'Bama Bound

Wednesday the 9th.

Fernando welcomed me on his trip to Birmingham, Alabama, and it turned out we had to leave on Wednesday in order to arrive at the venue by Thursday evening.  After a big meal at lunchtime, we got on the road, and ended up in Indianapolis by dinnertime.  We stopped at Cheeseburger in Paradise; Fernando had been wanting to stop there.  I was still full from lunch!  So, I watched him eat.  :)

 At Cheeseburger in Paradise.

Fernando took over the driving from there, getting us into Kentucky, and to a Holiday Inn in Bowling Green.

Ritzy hotel--plus a military discount, making it the cheapest hotel we've stayed in!

Thursday the 10th.

Fernando drove us through Kentucky, then Tennessee, then into Alabama--my first time ever this far south.

Downtown Nashville.

A rocket on the side of the road; near Huntsville, AL, and the NASA center there.

At the venue (Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center), Fernando got situated and got the dish up on the bird (satellite).

C-USA Conference playoffs (men's and women's).

My creative photo of the trip.

Penelope (Arctek Purple) outside the Legacy Arena at the BJCC.

Then it rained, and Fernando and I shared truck space until he was all set for transmissions the next morning--early).

Friday the 11th.

It's hard to be on-site at 6:00am...

Fernando had four transmissions all day Friday.

 Relaxing between transmissions.

At one non-rainy point, I put my macro lens on Bella (my Canon 6D) and took a wandering walk around the edge of the VIP parking lot where we were stationed.

Signs of spring!

Saturday the 12th.

This day is actually our half-anniversary!  Since Fernando didn't have to be on-site until 2pm, we had a relaxing morning.  In other words, that meant sleeping in (just a little for me--I can't sleep late), tea made with the in-room coffee maker, and the Psalms to start my day.

For lunch, we visited a Mexican restaurant, Cantina Laredo.  Apparently, there's one located downtown Chicago, but we didn't know this.  The food was excellent!

Then it was a nice walk several blocks to the site once again, for the C-USA women's final.  Then it rained.  Again.

Sunday the 13th.

Fernando asked me to drive the first leg of our trip so he could eat breakfast (I had some organic instant oatmeal in the hotel room before we left).  During my stint as driver, here was my routine:

• Press the "wiper on" button every now and then.
• Turn on intermittent wipers.
• Turn on low-speed wipers.
• Turn off wipers.
• Turn on wipers.
• Turn on fast wipers and reduce speed.
• Repeat in various random steps.

Since I hadn't had the Cheeseburger in Paradise experience on the way down, we stopped again on the way home for a late supper.  Fernando got some sort of monster burger.  I helped him out eating it (meaning, I had a bite).

Fernando took over the last leg of driving, and I took one picture of Indianapolis with some blue sky before stowing my phone and relaxing for the remainder of the trip home.

Our trips may seem boring (no sightseeing, museums, strolling around, relaxing, etc.), but we get to spend time together, I get to be useful as a driver, and we have fun.  We're both loving it!


Back to life,
Christine

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