Apparently, even on vacation, my internal alarm is set for 6:00 am. So I woke the kids and we started the day. We stopped for gas and breakfast and were on the road by 7:00 am.
After a few hours we stopped at a Starbucks for my breakfast and then hit a grocery store parking lot so I could stretch and take a walk as I was feeling super sleepy. We got back on the road and made great time. Late morning we stopped at a rest area. We took our time enjoying the sunshine and exploring the green roof garden above.
The last few hours of the trip are not main highways so our speed dramatically decreased and the trip seemed to stretch on. We didn't find a restaurant for lunch, so we stopped at a gas station for snacks instead.
Overall the trip was just shy of 1000 miles. We averaged 60 mph (including our stops) so it took a total of 17.5 hours. I was quite pleased with how the trip went. No complaining or arguing. The kids were flexible and understanding and helped me out a lot!
The kids must have sensed we were getting close because they put away their movies and books and sang along as we cranked the music! It was so fun to be silly together. And finally...
WE MADE IT! It was around 1:30 when we pulled in Kingston Plantation. It took a lot of effort to unload the bikes and haul up our luggage but we finally closed the door behind us and sat down with a sigh. Coco went to town chewing on a bully stick and immediately lost two teeth. Sammy disappeared to set up her room. Tyler flipped back in his chair. I sat on the balcony and took in the sights and sounds of the ocean.
It was Coco's first time feeling the sand and seeing the ocean. And she LOVED it. She ran... and ran... and ran... It was so funny to watch her as she took on the waves and figured out the rhythm of the water.
We didn't stay long but on the walk back Sammy found a HUGE shell!
Back in our room, we ordered a pizza for supper and enjoyed playing some card games before bed. It was a big day today and we are so grateful to be here!
