Our Two-Day Vacation, Pt.1

The trip started out simple enough. We packed our things, started the dishwasher, and headed out the door. We managed to keep the baby awake on the way to In n Out, trying to save his nap for the hours of driving we had ahead of us. I impressed, and apparently shamed, my mother by ordering my burger "protein style", skipping the calories of a bun, and she resolved to do better on her diet. Lunch cost more than anticipated, but that's the breaks. We ate, we snapped pictures, we climbed back into our vehicles. We were off.

The baby was asleep before we reached the freeway. His slumber was a blessing. So was the AC. The temperature ticked higher and higher, and watching the van's thermometer became a game. 104... 108... 111! The windows were hot to the touch, but we were safely ensconced in the cool air blowing through the vents.

Shortly we encountered obstacles in our path! We dodged three bicycles in our lane- my husband deftly swerving right and then left while I clutched the arm rests and tried not to freak out. In a flash the crisis was over, problem averted. The road was smooth and straight before us, the chips were plentiful and the iPod batteries still held their charges. We were happy.

Smack... Smack, smack! What the heck? Something was hitting the van outside the passenger door! I leaned forward and checked the side mirror. The rubber atop the van's running boards was flapping wildly as we sailed down the freeway, banging against the van. The heat was melting the glue! Three seconds later it flew off, falling into the distance behind us. Now there's something to remember! Not even out of California yet and already having adventures!

Trevor woke up and was not at all pleased to be sitting in his seat for so long. I crawled into the back to try and console him but to no avail. I briefly considered if there was any way to nurse him without taking him from his carseat but gave up the idea as ridiculous. His screams rose. So did the temperature. At its highest, the thermometer reached 119 degrees. We stopped a couple of times to placate the child. Eventually Trevor napped again and we were able to make good progress. We crossed the state line! And to our immense pleasure we made it to Williams, AZ and our hotel room.
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To be continued...

Part Two
Part Three