And so it begins
So, here we are in Barstow.
As my daughter said to me this morning, "There's an important element of this trip we have to remember, Mom. It's cross country. Going 114 miles every day just isn't going to cut it."
That would be Barstow, Calif.
Thanks to my younger brother for delivering me my best straight line of the trip:
He called us on the road at around 7 last night and asked where we were.
"I'm not sure," I said. "Let me check. Mmmm. Sunset and Highland."
Oh yeah, food. I told my daughter I asked one thing of our dinner stop: alcohol. I knew only a glass of wine would put me out enough to make it possible to sleep in the car after two days of moving. Imagine the most uncomfortable plane seat you've ever been on, only with your carry on and your seat mate's carry on under your feet instead of under the seat in front of you. I've never slept tailor-fashioned for two hours before.
Amazingly, she found a cute little Japanese restaurant in a strip shopping center in the middle of nowhere. I almost bit the waitress's hand because she took so long putting the glass of wine down on the table, but it turned out that the miso soup was actually more restorative.
Things are looking up. My daughter is outside repacking the car (I refuse to drive until we can see out the rear window) and after 40 minutes of stretching I can walk again.
Comments
Sadly, this start was predictable. There may have to be several re-packings, or perhaps just a good-will stop. On the bright side, I hear Barstow is lovely this time of year.
Posted by: CPW | April 1, 2008 1:10 PM
Sounds like fun! Where do I sign up for such a trip?
Ugh -- be safe, Thelma and Louise.
Posted by: Andy | April 1, 2008 2:10 PM
One word: U-Haul.
Posted by: matt hudock | April 1, 2008 2:12 PM
I can see the headline now: FOOD CRITIC BITES WAITRESS'S HAND.
Subheading: rabies test negative.
Posted by: Dahlink | April 1, 2008 2:40 PM
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold ...
Posted by: Sam Sessa | April 1, 2008 4:12 PM
The map makes this entry even more funny ... I can barely see the difference between point A and point B on my tiny screen.
Posted by: Ordinary Michelle | April 1, 2008 4:31 PM
Maybe the map and trip are really an April Fools joke on the sandbox. EL is actually ensconced in an exclusive spa eating chocolates for the week.
Posted by: Robert (the Single One) | April 1, 2008 5:25 PM
I apologize for going off-topic here. EL, you gave a recommendation to me for Abacrombie, and your description was dead-on! Excellent food, friendly people, VERY slow (1hr40mins to entree) They ending up comping us for the entrees, though. I hope they get their act together, they seemed like nice folks.
My question: how is Eichenkranz these days? I love Bavarian/German, and Josefs is getting a bit old. Any thoughts?
Posted by: Ray | April 1, 2008 8:36 PM
My son was stationed at Fort Irwin, about 35 miles from Barstow. I visited once. Lots of desert, lots of open space.
By the way, if you see a large tortoise crossing the road, stop. They are a Federally Protected Species. Even the Army stops its war games when one comes along. There are signs posted with a silhouette of a tortoise. I saw one by the Army base with a turret painted on top.
Remember, years from now you will look back at this time spent with your daughter fondly.
Posted by: Mr. Old Fart | April 1, 2008 9:07 PM
Miso is lovely stuff. I keep packets of it at work. Most of the package is in Japanese, but there is a smiling green onion on it, I think.
Probably isn't room in the car for any.
Posted by: Lissa | April 1, 2008 11:01 PM
I think things took an ugly turn when you let someone take a hateful personal attack on someone recently. I think people might be reluctant to post if someone is going to write hateful slanders against them as if they were in a Battlestar Galactica site populated by tweeners. I personally am reluctant to reveal anything personal and that level of self-censoring is not fun. I will still occasionally view, but posting is not cool for me now. Not gonna happen.
Which was it? I was so overwhelmed getting ready for the trip it may have gone over my head. Owl Meat pointed one out to me that I missed, but I killed it out. EL
Posted by: terriermom | April 2, 2008 12:23 AM
Damn now I have a desperate craving to be in California for a big bowl of Mr. Ramen. mmmmmmm
Posted by: Francesca | April 2, 2008 12:46 AM