We're on the road again!

Let me recommend the best medicine in the world: a long journey, at a mild season, through a pleasant country, in easy stages.

James Madison 

Day #1

358 miles

2 states (California & Arizona)

 

 We're on the road again!  The prep this year seemed a lot easier (which probably means we forgot all sorts of important things!), and we're a little more confident due to our successful trip last year.

Today we got a late start (perhaps deciding to paint the hallways in the days just prior to leaving was not a brilliant idea!), but are determined to take our time and keep our cool, so left when we were ready.  That meant the first change in the "plan" because we only made it to Phoenix.  Still, it was a really nice, easy ride, and my anxiety attack right before we left ("What if I suddenly hate driving and riding in a car?") was quieted quickly.  The days before the trip were a little more challenging.

Two days before leaving, we went to AAA to get our Trip-Tik (the detailed map book they put together -- apparently the only thing my AAA fees have gone toward for the past 10 years).  Last year, our AAA helper, Stacy, was great -- lots of ideas and a very thorough map book.  This time we were sent to Stephanie, the sick trip girl.  This woman has the hai-pan-tod and coughed and sneezed over all our maps and books (we super-sprayed everything with Lysol as soon as we walked in the door, and loaded up on Airborne, but we still have not opened the Trip-Tik.  Mimi is researching the incubation period of SARS on a surface as we speak!).  We would have had some tolerance for her deathly illness if she'd had the faintest idea about using a map (or a computer), or acted as if she'd ever SEEN a map of the United States.  Our session with Stephanie went something like this:

S: Where do you want to go?

Us: From here to Portsmouth, New Hampshire

S: Okay.  The computer will give the shortest route.

Us: Wait a minute.  We have some places along the route that we want to see.

S: Well, what route do you want to take?

Us:  Well, we want to go on some scenic byways, and want to go through Sedona, Oklahoma City, Nashville, Asheville, and up the Blue Ridge Parkway.

S: Well, what route do you want to take?

Us:  Can't you put those points in and tell us the best way?

S: Well, what route do you want to take?.....

It went on like this for several (germ-filled) minutes until I grabbed her pen (immediately ran to the bathroom to scrub with soap and hot water) and marked on the map.  Some comments included:

S: "Are you going through Rahnokey?" 

Us: Excuse me.  Where?

S: Do you want to go through Rahnokey? ....

Finally got it -- Roanoke.

Several minutes later:

Us: We want to get from Lancaster, PA to Portsmouth, NH without going through New York City.

S: What route do you want to take?  There's no Portsmouth.  Here's Portland, Maine.  So how do you get from Lancaster to Portland?

Us:  No.  Here's Portsmouth.  How can we get there without going through New York City?

S: I don't know.  Wow!  Look at all of these highways.  Which route do you want to take? .... 

So here we are in Phoenix, planning the next few days.  Tomorrow we go to the Petrified Forest (Lions and tigers and bears), and on to Albuquerque.  Having fun already, and looking forward to the adventures ahead!