Cruising with the Carmichaels
by JAMES CARMICHAEL
For the last three generations, the men in my family have attended Notre Dame. And though my brother would claim we had no choice but to spend our college careers as Fighting Irish (thanks to our father��s strong will), the truth is we��re all proud to be alumni of this ultimate dream school.
I��m not nearly as pushy as my father was (I swear!) But since my son grew up near South Bend, surrounded by a large family who painted themselves green and gold every chance they got �C he decided at a young age that he would one day attend Notre Dame! And thanks to his hard work in school and various extracurricular activities, that dream became a reality his senior year of high school.
The moment that acceptance letter came in the mail the excitement from the whole family was unmatched and a few months later we were planning our trip from our home in Michiana to South Bend.
But moving my son into his freshman dorm at Notre Dame would take more than we expected. So instead of driving my Chevy Impala, my wife��s Chevy Malibu or borrowing the neighbor��s SUV, I decided to rent a Chevy Avalanche. My wife and I love our Chevrolet midsize sedans, but I��ve always wanted a truck �C and have even visited the local Michiana Chevy Dealership to take a look at the different colors and styles. This trip will really give me the opportunity to test out my dream truck on the road!
The morning of our trip to Notre Dame, I picked up a Chevy Avalanche at the nearest Michiana rental place and before I knew it, I was cruising in the driveway ready to load up. My son was a little over eager, as I barely stopped before he was already throwing bags of clothes in the tailgate.
About 45 minutes later we had stuffed the truck with as much stuff as it could hold (including a desk, computer boxes and bags full of clothes �C whether they��re dirty or clean is anyone��s guess). Luckily the Avalanche can go from a six-passenger SUV to a full-size pickup when you fold the rear seats forward �C creating the extra room we needed.
Everything was loaded and my son, wife and I cruised over to South Bend. After looking for a parking spot for twenty minutes (it was freshman move-in day after all), we started unloading. The rest of the day was kind of a blur as we set up my son��s computer, met his new roommate and went to parent��s orientation. At the end of the day, my son was giving us the old ��time for you to go�� look (ironically right after he met the blond girl down the hall), so we said our goodbyes.
My wife gave him a big hug and cried all the way back to the parking lot. And even though Josh would be only a few miles away, I��ll admit I felt a lump in my throat as we drove away. But I know he��ll have a blast being part of the incredible student community at Notre Dame and lord knows we��ll be visiting South Bend the weekend of the first football game (whether my son likes it or not).
About the author: James Carmichael is a Notre Dame alumni and full-time writer who publishes works in a variety of local magazines and online media publications. When he��s not writing about cars, motorcycles or football, James likes to go boating on lake Michigan or travel the world with his wife. For more information about the Chevy Avalanche visit www.michianachevrolet.com.
