"...and this one lived."

Last week was yet another adventure for the Baileys.  This one involved coordinating the travel of seven of us from Des Moine and one from Kansas City to Columbia, SC for a quasi family reunion.  The event was Evan's graduation from basic training.  The logistics of getting eight people to a single destination is a challenge, but not insurmountable. 

In planning the trip we considered driving (eighteen hours each way plus a few side trips along the way), trains (40 hours each way assuming no delays) and flying (expensive but, ultimately, the most cost effective alternative.)

We ended up flying six of us out of Des Moines to Raleigh-Durham on Tuesday, July 10.  That included Lorraine, the two little girls and the two youngest boys.  We then rented a mini van and drove down to Columbia.  Dani flew out of Des Moines later that day headed for Charlotte.  She met Rachel, who flew out of K.C. to Charlotte, later that evening.  Those two drove down to Columbia together getting there pretty late in the evening.  Due to a lack of coordination, Rachel and Dani ended up at a different motel than the rest of us. 

The following morning we were up bright and early to get breakfast and head over to Fort Jackson for family day for Delta, Echo and Foxtrot Companies of the 2-13th.  In spite of missing our exit, twice and half, followed by wondering aimlessly through Fort Jackson due to flawed maps, we eventually made it to Hilton Field, the location for family day and graduation. And, in spite of my near complete lack of an internal compass, we made it there early enough to check out the vendors (not surpisingly the local marketplace has managed to insert itself into this fifty weeks a year event.