Day 5: The 2,000 Mile Mark!

Day 5 - drag racing at Creative Kids
Originally uploaded by radioflyer007

As we pulled into tonight's hotel stop in Santa Rosa, NM, I've realized that we have less than 1,000 miles to go. Even though we still have the longest, straightest, and perhaps most difficult part ahead of us, I feel that we're approaching the final stretch. I can't believe we've traveled over 2,000 miles in these past five days.

BYE BYE OKC
We said our good-byes to "Uncle Steve" (my cousin) and his mom after a well-rested night at their place in Oklahoma City. Air Boss was in home theater heaven as he checked out the set-up at Uncle Steve's home. Even with my bad eyesight, I bet I could read the NASDAQ ticker on the 120" screen without my glasses. The guys "thought" about drag racing along the long and straight streets of OKC to see if the Black Hawk could keep up with Uncle Steve's BMW X5. Not knowing anything about the X5, I'm guessing that the Black Hawk, which goes from 0 to 65 mph in less than 5 (minutes, that is), would have a "slight" disadvantage for having a fully loaded trunk and three more passengers. =)
As you can see in the photo above, 'Shroom and Lolli did a bit of drag racing themselves at my aunt's school, Creative Kids.

FLAT, FLAT, FLAT
The drive through the Lone Star State was so flat, I don't think I saw the horizon. It all sort of blended in with the sky. There were no rest stops, no bathrooms, and no fast food places (or any other type of restaurant) along the way. Even though we still had half a tank of gas in the car, we gassed up at the first gas station we saw along the I-40. I didn't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere (literally) with a dry tank.

THE BLACK HAWK
The mini-van definitely has that "lived in" look. Don't ask me how but somehow every single one of our 14 cup holders (17 if we count the ones in 'Shroom's and Lolli's car seats) is jammed with something. We have random small toys in every nook and cranny and Cheerios in places that will never see daylight. We also have a variety of insects stuck on our front bumper and side mirrors. It's amazing we can still take photos through our front windshield as there are smears and insect bits all over.

A TENDER AND SAD MOMENT
For the past years of their lives, 'Shroom and Lolli have spent Wednesdays with their Grandma and Grandpa - today was their first Wednesday away from my parents. We called them up and the kids also got the chance to speak to their cousin who is like a brother to them. I heard the kids say, "I miss you. I miss you. Are you going to come to LA?" It made me tear up to know that their relationship with their cousin will never be the same.

Well, today's quote of the day comes from Lolli, who is wise and perceptive beyond her three years. In between running laps around Uncle Steve's expansive living room and foyer, Lolli said to Air Boss, "I like Uncle Steve's house because I can run around in it. I can't do that in my new house." Wow - how did she know? She hasn't even seen the place.

Anyway, another night, another state, another 400 miles closer to LA . . .