Rained out

You’ve all been there – driving through torrential rains with headlights coming at you on the left and tail-lights in front of you, and reflections off the pavement and even with your windshield wipers going madly, you really can’t see a thing. Your safety lies with the guy in front of you, because if he doesn’t notice that the guy in front of him has slowed down, then you’re in trouble. So you just keep driving and watching for signs, because you know you have to change freeways in a few minutes, and that means crossing two lanes of heavy traffic in darkness and poor visibility. This was our first night on the road, after almost 3 hours crawling through Seattle and Tacoma at rush hour. This was the storm that ushered us into the U.S. and followed us all the way south to the border. That was Washington and Oregon.

California? Fugettaboutit! They have had devastating rains with major, major damage, so it seems churlish to complain about our scary drives, but scary they were. Water creeping up to the shoulders of the highway – at one point we had to navigate through a foot of water on a portion of highway that luckily, was still open. Rest stations closed. Driving beside convoys of trucks for hours, and then slowing to a crawl to drive by accident scenes. Cop cars and tow trucks everywhere. Driving beside mile after mile of flooded fields – hard to know what damage has been done to next year’s crops. We’ve traveled though a bit of California before (down the coast to San Francisco and Carmel) , but would love to come back when the weather is better– what a diverse and beautiful state.

On Day 3, we arrive in Indio, CA, which is just south (east?) of Palm Springs to see our friends Vikki and Roy. They are staying in a complex until the end of February, and as luck would have it, they had glorious hot weather before and after our visit but we arrived with rain and cold. No matter – we had a grand time, sitting on their covered deck and enjoying a home-cooked meal.

We love the U.S. – every trip brings new adventures and observations. This one stood out for us: Abel’s Complete Cremation - $585.25. This was one of the highway signs that caught our eye and for so many reasons. I’ve always regarded the funeral business as being hushed and respectful. Who knew cremations are such a competitive business that billboard advertising might be justified? We pondered a few things about this sign – why the 25 cents? Why not round it off to the nearest dollar, or make it an even $600? And what is the meaning of “complete”? Surely they do not offer “partial” cremations? Are there other cremation billboards?

These are the road conversations we have – laughing over place names like “Sore Finger Road”, or police warnings like “Drive Hammered. Get Nailed.” We wondered if the town of “Sweet Home” is really all that sweet. We actually argued over how many streets exist in North America named “Old River Road”. I thought many dozens, Stephen thought perhaps two or three and there is no easy way to solve that argument. There is no way to solve many of the questions that arise as the miles whiz by. Stephen has come to refer to my many comments as the “imponderables.” Perhaps they are better left that way.

So…it is early evening on Saturday and we are off the road for the rest of the day – it feels good. We have driven over 3102 kilometers in 4 days, and are currently relaxing in the delightful Candlewood Suites in Nogales, Arizona – just 3 km. to the border. Our hotel last night was a bit of a dump, and this one is a treat – renovated, free laundry facilities, huge room, kitchenette – safe, secure and super clean.

The bogeyman has mostly disappeared. Nogales, AZ is not Nogales, MX, but still… crossing the border feels easier from this perspective, and we’re really looking forward to beginning our Mexican adventures.

talk to you in a few days!