So I've got a road trip in the offing - w00t!

It's worked out so that I can go home next week. I'm making a road trip out of it. I'm ready to watch the scenery change as the miles go by. The rolling hills and race horse ranches of central Florida. The forests of south Georgia turning into the Atlanta metro-sprawl. The foothills of northern Georgia turning into the mountains around Chattanooga blanketed in patches of snow and fallen leaves. Nashville with its new stadium, winding highways and rivers turning into the Kentucky lake lands. Huge suspension bridges spanning valleys and rivers until I cross the border into Illinois. Passing through the national forest until hill country gives way to the farmland. The great arch in the distance. A sharp turn back north and coast into the town that is the second most associated with my family's long history in the state.

Well, it may not be quite that whimsical. There will be construction in Florida and traffic in Atlanta. Nashville at rush hour is always a disaster and I'll probably freeze my 'nads off when I stop for gas in southern Illinois.

Nevertheless, I can't wait. I'll make pit stops in southern Georgia, a little north of Chattanooga and maybe Mt. Vernon. I'll hit the head, let the dog wander for a few minutes to stretch his legs and drain off, then grab a sammich via a drive through.

I'll entertain myself by talking to TuscyDog, maybe listen to a book on tape and eat some snacks. The new feature on this trip is my Sirius satellite radio the kids got me for Christmas. I'll have comedy channels, news, sports, talk, Howard Stern and lots and lots of music.

I'm also excited about the prep leading up to the trip. On top of making sure my work is battened down, the truck needs an oil change, rotation and new wiper blades. It also needs a run through the Eager Beaver car wash for a simple detail job. I need a haircut. TuscyDog needs a bath. I had to order some longjohns on line. It's been around 10 years since I experienced any weather colder than 35 - 40 degrees.

Here are my main destinations. The first is my folks' homestead in Springfield and the second is the clubhouse where we are having Deano's 40th birthday bash.