Now that we are living outside Austin, any trip we take for a UNC game becomes a road trip. And every year we try to get at least one basketball game and one football game in, as part of our vacation/road trip. This year was no different than any since I’ve been clean – but, goodness gracious, how they’ve changed since the days before NA!

It all started simply enough. We were invited to go to New York, to spend Thanksgiving with my wife’s in-laws. We looked at the driving directions and then at the UNC football and basketball schedules and the following is all about what happened next.

On 13 November 2011, at 9pm central time, we set out from Texas; my wife, Terri; me; and our almost two-year-old toddler, Bella. Because she’s only just turning two, we drove each day until Bella was through, not when we were. So, every two hours or so, we stopped for gas, to stretch our legs, to change the baby, or to grab a snack or a meal before heading back on our way. No “DTs”; no jonesin’. No rippin’, runnin’, or copping.

Our first planned stop was in Birmingham, on 14 November, at 6pm, local, where we met up with my brother, Tim, who always comes with me to the game. We ate there and spent the night, and continued the next morning at 4am.

On 15 November, at about 3pm local, we stopped at our Cousin Lesley’s house in Ashville, North Carolina and had dinner with Lesley, Joe and Britt. We were off again by 7pm.

On 16 November, at about 11:30pm, local time, we arrived in Christiansburg, Virginia. The next day, 17 November, we went to Virginia Tech’s campus, in Blacksburg, Virginia. We tailgated with the only other UNC fans we could find in the snow, and then went into the Inn, on campus, for a Ram’s Club buffet. Then, in 20 degree temperatures and only an hour or so after the first snow, we took our seats. The next morning, 18 November, we set out for Chapel Hill.

We arrived at the Courtyard in Chapel Hill on 18 November at about 4pm local time. We visited a sister in Creedmoor and got back to the hotel at about 10pm, for the night.

On 19 November we visited an aunt in Holly Springs and had a nice relaxing day. The following day, 20 November, we hit Franklin Street, a few must-see sights in Chapel Hill and then went down to the Dean Dome to see the Tar Heels tip-off against the MVSU.

The following morning, 21 November, we checked out of the hotel and headed to New York. We arrived in New York 2 days later. We had Thanksgiving Day dinner with the ‘rents; and left to go home on the 25th.

On the way home, we took the fastest route projected by our GPS, instead of the picturesque view we took on the way up. On the way home, there were no mountains, no colored leaves filling the trees, no country roads; just straight highway and 70-75 mile an hour speed limits. And no fear of police intervention!

In Pennsylvania, we saw a sign for the Crayola Factory, and had to stop. Then in Virginia we saw a sign for Safari Park and had to stop. Then we drove and stopped for another two days, until in Alabama we were rear ended, while driving in traffic, in the rain

And yet again, there was no fear of police action, since we were hit from behind; and not only were we not loaded, but we weren’t even considering using. Not before, not during, and not afterward!

Then one more day’s worth of driving and we were back at home, sleeping in our own bed, a little bit stiff, a little bit sore, but clean, happy and relatively healthy.

I love this program!