Home and Hungover

Yes, faithful readers, I am going to finish the blog.



When last you read of our adventures, we were in Memphis, sweating and paying homage to Elvis.



From Memphis we went to Nashville.



I'm sorry to report that nothing exciting happened in Nashville. But that's actually the way we wanted it.



It was our last alone on the trip, so we got a sweet hotel, ate a delicious meal and hung out at a nearby dive bar. We ordered room service the next morning and headed out.



I know what you're thinking: Total letdown.



Well, before you get your panties in a twist, let me assure you that we did not lay up in Blacksburg. Oh no, my friends -- we went out with a bang. Or maybe more like a thump. Against a sidewalk. At least Mike did.




We ended the trip with a night in Blacksburg in great part because Mike has dear friends there, JR and Mel, who he knew from college. JR is his Delta Chi little brother and Mel is his girlfriend. And they were ready for us.

Meet JR and Mel:

Actually, some of you probably have met Mel and JR.


Actually, two of you are Mel and JR, and if you are, we would like to thank you for putting us up and getting crazy with us. And for all the stuff that's staying in the vault and not going into this blog -- well, thanks again.




Anyway, it was good that Mel and JR were ready for us because we were on a mission. Not for Rushmore Rubble or to see the great sights of Blacksburg, but to get pretty tanked and end this trip with a rockin good time.



We opened at Macado's (to JR's chagrin), because I was having a hankering for a Johnny Dee (if you went to Radford or Tech, you understand) and then moved to the Cellar.



Then the drinks started flowing.




So did The Cellar's plumbing.


No really. The bathroom downstairs was under at least 4 inches of water. Believe it or not, this did not phase us. It also did not phase some drunk who wandered into the men's room -- despite, like, five signs saying not to -- left the door open and peed while standing in four inches of (questionably clean) water.



I am proud to report that this drunk was not one of our party.



However, our behavior later may lead you to believe I'm lying.


Because we drank beer. We drank shots. We drank Irish Car Bombs. We drank even when the bartender told us that the kitchen was now flooded and we all had to leave.




Seriously, she came by to tell us and we asked for more drinks. Like the woman had just told us that they were only out of Bud Lite.




She kicked us out.





So we went to another bar. This bar will now be named "Beth Was So Drunk She Can No Longer Remember the Name of the Third Bar."




For brevity's sake, we'll just call it BWSDSCNLRTNOTTB.





At BWSDSCNLRTNOTTB we played darts. I would call it a small miracle that no one was maimed by one of our darts.




I would call it a large miracle that Mike actually played darts pretty well. Because this was Mike at this point:

We closed down BWSDSCNLRTNOTTB.

We passed out a Mel and JR's. Mel and JR actually passed out on our air mattress. Because Mike immediately passed out on JR's bed and remaind comatose until the next morning.

It was a rough morning. This rough morning led to a rough afternoon. Thank god there were Bojangles Chicken Biscuits in our future.

Yes, we started with Bojangles and ended with Bojangles. We came full circle. How poetic.

We got home in the afternoon. I cried. I'm serious. You have no idea how amazing it feels to be home after the best adventure of your life.

Even if you do feel like someone has run you over with an eighteen-wheeler.

Huge thank you's to Sharon and Katey and Sara Eastman for bringing us food, because a homecooked meal never tasted so good. You really made us feel missed and welcome.

Huge thanks also to Jenny and Giles for having everyone over at their house that night so we could see all our friends and to Ross for pulling it all together when she realized I was such a hot mess that there was no way I could do it myself.

And thanks to all of you, who read and commented and gave us a little piece of home just when we needed it.

It was the greatest adventure of our lives, but we are so glad to be back with all of you.