I was VERY excited about our next trip. Flying to Charlotte, North Carolina. Driving home over the course of five days, stopping at famous sites like the Biltmore, Pigeon Forge, and Nashville, hitting a dozen highly rated escape rooms along the way. Then it all fell apart.
On Wednesday morning, my biggest question was whether the schedule was too tightly packed. By Wednesday evening, the trip was in jeopardy. I never considered whether a hurricane could disrupt my trip through North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky, yet Hurricane Helene threatened exactly that.
Hopes for the trip slowly melted away over the course of Wednesday and Thursday. Airlines and rental car agencies started to warn of delays. The forecast for the whole eastern US, even outside of the hurricane region, showed heavy rain for days.
I still held out hope that I could course correct, and I set out a few alternative plans. Driving north through West Virginia. Staying on the east coast and flying home from Philadelphia. Staying near Charlotte the whole time. The plans all almost worked, but the crux of the matter wasn’t resolved- flight and car were going to be a problem.
Finally, the airline put a nail in the coffin- my flight was canceled.
The good news is that when one plan ends, another begins. I couldn’t find any good alternative flights on short notice, but living in the midwest, I can spin and arrow and head any direction. I’ve opted for due west.
My new trip will start in Iowa, potentially heading to either Nebraska and Kansas after that, or alternatively, straight to Kansas City. From there, we’ll head to either Wichita or Branson, and possibly Little Rock, Arkansas, before heading home again, passing through St. Louis and Urbana Champaign.
We’ve got a lot to look forward to on the trip. There are plenty of highly rated escape rooms on our path. St. Louis and Branson are both known for having a wide variety of neat attractions – this time we’re aiming for the St. Louis Zoo, and possibly the City Museum.
When one door closes, another opens. I’m looking forward to this getaway, even if I have to throw away four pages of plans about North Carolina and Tennessee. I’ll get back there at some point!
My prayers are with those impacted by Hurricane Helene. I can adjust my plan and stay away from severe weather and flooding. A lot of people can’t, and I hope they can stay safe, and that the storm isn’t as severe as expected.
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