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Ok, so, on the eve of my 4th month in the midwest I am finally updating!
Those last two days of driving to this great state were a baptism by fire. Last we left off I was moving through Alabama on my way to Louisiana. After the museum I got myself a cup of coffee and a diet coke and set my ipod to play "This American Life" (Thank you Ira Glass for getting me through Mississippi!). Mississippi is a hole. I'm sorry Mississippians, but really, i don't ever need to go back. I stopped at a Cracker Barrel for dinner just so I could say I had been to that state. Full belly and another cup of coffee later I was back in the car. I had probably been in the car for about 6 hours and was still going strong. i crossed over into Louisiana just as it was getting dark. I made a right turn right before New Orleans and started heading west again. At that point my leg was jiggling with excess caffeine jitters and I was belting out Cure songs to pass the time.
Once I hit Baton Rouge it was about 9:30pm and all of a sudden I start seeing lightning behind the clouds. Its just looking really cool. Then it starts going more often. Then I start being able to see the bolts. At that point I was driving on bridges over bayous so every time the lightning flashed I could see the water and the shrubbery. So, still driving, the bolts are getting crazy to where I can hear the thunder over my music and smell the ozone......and then the heavens opened up. Jeebus I have NEVER been in a storm like that before. I couldn't see through my windshield even with the wipers going full speed. I pulled off at the first exit cause I thought my little car was going to get swept away and tried to find a motel for the night. I stopped at a holiday inn and forded my car through their parking lot. I had a dinky little umbrella so I was pretty much soaked by the time I got to the front desk (and "by the time" i mean 3 seconds!). It was then I found out there was a conference going on and every, and I mean EVERY! hotel/motel was booked from right outside Baton Rouge to Texas. So I sadly make my way back to my car (ie run like the dickens screaming "its RAINING!!!!") where I hear the loudest boom of thunder yet and the whole exit (hotels, diners, gas stations) losses power. Ooooh boy. I hop back on the highway (fun fun) and try about 4 more exits until I get the LAST motel room (its a single, smoking room right across from a truck stop and casino) and bed down for the night. It was very exciting (read really scary).
Oh and btw, I went to steal one of the towels because I had forgotten mine and when I went to look for one I realized there were none....then i looked in the bathroom and realized there was no shower curtain, curtain rod, or nobs to turn the water on. Very classy joint. I was very happy to be leaving Louisiana the next morning.Hmm...I think something's missing......
Uhh......hmm....ok....I guess no shower tonight.
Just so you know, that was not my dirty washcloth. That was there when I came in. NASTY!
