I had never flown in my entire life. I had only heard stories on what to expect so I was a little nervous. We (Me and my Husband Brian) bo
arded in Kansas City and flew to Denver. The view from the window was spectacular--that is closer to Denver. I didn't get to see the inside of the main terminal in Denver that looked like tepees all in a row. We went to the United Airlines terminal. We had only a thirty minute wait between landing and take off. I ate a bagel with everything on it--toasted. I had never toasted a bagel before because they typically got stuck in my toaster and I'm not a fan of black smoke rising from a small appliance. We ate quickly then hopped on the plane and took off for LA. We landed in LA an hour and forty-five minutes after take off. It had been estimated at 2 hours and 15 minutes. The first thing we noticed was a vending machine from best buy with DSi's, PSP's, Ipod's, and car charger's for a cell phone. We stood in amazement for a moment then went to the bathroom. We knew we had to find the green line tram to get to the Metro Link headed for Norwalk. We asked one airline worker, who sent us to another airline worker, who sent us to a police officer, who directed us out of the airport to a man who directed us on where to stand. We stood waiting for about a half hour on the green line but it was worth the wait. The drive to the Metro Link was long.When we arriv
ed at the Metro Link we first bought a ticket. It read like each stop was $1.25 so we bought an all day pass for $5. Brian looked at the long flight of stairs and almost refused to walk to the top. I forced him to go up and we waited about 15 minutes for its arrival. I kept my ticket in hand just in case they checked them later. They never did--I could have rode for free but since I like to be honest I paid. In this day and time there are things on the honor system
? Shocking but true. There were several stops along the line but we had to make it all the way to the last stop--Norwalk. I had called a man named Craig to take us to the Norwalk Auto Auction (GSA Auctions online). My dad had set it up with Craig so we didn't have to walk all that way and I'm glad. It was a long way from the Norwalk stop with the big giant bee to the auction house. Along the way I saw cardboard boxes and draped sheets that formed make-shift housing among the bushes between off ramps. I've never lived the rich life but at least I had a home. It made me wonder if that was where their dreams of becoming an actor or actress died--or maybe they had it all until they lost their house. It was saddening to see but I wish the best to those souls I never meet.We arrived at the Norwalk Auto Auction and Craig drove us back to the van. I was happy to see it looked exactly like it did online. Craig gave us all the needed paperwork and with one stop to hand the person who checks off a car has left a paper we were gone. Brian wanted to take me down Hwy
1 but instead we drove down to a beach that had what looked like a carnival. We didn't go to the carnival but we did stop to take about 2 minutes worth of pictures. You had to pay to park at the beach but after the Metro Link I decided that $6 was a steep price to pay for 2 minutes of quick photography with a cell phone. There wasn't anyone in the guard shack so we drove over the spikes and headed east to Hwy 5. We went from Hwy 5 to Hwy 10 to Hwy 15 then to Interstate 40. I saw property for sale in the San Bernardino area and wished I had the money to buy it. It had nothing on it. It was an endless beach that lacked water but the area was gorgeous--I could live there. We switched drivers in Barstow and I drove straight to Kingman, Arizona where we stayed the night at the Hampton Inn.My legs hurt so bad that I couldn't sleep. I had set my alarm for 4 am Missouri time so when it went off I was all ready up. I took a shower, packed our bags, and woke Brian up for the third time to get ready to go--he didn't want to get up but we had to get a jump start on the day if he wanted to see
the Grand Canyon. The road sign read 200 miles to the Grand Canyon as we hit the interstate at 6 am. We drove all the way to the exit for North 64. It was a 45 minute drive from the Interstate to the edge of the canyon including our stop to fuel at a gas station just before you reach the ranger station. Tip to anyone who wants to go to the canyon fuel before you get that far because they were 20 cents more per gallon compared to the stations on the interstate but we were so excited getting gas was a secondary thought. It was $25 (good for 7 days) to get into the state park then we spent 30 minutes taking as many pictures as we could. I thought I felt so small standing next to the ocean for the first time--standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon I felt like a speck of sand. It was amazing and my only wish I had as I