Now that we're finally honing in on an actual departure date (October 29), we are starting to plan for the long road trip. It's a 17-hour drive through Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, with a nice jaunt through the Smoky Mountains and Appalachian Mountains, right when the leaves will be peaking or just past peak. It should be beautiful in Northern Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Southern Indiana (see map).
We plan on taking our time and making stops at several state parks along the interstate for rest breaks with the dogs and hope to capture some great photographs along the way. Justin is very much a "Let's get there as quickly as possible" kind of traveler, and I'm a fan of sauntering along, taking in the scenery. We will compromise, I'm sure, and I'll pick two nice stops for a long walk with the dogs and photo opportunities, especially in the Knoxville area where four states intersect. Personally, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for the Smoky and Appalachian Mountains, having spent many summers in the Appalachians visiting my dad's parents and attending youth conferences, as well as many President's Day weekends skiing in Boone, NC. With that said, I'm excited to even be driving through the mountains, even if it's in the foothills for most of the time.
Since we'll have both dogs with us, and they are likely to be totally NUTSO after hours in the car, we plan on spending the night in/near Nashville along I-65 around hour ten into the 17-hour trip. The idea is to leave around 9:00am on a Thursday, arriving in Nashville late afternoon, and then continuing the drive the next morning so we'll arrive in La Grange around dinnertime. We'll relax and get the dogs acquainted with their new home and surroundings, and start unpacking a day or two after arrival.
There's a possibility we'll leave a week later, but it all depends on whether we wrap up all the loose ends in Jacksonville over the next week and a half, as well as when Justin's family is ready for us to arrive. We're trying to be sensitive to their schedule, as they are being incredibly gracious to let us stay with them in the short-term while we get settled. We are both already updating all our online networking profiles, resumes, etc., already looking for and applying for jobs in the area. In addition, we want enough time to say good-bye to family, friends and our favorite spots around town our last week in Jacksonville, including several very long swims in the ocean.
Aside from our family and friends, we will both miss the beach and ocean the most, as it's been such a big part of my life for 30+ years and Justin's for ten years. Luckily, Chicago is on the expansive Lake Michigan and there are beautiful beaches nearby north of the city and to the east in places like Michigan City, so I will be able to get to a large body of water and not "closed in." We expect to be doing many outdoor activities, even in the winter. I've been researching ski resorts in the Midwest (yes, there ARE several ski resorts a short drive from the city), cross-country skiing trails, as well as some of the beautiful state parks along many rivers and lakes.
We're both very excited to explore the great outdoors, and we're fortunate there are several beautiful forest preserves and nature conservatories within walking distance from our new home. Hiking, walking and visiting state parks is super cheap, and it will provide us with things to do on the weekend and days we need to blow off some steam, because I know the job searching process won't be easy. It's a bonus that the dogs are permitted on leashes, and we can't wait to see how they react to snow! It should be hilarious! The physical activity will be good for all of us, including the dogs, who will need long walks to compensate for not having a fenced-in backyard (which we hope to figure out when we arrive). Maggie has terrible arthritis and hip dysplasia for a four-year old dog, and we hope that her new anti-inflammatory and increased low-impact exercise will help rebuild the atrophied muscle in her hind legs and get her back to her old, spunky self.
*Kankakee River State Park in the winter
It's really exciting that we're almost ready to hit the road, yet leaving my family and our friends is still pulling on my heart occasionally, resulting a minor tearful moments. We both know this is what is necessary for us to rebuild, and change is never easy, but this move has already changed us on many levels. We're happier, excited having something to look forward to, hopeful for the first time in a long time and extremely motivated to make this work... and I'll be honest, it's been a long, long time since we've felt this way. Cheers to new beginnings... especially with my best friend!
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