Here's how you manage a 36 hour road trip to Little Rock and back:
7AM: Drive from the southwest side of Nashville to the southeast side of Nashville for to pick up a rental car at the airport.
9:30AM: Drive back through the west side on I-40. Get used to I-40.
11:30am: Pull off in Jackson, TN for lunch. Exit 80A is the one. Many options, the best I think in this situation is Chick-Fil-A, however it's closed for remodeling. Huh. So it's a lay-up to Wendy's. Eat behind the wheel.
11:40pm: Plug your iPod in through the stereo system. Over the air radio sucks when you've moving that fast. Shuffle play is the way to go - and if you're alone, sing really loud.
12:30: Slow way down in Memphis as you navigate exits and construction just to stay on I-40. Very strange how that Interstate routes through Memphis and the construction has been going on for years, has it not?
1:00pm: Since you got the Biggie size coke in Jackson, make sure to stop and pee before you get past exit 280 in Arkansas. The lovely community of West Memphis is really your last practical shot before you set off across the farmlands of eastern Arkansas.
3:00pm: If you're making decent time, don't get too disappointed when you get stuck in a contruction traffic jam (paving) even though they're not paving. That costs you 30 minutes even though you're 10 miles from LR.
3:30: Check in to the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown LR on President Clinton Ave. I'm a fan of the Courtyard for it's comfortable beds and pillows.
6:30: Wrap up your business and head out for team building activities. Recommended: Flying Saucer, The Underground (try hard to win at darts), and the bar at the Peabody.
Next day: Up early, clear head with coffee and coca-cola back to back.
1:00pm - finish up business and grab lunch at Sticky Fingers. Choose your flavor of chicken fingers, choose your flavor of sauces. (When making these choices, keep in mind you're staring down the barrell of another 5 hour+ roadie.)
2:30pm - Hit the road with a purpose for making time. Plug iPod back in on shuffle
4:15pm - Say hi again to the Mississippi river as you say goodbye to Arkansas. Making GREAT time.
5:00pm - Fight sleepiness. Worry that you may actually fall asleep at the wheel.
5:30pm - Around exit 118, stop and grap a mountain dew and a large dairy queen cone. Sleepiness issue solved.
7:00pm - Roll back into the driveway on the west side of town having arranged to return the car in the morning.
11:00pm - Blog it for all the world to enjoy.