Oklahoma City to Sweet Home 4-the-nite Alabama

Song inspiration of the day: Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd)

Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss Alabamy once again and I think it’s a sin, yes

A giant line of thunder storms originating in the Gulf covered all I-40 from Oklahoma City to Memphis, Tennessee – our original destination for the day. It remains unclear how we evaded all but 20 minutes of rain for the entire day, but guessing it was a nod from the Mother Road, saying adios. Good-byes are not fun, and Mother 66 wanted us to git where we get.

As you may have guessed, we departed Oklahoma City 4:15 am, to no coffee shops open. We did notice a restaurant that was begging a visit. Sloth was concerned the brew may not have the required kick, and The Hurry One thought too much kick, so we reluctantly passed over the Hillbilly Hideout Restaurant and continued on with eyes desperate to open.

We watched the dry terrain of Oklahoma turn to rolling hills and lush greens in Arkansas. The Ozarks would be an interesting side trip, but we had more weather to dodge. Reaching Little Rock, we had a 15 minute window to charge the electric car and get tires rolling east before nasty cells of torrential rain arrived. From there our weather luck continued, and we crossed the Mississippi into Memphis Tennessee much earlier than planned.

What to do, what to do? Should we stay or should we go? 10 seconds of chit chat, Sloth and Hurry realized their coffee finally kicked in, so no stopping in Memphis. Home Sweet Home 4-the-nite would be Chelsea, Alabama – just south east of Birmingham!

Today Fun facts:

Longest travel day; OK City to Chelsea, AL – 16 hours

Number of meals consumed: 0

Snacks consumed from car: hummus, carrots, celery, pita bread

Snacks no longer enjoy: hummus, carrots, celery, pita bread

Coffee consumed: 26 oz each

What breaking bad looks like @ the hotel post 16 hours on the road: