Long-haul Trucker in a Prius

Impatience has always been something Lindsey and I govern most decisions with, and our trip to Destin, FL was no exception. Instead of leaving early on Sunday morning, we rearranged the hotel schedule and left at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday. We hurriedly loaded the Prius, quickly filling every nook and cranny (including the hitch mounted basket I installed this year) and bid Independence,MO adieu!

So began the 16 + hour driving adventure. The 1000 miles from home to Destin didn't surprise us with much, outside of the hail storm we drove through near Cape Girardeau. An energy drink and a couple of trucker pills kept me focused and kept the wheels turning through the night. Lindsey gave an honest effort to stay awake, but the car was filled with nasally sounds of sleeping babies before midnight.

Skipping ahead 15 hours...


The salty smell of the ocean became increasingly poignant as we crossed into the pan handle of Florida. As we finally reached the Mid-Bay Bridge, which took us across the Choctawhatchee Bay, all of us realized that this was the motivation that convinced our family of four to journey across the south. This would be the closest to paradise we had yet to experience. There will be many experiences to come...