I've Got Everything Packed...

...Including the refrigerator! No joke, we've got this portable fridge that plugs into the car (or a wall socket) and keeps things cool! Since I'm heading to Alabama by car, why not do it in style?
It's actually a great way for me to keep my normal eating schedule for the whole weekend. In 99% of my races, when I travel to a foreign location, I have to make do with what is available. Very rarely do I find my particular yogurt brand, yummy salad ingredients, Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, etc.
I wont go into details, but changes in your diet, combined with hours of traveling, do not make for the best working digestive system...and when I'm trying to compete at the TOP level, every little detail makes a difference! So, this weekend, my Dad and I will not only be snacking on cool apples and chilled drinks while we are on the road, we will be storing breakfast, lunch, and dinner ingredients in the hotel room.
Other than the fridge, the car is packed up with all my racing and training gear, weekend clothes, gifts for the local elementary school kids, and entertainment for the 'down-time'. The bike rack has my beautiful Blue and Dad's Trek hanging on the back. I think we are just waiting on my Dad's weekend bag (which he hasn't even started packing because my parents are addicted to American Idol and tonight is an Idol-night).
Tomorrow we are planning on hitting the road by 7:30am after grabbing breakfast in the house. Our first stop is going to be up in Gainesville for a quick swim session. I thought it would be nice to visit Dustin, take a mid-drive-break, and stretch out my swimming muscles...all in one shot!
Speaking of Dustin, let me wander off course here and give a Duster-Buster update: Dustin has decided to attend THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT IRVINE to study and obtain a Master's degree and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering!! My brain hurts just trying to comprehend going to a few more years of school...but Dustin is still looking for a challenge (he's barely broken a mental sweat at UF these past four years:). He toured a few of the top engineering schools and really liked what he saw at Irvine...the professors, the students, the swim team, the nearby beach, the west coast sunshine, etc. I might be jumping the gun on this announcement because he hasn't even graduated from UF yet...May 2nd is the date! (More on that later!)
Back to tomorrow's drive...after Gainesville we will be back on the road toward Tuscaloosa. I am estimating a 8:00pm arrival at the Hampton Inn. That is including a few stops for gas, bathroom breaks, lunch, and maybe a short jog if we find some pretty park or path close to our driving route. I'm looking forward to seeing all my friends, coaches, and the numerous other USA Triathlon people involved with putting on this event. I'm hoping that the hotel provides Internet, but if not, I can always access the World Wide Web from my favorite eatery: Panera Bread!