hello, sunshine!
After an ass-kicking winter, spring finally arrives in Cleveland, and I am packing up my bags and heading someplace even warmer. I am not the brightest star in the night sky, folks.
Okay, so it's not like I have much of a choice. A conference next week for work is landing me in Sunny Orlando for a few days, and I took the rest of the week off to not have to be at work. Here's my quandary. I am done with the conference stuff Wednesday at noon. I booked an evening flight back to Cleveland on Friday, hoping to have a few days to kick around and do nothing. I wanted The Boy to be able to join me, but the two dogs and one cat kind of made that difficult to swing this time around. That being said, I was looking at rental car deals for when I was in Florida after all of my colleagues left. I found this stupidly great deal that Hertz is running that made me rethink my plans a little. They are apparently trying to move cars from the South to their Northern locations for the summer months, and I can pick up a small car on Sunday when I get there, and return it the following Sunday in Cleveland for ... get this ... $62 including tax for the whole week with unlimited miles.
Which means that I could jump in the car when I am done with the conference and cruise the open road for a few days while I made my way back home to The Boy and The Babies. Kind of like Thelma and Louise, but solo and without the messy, sad ending. I did the math, and the fuel costs wouldn't be crazy-high for the 800 mile jaunt. I wouldn't do it all in one day...but it's not THAT long of a drive anyhow.
What do you think? Do you think I should try to find some cheap hotel in Orlando and just kick around pool side until Friday, or should I hit the open road and enjoy a few e-mail and meeting free days?
Call it, kids.
hcg
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Reader Comments (6)
That's crazy cheap.I say go for the drive - could be fun!
It's a bit late now, but I would have recommended you see British comedian Dave Gorman's film 'America Unchained' or read the accompanying book in which he undertakes a similar journey:
http://www.amazon.com/America-Unchained-Dave-Gorman/dp/0091899338/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208552353&sr=1-1
He was following some rules about giving money to corporations and so only using independent gas stations, staying at indie motels and only eating and buying food at non-chain restaurants. Judging by how difficult he found that, I'd be a bit more flexible. But it does sound like an exciting adventure.
Screw the hotel. Sleep in your car. That would be how I'd roll. Oh, and think of all the trucker friends you'd make at those quaint gas stations in the middle of nowhere.
Avi-I know, right?!
Stu-Does that mean no Starbucks? I'm out. ;-)
Phil-I am not interested in any truckers save one...does it count if The Boy has a pickup?
Hit the Road Woman! You"ll have a boatload of fun!
Road Trip!!! A number of years ago I made a similar trip from San Diego to Portland. Loved it!!!