Day 11 - On the Road Again

[Ann72]

Texas panhandle

Day 11 - On the Road Again

“Fear is temporary; regret lasts forever.”

That was my mantra as we got ready for our journey.  My oldest daughter, Polly, had announced she was moving to Los Angeles.  Moreover, she planned to drive there.  Before thinking, I blurted out I’d go with her.  When she replied immediately that that would be great, the die was cast.

The thing is, we live in New York, and California is all the way across the United States.  I hadn’t been anywhere but back and forth to my Airbnb in Maine in nearly two years.  Add to that the light of my life was moving away, and I was a mass of nerves and anxiety.

I started planning very tentatively, the way you put a toe into very hot or very cold water before immersing yourself fully.  I asked Polly if we could stop in Tulsa to visit Audrey and Dell, Airbnb guests from May who had already, it felt, become lifelong friends.  After that we’d stop in Santa Fe to see Jonathan, a dear friend from college.  At the beginning of the trip we’d have lunch with Polly’s grandmother, and at the end, we’d have Thanksgiving dinner with my brother.  I mentioned our plan to an Airbnb guest from Los Angeles, Michael, and we swapped Instagrams and email addresses.

Polly made an interactive map of our route that we each added to.  In Charlottesville, I wanted to see Thomas Jefferson’s Rotunda.  In Nashville, she wanted to see the Opry.  We both wanted to stop at the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.  Airbnb guest Michael, a passionate foodie, sent dining recommendations for every city we’d be staying in and some we’d be passing through for lunch.  Polly mapped out our hotels (and our one Airbnb), and the trip started to become more real.  But my nerves wouldn’t die down.  Even though I trusted everything would go well, I had no idea what this trip would be like.  After spending such a long time cocooned, locked down, isolated, and socially distanced, it seemed wildly improbable that it would actually be fun.

The day of departure finally arrived.  Polly steered her car skillfully out of the city and soon we were driving down the New Jersey Turnpike on a brilliant blue November day.  We put on Springsteen and started singing along, and just like that, my nerves sailed out the window, never to return.  The freedom of the road grabbed us both, exhilarated us, and carried us across the country in a long wave.  When we drove into Los Angeles and saw the Hollywood sign up in the hills, we broke into wild cheers.  We’d made it.  We’d visited family and friends, fallen in love with the American landscape, eaten great food, and gotten to know each other better.  I saw a mature, kind, and determined young woman embarking on a new chapter of her life.  I wasn’t afraid anymore, and I’d never have to regret that I didn’t go with her.

[Loni56]

@Ann72. que lindo lendo seu relato 

esta viajando com vocês meu coração ficou 

alegre por vocês grande abraço

Loni

[Ann72]

Thank you @Loni56 what a lovely thing to say.  A big hug back!

[Nick]

Amazing post @Ann72 thank you for sharing. 

Out of pure coincidence, today I woke up with a similar fire sky sunrise over London. 

 

[Colleen253]

@Ann72Lovely post. You carry the reader along in an effortless, immersive way. Best wishes to your daughter in this next chapter of her life. And hugs to you as you adjust to the change ❤️

[Ann72]

Thank you so much @Colleen253.  That means a lot to me to hear it from you. 😍

[Kelly149]

What a lovely journey for you both! Best wishes for the new normal @Ann72 

It's one of the greatest joys, and sadnesses, that once we've raised up people we love and adore above all others, they go and create separate lives. It is a blessing indeed when we get folded in to their inner world.

[Ann72]

Thank you @Kelly149 - beautifully put 🙂

[Mark116]

@Ann72  What a fantastic trip!  I wonder sometimes if we wouldn't be kinder to each other as Americans if more people did a cross country tour at least once to meet people and see other areas of the US.

[Ann72]

Thanks @Mark116!  I never thought of that but I think you're right.  Everyone we met was fantastic.

[Clara116]

@Ann72 Hi dearest, thank you for such an exciting post and giving me butterflies of expectation and joy as you talked about the planning and the nerves you had until you hit the road......beautifully written, just enough info to keep me in suspense and how thrilling that you could totally appreciate something that could be a difficult change in your world.....and instead create extra bonding while letting go of such a precious relationship. Terrific piece Ann. hugs and blessings good lady, your Clara 

[Ann72]

Dear @Clara116!  Amazing response - I'm so happy you took the time to write it!  Big hugs back darling 🤗

[Kath9]

@Ann72, what a beautiful little vignette about love, letting go (of both your children and fear!) and leaping into the adventure of life. It kept me hooked right till the end. It's a memory neither of you will ever forget.  You have also re-inspired me to get back to your beautiful country and do that iconic road trip. One day...

[Ann72]

Thank you so much @Kath9. Come on over!

[Sarah977]

@Ann72   Loved this post.

I've done a lot of solo road trips. Every time I'm super anxious, but as soon as I get on the road, the anxiety seems to evaporate.

One of the most interesting trips I made was many years ago, driving from Ottawa to Austin. I can't even remember why I got the notion to do so, but I got a map and drew a straight line on it from Ottawa to Austin, and took every road that was closest to that line.

Sometimes I ended up on an interstate, but I generally drove on many back country roads through little towns, some of which seemed frozen in another era,  where I would never have otherwise had occasion to drive through or near. 

It made for an interesting journey and I ended up sleeping in my van in charming little county parks and such.