Eight states, seven nights, seven beds... one woman.

Plane, train or automobile: The maiden voyage for the Matrix was a doozy. We had a death in the family, and we were off to Texas. Here is the timeline for the trip:

Tuesday 05/13 - Travel Man is teaching a management workshop in Columbus, OH. The BoysenBerry alerts me to a message from Mrs. Travel Man at lunch time that her aunt has passed (we were expecting this after a 10 month battle with cancer). Travel Man arranges for a substitute to conduct the workshop for the next two days. He and I meet in Charleston, WV for dinner and head in opposite directions. Arrive home at 11pm and help Mrs. Travel Man pack and get ready for the trip. Bed = my home. Miles = 300.

Wednesday 05/14 - Travel Family (there are two Travel Kids... more on them later) drives to Jackson, MS. Arrive at the hotel @ 10 p.m. Bed = Sleep Inn, Jackson, MS. Miles = 750.

Thursday 05/15 - We roll into Bryan, TX at 5 p.m. We check in, change clothes and get to the viewing just in time for the 6:30 Rosary. Eat dinner with family and back to the hotel @ 10:30 p.m. Bed = Quality Inn, College Station, TX. Miles = 450

Friday 05/16 - Visit family at uncle's house. Bigger Travel Kid is roughed up by the family dog, which means we have to go look for a new outfit for her since her skirt bore the brunt of the attack (and a small wound on her leg... "merely a flesh wound!") Funeral Mass @ 2:00, burial at 3:30, reception at church at 4:30 and then on the road. We arrive in Shreveport, LA about 11:00 p.m. Bed = Comfort Suites, Shreveport, LA. Miles = 250 (with a start time of 6 p.m.)

Saturday 05/17 - This is a long day. We have to drop the kids off in Edisto Island, SC for their annual Grandma and PaPa vacation, we head east. We end our day in Madison, GA. at about 11:00 p.m. Bed = Comfort Inn, Madison, GA. Miles = 650.

Sunday 05/18 - Off to Mass in a mission parish by Lake Oconee, and then to Edisto Island, SC. My in-laws are owners with Wyndham Resorts and reserved a gorgeous 4 bedroom unit a few blocks from the beach. We met up with them about 6 p.m. Bed = Edisto Island, SC. Miles = 250.

Monday 05/19 - Back home for Mrs. Travel Man and me. Brief stop in Charlotte, NC for my wife's business and home for dinner. Bed = my own!! Miles = 410.

All told, we put about 2800 miles on the Matrix during the trip (not counting the mileage to get back home on Tuesday) with an average fuel economy of about 34 miles per gallon. I cashed in LOTS of hotel points (one benefit of being Travel Man) and supported my wife and family in a time of mourning (isn't that what being a super hero is all about?) Travel Kids (girls ages 9 and 6) were great - no complaints, no messes. They watched movies, read books, colored, played the alphabet game and even got into a cow counting contest (first one to 1,000 wins!)

State(s) visited: TN, GA, AL, MS, LA, TX, SC, NC.

City visited: See list above!

Interesting fact about this city: Too many to mention!

Halpert says: I spent more time in the Matrix in a week than I did in a month in the Exploder.