The "Pre-Trip"

First off...YYYYYYEEESSSS!!!!! Houston, we FINALLY have lift-off!!!

This past Sunday afternoon we had enough of our affairs in order to take our show on the road. The only reason we are able to that is with the help of three people. Kathy Young is a dear friend and former co-worker who we have hired to do some work with our company and is also helping us out with some personal transition-to-Guatemala stuff. My dad has given up a room at his place to give us a local launching point when we are back in California for business. My sister Roberta is a rock star by jumping in and getting the house to a place it is ready to rent soon. So, without these three people, no way we are launched yet.

On to the trip...

Day 1: Sunday, May 11
FJ Odometer start: 114,300
Start time: 3 p.m.
Travel path: Sacramento down I-5 South  to I-10 East to Rancho Cucamonga/Ontario Aloft Hotel

We were really excited to get on the road and although not everything was done, felt at peace that our people in Sacramento could handle whatever we couldn't accomplish in Tucson or from the road. Ken had some work to get done while we were driving, so he got his FJ internet system set up and was typing away/talking away while I drove.

One of our cats, Osa (grey), loves to travel, but the other, Belle (brown) is a demon in the car. About an hour before we left, I tried to squish a kitty xanax into a anti-hairball treat that Belle likes, but it

crumbled up and she really only consumed about 1/4 of it. Not to worry though, that 1/4 was enough to send her to a happy place and she was actually purring while exploring and laying around the impressive kitty suite Ken put together for them.

I'll do a separate post on their digs when I get a chance, but just know that they are living the high life with access to food, water, private kitty box, several lounging spots near windows and a couple right above us to see the road. ahhh....to be a cat.

Got a little sleepy around 6ish in the middle of Cali, but turned up some music and got through it. We considered driving all the way through to AZ, but about 10 decided it made sense to pull over at a hotel. We're a big fan of the Sheraton Four Points hotels because they are consistently relatively nice and pet-friendly. However, the one in Ontario was full with a biker convention of all things...like stepping into the set of Sons of Anarchy (yay!) so we had to look elsewhere.

Apparently, there is a related line of hotels called "Aloft" that is like Sheraton's younger, hipper brother.

Very slick rooms, just Ken's modern style. We did have to sneak the cats in because we didn't want to ask if they were pet friendly and get rejected at 11 p.m. Key to sneaking - find a side door and move everything back and forth through that door. Try to avoid locking yourself out of said side door while your cat is in the stairwell (at least she was in her cage!)

Ken woke early and got us coffee and breakfast and worked like a mad man on a client project until 30 minutes or so AFTER our late check-out time while I got our "rig" packed and ready to go.

Day 2: Monday, May 12
FJ Odometer start: 114,750
Start time: 2 p.m.
Travel path:  Ranch Cucamonga/Ontario Aloft Hotel to Surprise AZ Ah So Restaurant/Tami's house

After a stressful start to the day with the competing hotel check out and client project deadlines, we were on the road again heading east towards the desert. About 30 minutes before takeoff, I tried a new kitty xanax approach that involved crushing it up and mixing in with cream cheese that she then licked from my finger - success!!

As we pushed through San Bernardino, I looked up at the mountains where I spent so many youthful happy days with my Memere and Pepere (French Canadian grand parents on my dad's side).

I was also nostalgic driving into the Palm Desert area, appreciating the changes like the huge casino and many wind turbines where there used to be fields of oil pumps. I though it fitting this week  to be driving through this place which is the earliest I can remember living, the place where I picture my mother whose birthday was the 9th. I am almost 20 years older than she was when she died so sometimes I feel like I need to live enough for two. I guess driving to Guatemala with your husband and two cats qualifies.

We arrived at Ah So Restaurant about 7:45 and it was so good to see my youngest sister Tami and her beautiful family. Her son Dylan is such a sweet boy, and gaining confidence each time I see him. Her daughter Lexi, now a JUNIOR in high school, just got her braces off and is a beauty inside and out with brains to boot. Tami's husband Richard is gentle and kind and a real sweetheart. With Tami as the youngest, I think all of us girls have felt a little protective of her over the years, so it was quite a shift for me to see that she doesn't need that from us anymore, probably hasn't for a long time but as the oldest born it's hard to get over that role. This time, she took care of us, insisting that we not try to drive through to Tucson after dinner and instead stay at her place, which we happily did.

Day 3: Tuesday, May 13
FJ Odometer start: 115,170
Start time: 2 p.m.
Travel path:  Tami's house to Ken's Parents house in Tucson

We left Tami's house about 9 a.m., with everyone but Dylan off to work and school. Apparently he was home "sick," but maybe just maybe he wanted to hang out a little more. :-)

After grabbing some coffee and unexpected east-coast style bagels, we were headed for Tucson. Being a California girl, I had thought of Phoenix and Tucson as a lot closer than they actually are.

Well, perhaps it just seemed longer because of the route we took.... depending on who you talk to, it was either the driver's fault (me) or the navigator's fault (Ken) but we ended up driving through Tucson to the next town of Vail, AZ - not to be confused with the beautiful town of the same name in Colorado. While that may sound hard to do, the area where Ken's parents live is beyond the city of Tucson....just not THAT far beyond. By the time we figured it out, we were being pushed into a one-lane merge as a result of road construction and no exits to be seen.

To add insult to injury, I was hungry and had to go to the bathroom but put it off thinking I could wait until we got to the Hobbs. Now I was stuck in a non-moving vehicle feeling pretty ticked that my husband couldn't admit he was of course the one responsible for getting off track .;-) Just as all was heading south, a dirt "path" appeared between the two directions of the freeway and at the risk of what in California would have been an expensive ticket, I took it.

Thirty minutes later, Ken and I sat down in Jan's kitchen for the best sandwich/salad lunch ever. Let's hope that's the worst thing that happens on the road, right?

Here'a fun bunny video from the golf course outside their home in Tucson. You don't think of the desert as having much to offer in terms of wildlife, but there is a ton right now to see just off the back porch. The cats are really enjoying watch the birds from our bedroom window.

Yes, that's Jan at the end of the video asking if I want some wine...;-)

Oh, and here's the "rig" with our trailer and quad behind. If you see this on the road, watch out.