It all began at the Sprint store on that fateful First Friday of Spring Break 2016 (!)…My senior economics student Muhammad, “my associate,” helped me revolutionize my existence.

Yes, it became true. In order to communicate more effectively with you kind folks, I had to trade in my flip phone.

3 hours later, I received a credit card fraud alert. Someone in Michigan was charging it up at Panera, Kelly VP, and 7 Eleven. Card canceled.

I made a trip to Stamford, Connecticut to no avail. I was not allowed to rent a car with my debit card. My life was in a spiral. But wait! The good folks of Hertz in White Plains, New York rushed to my aid.

I hitched a ride with a Hertz driver delivering car seats. Between Stamford and White Plains, the driver told me his life story. I talked my way into getting this nice Kia, even though my license was expiring the following day.

I packed the kennel into Kia and Charlie and I departed on our 789 mile road trip from The Bronx, New York to Bardstown, Kentucky.

Here is where I dropped my brand new iPhone, in Maryland, 21 hours after purchase.

Allegheny Mountains of western Maryland

We arrived in Fairmont, West Virginia just after sunset.

Charlie explores our Hampton Inn hotel room in Fairmont.  Meanwhile…

…I had a wonderful vegan Mexican meal at Mi Pueblo Restaurant.

Charlie really did not want his first ever hotel stay to end.

But, alas, we pushed on south into the bluegrass of Kentucky.

A key rest stop in Morehead.

Time capsule: The only Kroger I know of that still has a fully intact health food section.

Just a couple hours left…

Charlie and I arrived at my parent’s home. YEAH!

“Hey Moms, hey Pops!”

Part II coming soon…