Today we hit a milestone in our journey - we're more than half-way across our trek to LA from the Boston area. It's sort of sad to know that I'm now closer to LA than my hometown. As Air Boss said, "I guess there's no turning back now."
THE MOTHER ROAD
I never knew about the significance of Route 66 until today. I didn't realize that it was once considered THE Main Street of America and that it originally ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. Well, we decided to try driving it for a bit as we started out our day in Rolla, MO (which is sort of half-way through the state and past St. Louis). We drove it for about 2 minutes before we realized that there was bad cell phone coverage (and we were trying to communicate with the moving truck driver out in LA). Nothing interesting along the short stretch we drove but it was fun to say that we drove it.
THE MOVING TRUCK
After nearly a month of saying good-bye to our belongings, we have heard that the moving truck had safely made it to Redondo Beach. The truck did not have to double-park thanks to some strategic space saving from my father-in-law and sister-in-law (who drove down from San Jose to receive our shipment!). Well, let's just say finding a parking spot for the truck to unload was not the real problem. The truck couldn't even turn onto the street! Apparently (and we've yet to see our RB apartment), we're going to be living on a fairly narrow street - too narrow for an 18-wheeler to swing the turn. Needless to say, thanks to the skilled driver Gino and the hard work of my FIL and SIL, everything worked out. Thank you, Eileen and Baba!
GUESS WHERE WE HAD LUNCH?
Yes, we did stop by Venita, OK to lunch at the nation's largest McDonalds. It spanned the width of I-44 and sat perched above the highway. We were not all that impressed by the old and very dated establishment. Quite honestly, it didn't even seem all that big (yes, it did have a gift shop but it wasn't even selling McDonald's paraphenelia). Oh well - now we can say, "been there, done that."
OK CITY
We're spending our first night of our trip not in a hotel. We've meet up with my cousin and my aunt (whom I haven't seen in what must be over 15 years!) who live in Oklahoma City. We saw the new hotels and reconstructed highway that were once demolished in the F-5 tornado a few years back. Everything looks so new and in some areas, undeveloped. What a big difference to the packed-in over-populated streets of Boston! There were times when we were driving down the highway that we felt like we were a moving target down tornado alley - especially as we experienced some dark clouds and rain.
THE FISH
Well, I want to say that Omigee is still alive and looking a bit better from yesterday's scare. He is still not eating (completed Day 4 of his hunger strike) so I'm not sure how he's managing to stay alive. Part of the reason we dumped out of Route 66 so quickly was that the road was so bad and bumpy, we were afraid the extra sloshing was going to surely mean the end of poor Omigee. Omigee has become our mascot and honorary travel companion on this trip. I've to grown to be quite fond of him and I am amazed by the amount of support and concern I've heard from you folks. Thank you and not one of you called me silly for caring so much for this little blue fish. He is one well-prayed for fish!
Well, that's it for this evening. Way past my bedtime. Until next time!
1 comment:
Kudos to your in-laws and truck driver. Those drivers can get pretty inventive in negotiating down tiny streets where you would think they couldn't possibly fit. What a blessing to not have to be there to unload in the sweltering heat.
I remember feeling a little sad about leaving my East coast life behind. It wasn't necessarily at the half-way mark (mainly because I wasn't exactly sure when we had crossed that point). I think it really hit me on the last night before we arrived. There was a definite anxious anticipation about the following day being our last day "on the road" and knowing that we would be sleeping in our new (permanent) home the next night. It's a new chapter - the significance of which may be lost on your young children but definitely understood by this East coast girl who made the West coast move. It'll be something you can look back and laugh about after your first winter here and realizing you no longer have to start getting ready to leave an hour earlier so you can cut a path through the snow and ice to the frozen car and then let said car warm up for 30 minutes so you and the kiddies don't freeze on your 5 minute drive to the store or school.
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