Madison graduated from college (ahhh!!!) and, just like one of her idols, Walt Disney, she’s heading to LA with “a suitcase and a dream.” Plus a car full of stuff and a six month internship.
She needs a car in LA, since to be without “is like having your legs cut off,” to quote Joe Gillis. We thought briefly (very briefly) about shipping her car, but with all her stuff, too, we ultimately decided to just make the drive.
This is our THIRD time driving across the country, but our first time where the goal is just to get there. And in less than a week. I plotted it out multiple ways, but we finally decided to just break it up into four equal 9-10 hour days. The challenge is that the further west you go, the smaller the towns. And further apart. The easy part is that we just get on I-40 and keep driving to the end.
We left this morning about 9:30. We’d considered leaving earlier, but I didn’t want to rush out in a panic and likely forget something. For that reason, departure went very smoothly.
Marsha and I are both working in the car to conserve vacation days for when we get there and go apartment hunting. We look a bit like the Beverly Hillbillies (and heading to the same location, no less!) with so much crammed in the car.
We’re also taking turns driving, so that makes it more of a challenge to work. Day 1 went well, but I suspect we’ll have to take a half day or two when we get out West and the cell service isn’t as good.
The drive itself went well today. We drove in a monsoon through Nashville and lost some time having to slow down. Plus there was the Nashville traffic. But I managed to keep up with every time the highway split off (chock that one up to experience) and was glad.
We made it to Memphis around 7:30 and had dinner at Rondezvous, which is famous for its dry rub ribs. And I do not exaggerate on the famous part. They told us people driving down 40 pull off to eat there (we did) and I think there was a bus load leaving when we did, too. We’d eaten there many years ago on a previous trip to Memphis and just had to go back!
Afterwards, we walked down to Beale Street for just a minute. They had it blocked off for a car show. It reminds me a lot of Broadway in Nashville. Then we strolled through the lobby of the Peabody. Too late to see the ducks, but that is one beautiful hotel!
And we were stunned to see a giant, life-size pyramid which is actually a Bass Pro Shop! Marsha had to look that one up. We were tempted to stop just out of curiosity, but it was getting late and we have another long day in the car tomorrow!
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