The Way A Travel Day Should Be

Wednesday, April 9th

Birmingham, AL to Greenville, SC - a trip of only 400 miles, but we may as well have crossed an ocean it made such a difference.

10AM - some 20 Spamily members assemble and board the "Alabama Limo" outside the Sheraton. We drag suitcases, duffels and assorted other containers with us to the bus. We're on I-20 heading east by 10:30 after picking up at the other hotel.

We ran into some traffic around the Alabama/Georgia state line. They're mowing the median and we're stuck behind the mowing crew; cruising along at 20 MPH. I don't care: Karl and I are watching The Aristocrats on DVD and laughing our butts off. We're laughing so much that I'm pretty sure we were distracting the bus driver (good thing we're going 20 MPH).

The rest of the Spamily is passing the time as we often do on the bus:

Chris checks his email


David sleeps


I don't know what Tim is doing


T.L. watches a movie

With the time change, we passes downtown Atlanta around 2 PM. We cruised right by Turner Field, Peachtree Sheet, the State Capitol and Mary Mac's Tearoom. My heart grieved for the Flying Biscuit and all the other goodies I enjoyed just a bit more than a year ago. I settled back down into my seat and tried to put these thoughts out of my mind.

Just after we passed through to the other side of Atlanta, the bus slowed and pulled off the freeway. I was surveying my food options: a Taco Bell, a sit-down Mexican place and a Pizza Hut passed by my window before I heard someone ask: "What's the Varsity?" My heart leapt! This appeared out the window:

The Varsity! Earlier in the week, I had teased Karl that the bus should stop at the Varsity for lunch - but had been only kidding. Obviously, it wasn't a great idea to try and negotiate downtown in a tour bus and then to drop everyone without anything very healthful to eat. I continued to tease Karl, but never dared to dream... Turns out, Karl google-searched the Varsity and found this location that was right along our route. Karl and David had known for two days that this was the plan and had kept it as a surprise for me. I hugged Karl and danced off the bus and into chili-dog & fried pie bliss (with a cup of frozen orange).

Hooray!!!


David, JV & Karl


The Spamily outside the Varsity with our paper hats


Even Missy got in on the act!

After the pig-out, it was back on the bus for a couple more hours of travel. The country-side passing outside our window was pretty. Everything was bright, spring green. The redbud, dogwoods and other trees had bright blossoms.

Still and all, I was glad to see the "Welcome to South Carolina" sign:

We arrived in Greenville around 5 PM. I checked in and unpacked at the Hyatt before I made a brief venture outside to find the theatre and a wine shop. I bought a couple of bottles of wine and took in Greenville's Main Street. It's adorable: lined with restaurants, shops, art, fountains and general cuteness. As Ken succinctly put it: "After Birmingham, this place it Paris."

I was back in my hotel room in time for the bottom half of the first inning of the Yankee's game. I ordered up some room service, opened a bottle of wine ("7 Deadly Zins" - tasty) and settled in to watch the Yankees destroy the Rays. A great way to wrap up a great travel day!

JV