Mortlives
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2002
- Messages
- 2,169
How normal that just before our trip, our dog should require 2 separate surgeries for 2 separate self-inflicted injuries, and our car tune-up should uncover things that need fixed. So, after much financial panic, and rationalizing biting the bullet anyway, we're still left with the problem of the dog's post-op care. The vet informs us that he shouldn't climb stairs, so our house and the housesitter is out. The vet says he doesn't board well, and wants him out as soon as he can travel. Enter DM and DF, my wonderful parents who, at the last moment, agreed to take in our post-surgical puppy.
The veterinary hijinks meant we had to pick up the dog from the vet and drop him off at my parents' on the way to the border, so our departure was slightly delayed. Unfortunately, this put us in Mississauga during rush our, headed for Niagara Falls. Let's just say it took us substantially longer than expected to reach the United States.
The border crossing was interesting as well. The guard asked many questions about where we were going, and why (the why's the part that confuses us), and got out of his booth and walked around our car. I guess it was because there was no one behind us, but at length, he let us go. On to Erie!
The Holiday Inn Express was near the Quaker Steak and Lube (I swear I'm not making this up, we even grabbed a take out menu, so we'd have proof), and next door to an indoor water park. This meant that the parking situation was somewhat unfortunate because they hadn't cleared out most of their lot, and a lot of the front parking seemed to be taken up by guests of the business next door. Anyway, we weren't staying long. We asked for a 6:30 wake up call. The room itself was fairly nice, and the bathroom had a huge jacuzzi.
We were on the road by 7:30 having had breakfast at the hotel, and the weather was fair. We stopped a few times before lunch at rest areas to stretch our legs, etc, but made good time. Lunch was at a Long John Silver's, which neither DH nor I had been to since we were kids. We've decided there's a reason for that.
The mountains, as always, were breathtaking, and we enjoyed the ride. This time down, spring happened while we were driving through the 2nd tunnel in Virginia. Snow one side, green the other.
We had dinner at the Waffle House on the way to South Carolina, because we have to hit at least one Waffle House per trip. This one didn't have strawberries, though, so I was a little disappointed. It did have pecans, though.
We spent that night at the Sleep Inn at Walterboro, SC. It's a fairly standard specimen of the Sleep Inn chain, which means the rooms have showers instead of baths, and an interesting round wall around the shower chamber. Rooms come with coffee makers, and breakfast bar is included. New to our Sleep Inn experience this time was that the breakfast bar included do-it-yourself waffles with pre-mixed batter. We like Sleep Inns, they're a reliable, inexpensive chain.
Kungaloosh!
Morticia.
Next - Day 1 - Arrival
The veterinary hijinks meant we had to pick up the dog from the vet and drop him off at my parents' on the way to the border, so our departure was slightly delayed. Unfortunately, this put us in Mississauga during rush our, headed for Niagara Falls. Let's just say it took us substantially longer than expected to reach the United States.
The border crossing was interesting as well. The guard asked many questions about where we were going, and why (the why's the part that confuses us), and got out of his booth and walked around our car. I guess it was because there was no one behind us, but at length, he let us go. On to Erie!
The Holiday Inn Express was near the Quaker Steak and Lube (I swear I'm not making this up, we even grabbed a take out menu, so we'd have proof), and next door to an indoor water park. This meant that the parking situation was somewhat unfortunate because they hadn't cleared out most of their lot, and a lot of the front parking seemed to be taken up by guests of the business next door. Anyway, we weren't staying long. We asked for a 6:30 wake up call. The room itself was fairly nice, and the bathroom had a huge jacuzzi.
We were on the road by 7:30 having had breakfast at the hotel, and the weather was fair. We stopped a few times before lunch at rest areas to stretch our legs, etc, but made good time. Lunch was at a Long John Silver's, which neither DH nor I had been to since we were kids. We've decided there's a reason for that.
The mountains, as always, were breathtaking, and we enjoyed the ride. This time down, spring happened while we were driving through the 2nd tunnel in Virginia. Snow one side, green the other.
We had dinner at the Waffle House on the way to South Carolina, because we have to hit at least one Waffle House per trip. This one didn't have strawberries, though, so I was a little disappointed. It did have pecans, though.
We spent that night at the Sleep Inn at Walterboro, SC. It's a fairly standard specimen of the Sleep Inn chain, which means the rooms have showers instead of baths, and an interesting round wall around the shower chamber. Rooms come with coffee makers, and breakfast bar is included. New to our Sleep Inn experience this time was that the breakfast bar included do-it-yourself waffles with pre-mixed batter. We like Sleep Inns, they're a reliable, inexpensive chain.
Kungaloosh!
Morticia.
Next - Day 1 - Arrival
OH I love your humor!! Thank you for sharing!! I enjoy hearing about the places you are visiting and staying! I also encountered a make it yourself waffle bar, and I love watching people trying to 'figure it out' (you pour and close the lid, then turn it over, where we stayed people either over poured batter or under poured! And I'll never forget the 11 yr child who burned herself, and didnt know what she was doing! 
I was glad to help her!) The smell of the waffles are great....