stood there at the edge was that I wanted my children to see this. I could see all the damage the wild fires played but all was forgotten in the view. I was standing possibly in the footsteps of Teddy Roosevelt gazing out for the first time at one of the most amazing views in the world. Granted their was no railing that protected him from falling but even that can't rob you of your first view. I cried when we had to leave because I know I may never see this again. We left the canyon on 64 but decided to take 180 on the backside of Flagstaff to Interstate 40. On 180 I could see more devastation left by the fires. It left the beautiful view marred but still amazing. I saw white bark birch trees seeded into the view of vast pines. It looked like something you would see in a Bob Ross painting--they even grew with a friend next to them. Just past the white birch trees I saw the "Home of the White Buffalo"--closed and for sale. I had seen it online when I researched for my book but it was heartbreaking to know I could never see a white buffalo there. When we reached Flagstaff it was like we drove into a picture book image. The houses all had a cute cozy cottage feel. I wanted to throw away my life in Missouri and settle here. Maybe someday but I'm too poor today to live in Flagstaff. I cried leaving Flagstaff as well.We made a pit stop in Winslow, Arizona at a Pizza Hut then at the Wal-Mart. I didn't stand on a corner but I wanted to--wait I should say I wanted to because of the country song not to offer services. The scenery looked the same until we crossed into New Mexico. I got the honor to drive into New Mexico. It was okay but when we reached Albuquerque a woman with her cell phone stuck to her ear crossed from an off ramp all the way to the car pool lane without slowing down or caring about anyone in her path. That scared me and I wanted to switch drivers but we were sitting in the center lane and I knew that was not possible. I had drove myself into the mess and I was going to drive myself out. I drove until we reached a small gas station on Route 66 where we fueled and switched drivers. Brian started singing "Amarillo by morning" and I informed him that we would reach it by midnight. We hadn't reached the Texas border when I saw the moon rising. It looked huge--bigger than I've ever seen it in Missouri then I saw something black and slender pass over the face of the moon. It took me by surprise and I watched until I saw it again. It was the propellers of a wind generator. I tried to show Brian but he was too focused on driving to notice. We reached Amarillo at 11:30 pm and we got a room at the Travel Lodge. It was a basic simple room compared to the Hampton Inn but all we planned to do was sleep. I set the alarm for 5 am and actually slept.
The next morning I got up and talked Brian into taking a shower--he smelled bad. I packed our stuff and got ready for the day. We enjoyed our complimentary breakfast and the news on the television was all about the shooting at Fort Hood the day before. I ate a toasted bagel with cream cheese while Brian got himself a bowl of cereal. We hurried and got on the road about 7 am. About an hour into driving Brian started swerving all over the road and it didn't take much to convince him to switch out drivers. I drove through the rest of Texas into Oklahoma but at about 40 miles before reaching Oklahoma City I made him switch me out. He had all ready decided to take the toll road and I told him that would be his bridge to cross.
He drove us on to Vinita, Oklahoma where a life long childhood dream was fulfilled. I got to go into the McDo
nald's over the interstate. I walked up into the restaurant and stood at the window overlooking the interstate a bit disappointed. It lacked the magic of intrigue that I had set in my mind from childhood. It was just a big stupid building over a road. I guess when you want to see something as a kid it's best to see it when your a kid. I couldn't see the amazement factor of the McDonald's but after the Grand Canyon I guess it lacked to give me the enjoyment I had built up in my mind. I still want to take my children to see it and maybe they are what the experience lacked. The innocent view of the spectacle of the McDonald's over the interstate.The rest of the trip involved a scary and boring trip back to Kansas City to retrieve Brian's Jeep from the KCI Airport then onward home where we crashed down into our own bed to sleep. I would love to do it all again but with the children in reverse from the house to the Grand Canyon. I want to see the amazement on their faces at the view and the tears that roll down when we have to leave. Life is best experienced with an innocent lens of the world around you--take in the simple things in life you never know if you will ever live to see them again.
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