En route to Clemson, South Carolina

We left home at around 4 in the afternoon on Saturday. Our plan was to drive up to somewhere on I-85, find a place to stay and then wake up early the next morning to meet our friends for a day of boating. The drive up to Atlanta was not terribly eventful and we were able to make good time.

Once we got onto I-85 it was about 95 miles to the South Carolina border and I wanted to travel half-way so that in the morning we would not have far to drive. We began looking for a place to stay several exits before Commerce, Georgia. All of the hotels we tried to stay at were booked and we were informed that it was because of a go-kart race on Labor Day. I should have known Labor Day is a big go-kart racing weekend.

We then reached Commerce, Georiga. Again we were told all of the hotels in town were booked solid as a result of the UGA game that night. The clerk at the Best Western told me that when the ‘Dawgs win no one cancels their reservations so that they can party into the night. However, he was nice enough to call ahead to the next Best Western on I-85 and book a hotel room for us.

We drove the next 30 miles up to Lavonia, Georiga and reached out hotel by around 10:30. I asked the clerk how close I was to South Carolina and was told it was only two more exits to the state line.  A plus about being so close to South Carolina was that in the morning we would be able to sleep in since the boat ramp was only 1 hour away.

As we were checking in there was a large sign in the lobby announcing that Saturday was Karaoke Night. The lounge was a smoke filled pit with a sad collection of people belting out their own versions of Nickleback’s Rockstar. It was a scary sight so instead of partaking in that fun we headed off to the room.  Upon opening the door we collapsed into bed, watched the end of the Auburn/Kansas State game and fell asleep.