Yes, the month of April went by quite fast, Multiple drives and a little planned “off time” and now it’s May already.  Belated Cinco De Mayo!!!!!!

I finished my last trip on March 28th and by 03 April, it was time to be back on the road!

Oklahoma city to Amarillo TX!  

A pretty easy, straight forward drove along I-40W for about four hours…normally.

I left from the Atlanta airport under really nice conditions on the morning of 04 April. The conditions upon landing in Oklahoma City were not as pleasant.  Cold with winds and passing rain storms.  

It was a quick uber ride from the airport to the location of the vehicle I was moving. Company van, 2023  Promaster.  Below is a stock picture of the type of vehicle, not the exact one I drove.

My hopes of getting a quick departure with the van were soon dashed.  As I did my pre-trip inspection, I discovered the cargo area of the vehicle was full of company supplies and samples.  Unfortunately, I am not allowed to carry anything in the vehicles I drive so by the time I could get it emptied and ready for the road, I lost about ninety minutes (don’t worry, I get paid for that “down” time). Additionally, to speed the emptying time up, I helped out so that took some of my energy for the drive.  Also, of note, driving these vehicles requires more and seeing how the weather conditions were not all that great made the trip feel way longer than 258 miles.

I made it into Amarillo before darkness, so that was good.  I found my hotel which turned out to be good enough for the night.  LA Quinta at the Amarillo Hospital.  Not a newer hotel but the room was nice, good shower and not far from a Walmart where I went dinner shopping!!! The morning breakfast actually turned out to be better than I expected as well!!

While enjoying my Walmart frozen “mega-meal” dinner I was watching the local news for a bit and found out that SNOW was anticipated in the morning!! SNOW, Amarillo TX, 5th of April!!!!!

Predictions were for up to 3 inches.

When I woke up on the morning of the 5th, it was sleeting a little with snow on the way.  I elected to deliver the car to the company location in town and head to the airport earlier than I needed to. While at the airport, the snow began!.  Luckily my flight boarded and left our gate in a timely fashion but we were held up on the tarmac for thirty minutes. Uugh.  Additionally, I caught a break as my connecting flight in Dallas/Fort Worth was delayed to similar messy conditions! 

I eventually made it back to my home about two hours late.  The following morning I read the news about the “record snowfall” in Amarillo!!

I didn’t get back on the road for almost two weeks as I took about six days off for a little vacation time (which included 700 plus miles driving) and another week off for family medical appointments. By the 16th of April it was time to hit the road again.

Dallas TX to Calhoun GA.  A route I have driven a few times in the past for the same company I moved the van for, except this time, I had to take an unexpected detour.

On the 16th, I flew out to Love Field in Dallas.  This time there was no unneeded excitement or delays in picking up the vehicle and got on the road rather quickly.  Out of Dallas on I-20E

Seeing how this was going to involve two overnights, I set my sights for my first stop, Meridian MS. A little more than 500 miles from Dallas.

Meridian is a town I have visited a few times over the years (most recently in December of 2024) so I already had a game plan for this stop. A new La Quinta hotel found last time through the area, one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, and a good night’s sleep.  The following morning, 17th, I had a great hotel breakfast and hit the road.  

Continuing on I-20E into Alabama where the road becomes I-20E/I-59N.  

The game plan was to take I-20E up to Birmingham then on to Atlanta.  All was going well until traffic hit a standstill just west of Heflin Alabama (I never did find out why).  We crept along for a little while then I started looking for a possible alternate route. Luckily my maps app said to jump on Highway 9 in Heflin and head north. 

A winding ride up Highway 9 and multiple other routes, I eventually ended up at my destination, Calhoun GA.

As most of the subscribers of my little blog know, Calhoun GA is another town I am really familiar with. 

Favorite hotel in Calhoun (they have a few good ones) is their La Quinta. They have a nice Days Inn or Baymont as well.  Great Mexican restaurant, EL Nopal. 

After another nice easy going night and fulfilling hotel breakfast, I delivered the vehicle.  From Calhoun I caught the Groome Shuttle back to my vehicle at the Atlanta airport and headed home.

I was home for another week which allowed me to catch up on some yard work and paperwork.

On the 25th of April, it was back down to Florida.  This time, Fort Myers.

Fort Myers FL to Atlanta GA..

Another drive I am familiar with. Basically straight up I-75N, with a slight bypass route on I-475 around Macon GA (bypass goes north and south..saves about twenty minutes).

On previous drives along this route, I have stayed overnight at a number of different places but I I opted to try a place I never had before., Travelodge in Perry GA. 

(They don’t have a dedicated website but you can find this location by searching TRAVELODGE Perry GA)

A recently remodeled hotel.  It is more than adequate and reasonably priced. They offered breakfast but it was rather lackluster.  All the restaurants in this area are up the next exit (going north).  There is also a WALMART near the restaurants and hidden in the shopping center there is a good little Mexican place, Jalisco Grill. 

I hit the road early the following morning to finish the drive to metro Atlanta, knowing I would have to deal with the traffic. It paid off as right smack in the middle of the most congested area known in the Atlanta area (despite seven and sometimes eight lanes in each direction), road work was being performed, shutting down four lanes going north!!! I took a few detours I knew of and avoided most of the backup delivering the vehicle on schedule!

An uber ride back to where my car was parked at the airport and I headed home with another successful trip under my belt.

Well that catches up for now.  Only have two trips planned thus far for the month of May. One of them is 1400 miles in length, up the east coast.  Oh yeah ..WASHINGTON DC traffic!!!!

Hope you enjoyed and don’t forget to share with others, as well, don’t forget, I AM FOR HIRE!!!

BOGEY..our CHUG (part Pug, part Chihuahua) celebrating CINCO!!!!!!