysit 2.5 yr/old Alivia so he can do some concentrated studying while his wife works some evenings and Saturday. I couldn't go, and getting air fare with a day or two's notice is well... not encouraging.

So the only option was for my wife to drive it herself. Now this is a woman who doesn't know north from south, and doesn't really pay attention to the route we've driven (and she drives half of it) over a dozen times in the last few years. She has a problem with circular by-pass routes also, e.g., getting on I-270 West at US-33 in Columbus says it's the way to Cincinnati. She says she doesn't want to go to Cinci! LOL I explain to her that it just indicates you can go to Cinci if you head that direction, etc. She doesn't like that a single road can be both US33 North AND US50 West. She thinks it would be much simpler is west roads always went that direction, etc. LOL

So it was with great trepidation that she left this morning for Chicagoland. She and a friend went to AAA to get a Trip Tik. The problem was she coldn't remember the way we go, so part of the map included Dayton (to which we wouldn't go even if we did go the Indy route, which we don't) and thus that booklet was useless.

Our Magellan Roadmate began having intermittent power failures during our last trip, so it isn't reliable. Therefore we asked to use a Garmin NuVi of some friends and I had to learn how to program it last night for the route up and the trip back. In addition, I used Bing Maps and screen capture to make about 7 pages of key parts of the trip (in and through Columbus; around Lima, OH; Ft. Wayne, IN, Valparaiso and the mass of traffic known as the tollways of Chicagoland). On the printed pages I wrote arrows and key turns with a sharpie, etc. She had so much material she couldn't fail... and she didn't.

In fact she made record time.. the Garmin said it would take 8 Hr 50 min to go the 481 miles. She made it with just one potty break and a gas stop (which also included something to eat) in just under 8 hours! So obviously, when we go together... I'm hold HER back!

So I'm bach'ing it for the next week, and she's having a great time with our granddaughter. Some women get all the breaks!

[CoolVSRT8]

Nice did she take the magnum or the 300? must be nice to have the house to your self huh? PARTY AT TIMS!

[GoofyTimL]

She took the Heritage Edition... it's "her" car now anyway. The Magnum is my DD. Oh... forgot to mention that I didn't print any directions for her to get home! HA. If the Garmin isn't enough, she'll just have to use the pages I printed and think them through in reverse. But I don't believe it will be too hard because she had to pay all the attention while driving today. We'll see in a week.

[CoolVSRT8]

HAHAHAHAHA you so planned that tim ahaha you got the better car shes got no directions for the way home hahaha BOYS BRING THE KEG TO TIMS HAHAHAHAHA his wifes gonna be gone for a while haha

[Concrete]

"Hey!! Watch Tim's furniture.... Sorry Tim, they'll be out by the time your wife's back!"

[CUEBALL]

Time to buy some Mods for your car before she gets back!!

[GoofyTimL]

Actually I am having a couple guys over today for the Mountaineer game against Louisville. No money for anything but maintain this year Cue, especially since I just had to charge $1100+ for the Blizzaks and Toyos.

[yamabob]

Ouch $1100 How much are those Blizzaks?. I just had 4 Toyo's mounted this morning swap wheels and install complete for $816. So I guess that's a good deal?

[bruno]

Goofy...didn't your HE come with the navigational system?

[CUEBALL]

You could sell her stuff.. make a few bucks and then ???