So we visited the University of Tennessee. Now if you ever want to see team spirit go to UT because it's the middle of June and people all along the streets were wearing Orange. Dude you're in summer school and there are no sports over summer but hey representin' their school team. Go Volunteers!!
We looked at the campus and then there is this big field with dancing waters and then across the street is this tower you can ride an elevator up to the top and it over looks the city. Well Dad and I decide that we want to go up the elevator to the top. We've been up before a long time ago, so I didn't think much of the elevator situation until we arrived at the top of the ramp that lead us to the elevator. There are about 5 elevators surrounding the tower that are suppose to lead you up. Dad presses the button of the first elevator. No response. "Oh it must be broken", Dad says. My least favorite words when it comes to elevators unless that means I don't have to get on one. So we try another one on the other side and it dings and the button lights up. Part of me is already freaking out because the other elevator didn't work and the other part wants to see the city. The doors open up and we step in. Thump thump thump thump x 12 and you have my heartbeat. Let me remind you that we are the ONLY people around. There is no line to go up the tower, no admission. It's go at your own risk. We're in the elevator and Dad and I assume that we wanna push the highest floor leave cause we want to get to the top. Level 8 was pushed, it was pushed but the light didn't go on. Weird. The elevator slowly starts to move. thump thump thump thump x 18 is my heart now. Is it just me or whenever you want something to end quickly it seems to take 3 times as long? So we started on level 3 and then the number jumps to 4. We stay on level 4 for a while and nothing. The doors don't open and we don't even go to 8. When we finally stopped and those doors didn't open by heart was thump thump thump thump x 37!! Oh great I thought, the one time no one else is around and we get stuck in an elevator which is pretty hot inside might I add. Then Dad presses the open door button and the doors come open. Don't laugh, it's not funny. It was scary! We walk out into the circular ball thing that is on top of the tower. That view was amazing. You could see just about everything. Then it was time to go down the elevator. I looked for the stair exit and it said emergency exit only. Secretly I was thinking this is an emergency. But we had to go down. The ride down wasn't bad at all actually. The doors opened and everything, that's always a good sign. We looked at the fountains, sat on a lounge chair in the middle of the rapids :) now that was cool. Not many people can get away with that without getting yelled at by the cops but we made it happen. You gotta do what you gotta do!!
After seeing the University we headed out. We were actually a day ahead of schedule so we thought we'd try and make it home. Drove up through the mountains of Asheville and the scenery was definitely way better than Kansas, or Missouri, or eastern Colorado, or Illinois.
We figured out that we were going to make it home and Dad and I had decided earlier that at some point we were jumping in a lake, we didn't care where but it just had to be done. So about 20 minutes away from our house we put our bathing suits on and jumped in Jordan Lake. It felt so nice. It was about 6ish so it wasn't too crowded. After our swimming adventure we asked mom to meet us at the Salem Street Pub. Now if you haven't been there make sure to swing in by and get some wings. They are rockingly awesome! Mom didn't believe us that we were home. So after much time and lots of convincing she finally met us down at the pub!!
Calibound has reached North Carolina. We had a VERY successful trip and it was lots of fun! Now if you ever get the chance to go cross country I highly recommend it. Make sure you bring a variety of music and a camera. And remember you are only allowed to go as fast as your car can go in Texas, unless you are 6'3" and know a lot of police officers.
Song of Today: Barefoot and Crazy by Jack Ingram
Total milage of today: 470.2
Total milage of the WHOLE trip: 5830.6
Talk about a numb butt. Now the fun doesn't end here...there are many adventures that we still are set out to do, such as well keep reading to find out more ;)
And the Grammy goes to....haha just kidding but now I would like to thank my mom and sister for letting us go on this adventure. Nana for hooking us up with that emergency care package (that carried us for a while), the Serrao family for their entertainment and hospitalities, the Outhouses for an awesome lunch, our lawyer who got us out of having to spend the night in a jai...uh forget that last one, but thanks to everyone that helped us out!!
Fun Fact: Dad and I set a new record of the amount of states visited within 11 days, our record is 18!
More to come...
Hey! Glad y'all are home safe. It's been fabulous to read about your adventure. It sounds like it was fantastic. See y'all soon!
ReplyDeleteRandy