Setting: Panera Bread; Santa Monica, California.
Day 1. Boy, what a start to my cross-country journey. Today I woke up on my friend’s couch with a bloody toe, a spinning headache, and in my friend’s oversized shorts and T-shirt. I couldn’t remember the last time I saw my car or how I got to this Playa Del Rey apartment to begin with. Or where I put my car keys and clothes.
Yes, today is the first day of my 12-day cross-country journey. And no, none of it was going according to plan.
I guess an alcohol dinner will do that to you.
OK, OK. Let me explain. First off, an “alcohol dinner” is a meal that fills you up entirely with just alcohol and no food. Now, before you start judging me and getting all up in my business, know that last night was my last night living in Los Angeles, Calif. My company moved me here eight months ago to work in their Space business. I loved it, I made great friends, and we all wanted to celebrate one last hoorah before I left. Hence, the alcohol dinner and my 15-minute search around the block for my car this morning.
Now, I am to begin my drive across Middle America, alone and hung-over. The alone part is my fault and I prefer it that way. OK the hung-over part is my fault too, but the alone part was actually a planned faultness. Hmm that’s not a word. Anyway, for those who know me well enough to hear me vent from time to time, you know that a bazillion people have been lecturing me lately about how a lone, 23-year-old Asian-American female will NOT be able to handle a cross-country drive by herself. And for those of you who know me even at a so-so level, you’ll know that kind of language (and challenge) will only drive my adventurous spirit and curiosity to go and do exactly the thing I “shouldn’t” be doing.
So, I’m doing it and I am going to blog about it the whole way (lucky you). I also started video-taping my journey, but then learned those don’t turn out so well when you’re still semi-intoxicated (a video of my double-chin and sun visor is coming soon). I plan on treating this little road trip as the first of many great adventures to come. I figure, if I can’t handle driving cross-USA alone, how could I ever handle going to Africa alone? Or S. America, Australia and Antarctica? These are all on my to-do list by the way. None of them will be safe per se, but I need to start building my street sense now if I ever want survive alone in third world countries.
I’m definitely over-prepared for this trip if anything. Off the top of my head, I have three maps, restaurant list, a pocket guide to Route 66, more than 30 mixed CDs from friends, two audio books, emergency chocolate, emergency kit, AAA card and kit, a magic 8 ball, a GPS, video camera, dSLR camera, laptops, laptop charger for car, blackberry charger for car, decorations for the car (photos of family and my former dog Buddy); and Pundee (my stuffed polar bear), Heart Bear, Mugatu, Pengy, Shamu, Hello Kitty, and friends. I also packed a sleeping bag (you never know…) and three flashlights. All I need now is a mace. 
Another topic I wanted to bring up was how transparent I plan on being on my blog. In the past, I shyed away from posting anything that might be “too much” information for my colleague readers, and for those people who don’t know me… the Internet can be a scary place at times! And I definitely struggle switching from my writer identity to my Corporate American identity when it comes to my writing.
There MUST be a grey medium somewhere. If my audience is inevitably going to be blurred, I should be allowed to blend up the content just a teensy bit, right?
So my rule during this adventure, if you choose to respect it, is to toss my work identity out the window and maintain my writer identity throughout. I will be as transparent, honest and open as possible for the sake of my writing and my readers. The best writers are, in fact, 110 percent transparent and not afraid to publish anything about themselves or their friends. I’ll have to exercise this mentality more.
Anyway, I apologize to everyone for my hangover-influenced writing. I really wasn’t planning on drinking that much last night (ha ha ha) and I certainly wasn’t planning to be at a Panera right now writing on my blog, wearing my office clothes from yesterday, starved, hung-over and exhausted, just before the big drive. Ugh, my car is so poorly packed too. These are the rare times I wish I had some boy around.
OK, wish me luck! Stay posted! And oh yeah, my first stop will be VEGAS and HOOVER DAM. I’m taking the old, famous Route 66 (backwards beginning in Santa Monica, Calif.) and am not sure how long it will take me to get there.
Hasta luego,
Angie
P.S. If you have any cross-country driving tips, please leave a comment below! I could use ‘em.
Filed under: Uncategorized | 5 Comments
Tags: Adventure, cross country, cross-USA, road trip, route 66
crazy start! It can only have a crazier finish.
Tip #1:
Hydration is a sticky subject… to be dehydrated, or to know you’ll have to pull over to pee? Drink plenty of fluids the day before you set out, and drink slowly all the time rather than a lot at once. Your body purges water when you drink a lot all at once, but a little at a time over a long period of time will be put to more use.
Tip #2:
Don’t Eat Heavy Food during the trip. You are going to be sitting and stationary for several hours at a time. Fast food in your stomach will give you a bloated and heavy feeling. Heavy and greasy food like double cheeseburgers, French fries, pizza, fried chicken and biscuits will contribute to the desire to take a nap. Better to eat light food like salads, soup, fruit cups and juice during the trip to keep your head clear. Coffee or hot chocolate is always a safe bet for long distance driving.
Tip #3:
Do Not Use Cruise Control. Long distance driving can have a hypnotic and fatiguing effect. Cruise control emphasizes and enhances that effect. Especially if you are tired, cruise control’s ability to stay at the same speed can quickly lull you into sleep. Your eyes can close at that critical moment when traffic slows down, and you’re still driving at 70 miles per hour. Lose control of the car, and you have an accident waiting to happen. Drive the car on your own so you can speed up or stop at a moment’s notice as needed.
Doh, I should have given you my cross country driving book! But you have mobile internets, something I didn’t have readily available for my x-country drive.
My only advice for your trip is to enjoy! Dance and sing along to your loads of CD’s. Take your time and take pics and videos along the way. But you seem to have that all covered=)
P.S. I put your keys next to your blackberry. You should have asked me where your car was!
Hooray for girls driving!!!! People thought I was nuts when I did Jersey/Chicago in one day… I’m proud of you for taking this on!!! No reason your XX chromosomes should stop you from being able to drive. Just don’t walk around a lot after dark! Especially if you don’t have much cell phone signal.
I’d like to second point number two from above. The McFlurry’s from McDonalds I’d treat myself to when I drove just made me feel worse. Avoid heavy food/junk food. If you can’t move around, it’s just going to put you to sleep.
I would argue for the use of cruise control sometimes… but depending. When I would do long drives, I found cruise control to be VERY useful. However, that’s because I have a tendency to speed. So, IF you’re sleepy (Because Justin is right about it being bad if you’re sleepy) don’t use it, but if you’re very awake and have a tendency to speed and don’t wanna get pulled over, set your cruise control to the speed limit (or, lets face it, 5 mph faster than the speed limit), and sing a long to your music to make sure you stay awake!!!!
Also, be careful with the audiobooks. I actually think that most will put you to sleep…. Think about it… kids get read to before bedtime. The only audiobook I ever used while driving was Harry Potter, but that’s because it’s VERY animated.
Lastly, fill up on gas when you can. You can use it as a pee and stretch break. Gas costs the same whether you’re just adding a 1/4 of a tank or filling up the whole thing, and it’s better to stop often then to run out!
<3 Youuuu
GOOD LUCK!!!! Enjoy it
Before long, you’ll be singin’ “On the road again. Can’t wait to be on the road again…”
“Laissez les bons temps rouler!”
PS Don’t forget to check the weather report when you get online at night. Weather is gettin’ nasty and unpredictable (so if it’s unpredictable, why check the weather report, right?).
PPS Cruise control can also save on gas. But Joanne has the chops on when to use or when not to use.