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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Adventures in Driving!


When we planned our trip to Virginia, for Andy's graduation, we decided that as long as we were there, we should plan on a day doing something fun and not come right home. The plan was to spend Friday in Colonial Williamsburg, which is quite close to the army base Andy was stationed at. After graduation, we had to wait for quite a while for them to finish his paperwork. When we left the base we had to drive back to Norfolk Airport to activate a plane ticket. When driving to Norfolk there is a 3 mile long tunnel under the Chesapeake Bay. We had been through it twice already and each time, there was a traffic jam there. Thursday was no exception. Traffic was stopped on the way to Norfolk and moving very slowly when we can back from the airport. By this time it was 4 pm and we were heading to Williamsburg for our hotel for the night. Once we made it through the tunnel, we thought we were home free. Wrong!
We drove through Newport News and on toward Williamsburg. Soon we saw signs for Colonial Williamsburg but our GPS was telling us we still had 25 miles to go, before our exit. I thought that perhaps our hotel was on the other side of the city, so we kept going. Soon we were seeing signs for Richmond. At this point, Bob is saying to me "That hotel better be good, for the distance we're driving". I get the GPS and recheck the address to make sure I put it in right and check the paperwork for the hotel. I was starting to think I clicked the wrong hotel while reserving it online, but everything looked right and the address was Williamsburg. Finally we get to our exit, and start down this street. After about 5 miles, our GPS says "make a legal u-turn when possible". What? We are driving down a busy street and there are no u-turns possible. The GPS repeats these instructions and Bob turns around. We are now heading back in the direction we came in. Shortly before our original exit we are told to turn left. Keep in mind that we passed this street n the way in and could have turned right on it then. As we drive down this street, we see on the GPS that our next turn will be back on the highway we just exited, going in the other direction.
At this point, Bob is getting cranky. He is talking to the GPS, telling it how stupid it is and that it has us driving in circles. I am laughing so hard, tears are running down my face, which isn't helping Bob's mood at all. I told him "You'll think this is funny later - it's a great story"! He didn't agree. Andy is sitting in the back seat, trying to agree with both of us.
Soon we got back on the highway and were told to exit at the signs we had seen some time before for Colonial Williamsburg. The hotel was very near this exit. All in all this little detour added about an hour to our driving.
We used this GPS on our trip last year and had no problems so I don't know what caused it to go crazy on this occasion.
Bob does agree now that it was pretty funny, but he is holding a grudge against Cheri because it was her GPS. Somehow those sisters of mine get the blame for everything!

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16 comments:

Saija said...

i've been enjoying your pics!!! i'm so glad you guys have the opportunity to visit Andy like this!! :o)

and your GPS story is great! my cousin bought one and she swears that it went wacky (for no none reason!) in Nebraska ... ?

Anonymous said...

That is so weird! What kind of crazy directions is it to "take a uturn whenever possible?" Makes you wonder if you're on candid camera or something.

My blog tweaking is giving me fits. Thanks for the kind comments but it's not there yet. I hope it will GET there, one of these days. Just what I need, blog problems, when I'm already 6 ft under!! Ah, well, tomorrow is my birthday so I'd better relax and enjoy it, right? :)

I hope to go to Williamsburg next year with the girls. How was it?

Melissa said...

That is wierd! But I've got to say, I would have been laughing right along with you! I'm glad you made it to your destination...you just got some extra time to enjoy that nice car of yours, and all the scenery! :)

Justabeachkat said...

Tooo funny! Not at the time, I'm sure. But, I'm sure Bob will be telling this story for years to come and it will get funnier each time it's told.

Hugs!
Kat

A Stone Gatherer said...

Poor Andy! Trying to make the best of the situation! I can so picture the whole scenerio! Glad Bob can laugh now!

Cherdecor said...

Boy, those sisters really know how to mess with you guys! I wonder what Cheri did to that GPS? Just because she is immobile, doesn't mean that her mind is! (:

Lynn said...

I'm laughing WITH you.....

Rebekah said...

ha ha, now thats funny. (im sure Bob didn't think so at the time, but you're right, its funny now)

Diane said...

Nate & Brenda used Mark & Cheri's GPS last year when Tori and I followed them to Minnesota and it really worked great! I can see, though, how it can quickly become a crutch and you "forget" how to read a map! Tori and I used it one day when we went from our hotel to IKEA and back - it was awesome!! It's kinda like adding numbers on paper v. using a calculator - you soon forget how to add the numbers on paper...

Cheri said...

I'm sitting innocently at home and still getting the blame!
That Bob better shape up or he's never going to use my GPS again- well I'll still let you so I guess he will be able to also.
Good thing I don't hand out Santa letters- because he would be a real contender this year!

Shelly said...

That story is funny! GPS systems are okay but not always accurate.
We used one when we went to Florida and it worked pretty good, but one time we kept searching for this Olive Garden and it was not where it said it was. It was on the next street. Good thing we asked someone or we would have went in a circle again. I would have been laughing too.

Sadie said...

Thanks for the laugh! I needed that! I would have had tears strolling down my eyes too! I wouldn't even be able to figure out a GPS, so we don't have one!

Terri said...

I think it's pretty funny although if I was in the situation, I probably wouldn't have been laughing. Good thing he's got a sense of humor!!

Sandra said...

LOL that was funny but I agree with Terri, had it been me I don't think I would have been laughing at the time LOL

Amy said...

Didn't you know you are supposed to treat your GPS with special love and attention? he he he

Dena said...

I didn't even read it - I KNOW you got lost with that thing - and there were NO bloggie buddies to talk you to your destination!