Road Trip

In order to help our brother to move to Alabama and to visit our sister who just moved to North Carolina, we took a road trip across the country. Here are a few things we have learned.... 

• Wyoming is the WORST state
• Homemade Rice Crispy Treats are the best road trip snack- they’ll be gone within minutes
• There are millions of semi’s truckin’ across America
• Audiobooks are a great “bonding” experience

• Nebraska goes on forever!
• The cows/smell in Nebraska makes you want to die
• Next time when in Lincoln, make sure to bring a top hat and pretend like your Abraham Lincoln
• There is no internet or cell service throughout rural America

• Iowa has lots of sunflowers
• America eats A TON of corn. It is growing everywhere
• You get excited, maybe too excited, for state borders
• Half of the time you have no clue where you are or what state you are in

• Missouri drivers don’t understand the concept that slower drivers should stay in the right hand lanes (Utah drivers >>> Missouri drivers)
• When you see a road sign a few extra letters can make a big difference- for example, don’t be afraid to change “Hamburg” to “Hamburger” and “Avaca” to “Avacado”
• McDonald’s is the best bathroom stop
• Mel is not good at sharing a bed- you might get pushed off

• Illinois is the least welcoming state (there is no welcome sign from St. Louis)
• There are some MASSIVE rivers
• Don’t ever let Mel get hangry
• If Mel is in a tired/bitter mood, just buy her a Reese’s Sticks- it will lift her spirits in an instant
• It is worth the 12 mile detour to take a picture with a state’s welcome sign that you missed on the way in…

• Stopping to take pictures by every “welcome to the state” sign is the best idea. Also lots of people honk at you (be careful at Kentucky and North Carolina though)
• The South has the best manners, but the worst bugs
• The rain in Kentucky and Tennessee is the BEST

• Brad Paisley made a mistake by not making his address available to the public- he missed a trip from the Evans
• When Cindy gets tired she cackles a lot- which she says is her “trying to be fun.”
• Waffle houses are the equivalent of our Denny’s- only good things can happen
• The girls in the south have the cutest accents
• NEVER stay at the Airport Inn & Suites in Nashville. It’s terrifying. You will be greeted by 2 gigantic spiders over the door, smoke smelling rooms, no hot water, and general fear

• The Bluebird Café is wicked awesome
• Sleeping is the best way to pass the time
• Speed to your little hearts content- in 8 states we’ve only seen 2 cops
• The further east you go the greener it gets
• Roadtrips are the best way to see more states in 2 days then you’ve seen in your entire life
• The Mormons are coming
• Cindy is afraid of creatures in the bushes
• Father Gordon likes to send random facts

• The Evans hair just gets curlier and curlier in the humidity- also bigger. It’s a problem
• Cindy will cry once you get within 6 hours of her grandkids
• Don’t forget the extra rental car key at the apartment when you are dropping the car off
• Fireflies are magical
• We should transfer to UNC- the campus is beautiful
• North Carolina has the BIGGEST spiders- it’s not safe
• The logo for the University of North Carolina is a well
• Cindy needs to know directions 3 steps ahead
• Kids don’t forget their Nana, but can be easily won over by a conniving Aunt- Manda is the favorite :)
• It is impossible to know which direction you are traveling without the mountains
• Walking through the UNC campus on the first day of school is a great idea

• Cindy struggles taking pictures and video, but she has improved drastically            

It's been a great adventure! Videos to come.