Lemondrop

My husband, Adam, and I recently ventured out to a trade show for his job. Rather than fly, we decided to road-trip the seven hours in the car and enjoy the scenery, a little music and some rare conversation.

With a 3-year-old daughter, it is unusual that we get that much time to be with one another and chat without interruption. I made the mix CDs, attempted to program the GPS system, and I even vowed not to sing along with the music the whole drive.

It seemed like a good idea, right?

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There was only one problem. I had sort of forgotten that Adam liked to avoid making stops along the way. It takes ample amounts of complaining (that turn into nagging) in order to convince him to find a restroom. He avoids stopping at any cost, and has the tendency to pull off the highway only if the car needs gas.

The real problem here is that I love to stop while on the road. The other (equally annoying) problem is that I have a bladder the size of a pea. I love to go into gas stations, browse the tacky souvenirs and then buy the largest fountain pop they have.

Yes, I am the person who buys the 64-ounce drink offered at interstate gas stations. So you can only imagine how road trips go when you consider that a girl with a pea-size bladder is chugging 64 ounces of pop while her destination-focused husband doesn't want to pull over.

Eventually, I can con him into pulling over for me to relieve my aching bladder, but the real problem here is that I never learn. I do this every single time we go on a trip. No matter where the destination happens to be, my penchant for 64-ounce pops and crappy shot glasses from each state I pass through is never-ending. The larger the fountain drink, the better. The tackier the souvenir, the better.

Maybe next time we'll fly.

Tell us: Do you have any road-trip woes or love tacky souvenirs?