"Summer road trips are a time for both celebration and meditation. There's an urgent need to be free and explore, while also blocking out the rest of the world and getting lost in wistful daydreams."
--Carrie Brownstein
Phoenix will be one of the few stops on our way back to Texas, and we'll probably stay at a cheap motel for the night to rest up. Because of both the large Hispanic population and its proximity to Mexico, Phoenix is renowned for its Mexican food. So, while we're there, we'll splurge on some authentic Mexican food.
David Arthur Vineyards Welcome to Wine Country! It just so happens that my friend Chris's family owns a winery in Napa, and he has so generously offered to give us a tour of the place. On top of touring an actual vineyard, Taylor and I will be able to spend some more time with Chris in a less congested area of California. Great wine, great company; we couldn't ask for more!
When we arrive in San Francisco, we'll meet up with one of my good friends, Chris. Chris graduated from UT last spring, moved back to California to be with his family, and we haven't seen each other in over a year. Chris knows his way around San Fran, and he too is a fellow admirer of Les Claypool. We’ll all three spend the day exploring San Francisco and soaking up the rich culture that cultivated one of our favorite artists.
Taylor and I would love to see the Golden Gate Bridge and to ride a cable car, a San Francisco trademark.
We've finally made it to California! After being cooped up in a car for almost 6 days, we'll definitely be needing a little R&R. So, we're planning to spend at least one relaxing day at the Santa Monica beach. While I'm soaking up the rays, Taylor will be learning how to surf --something she's always wanted to do. [Surfing Lessons]
Also while we're in Los Angeles, I would like to meet up with my relatives who live in Studio City near West Hollywood. I grew up in Frankston surrounded by my mother's side of the family, and I feel like I've missed out on building relationships with my father's side. I think our road trip will provide the perfect opportunity for me to hang out and get to know some of my other relatives, and maybe getting to know them more will help me better understand who I am.
If there ever was a city that was the exact opposite of Frankston, Las Vegas aka “Sin City” is most certainly it. Taylor and I will spend two glorious nights in Las Vegas. We’ll meet new and interesting people, see a Cirque du Soleil show one night, try our hands at some blackjack or poker, take pleasure in Vegas’ nightlife, or just drive down the Vegas Strip admiring all of the neon lights, fountains, and hotel casinos. Both of us have never had the privilege to visit the Sin City, so to experience a totally new environment will allow us to gain a fresh perspective. Also, I’m sure the Sin City will test not only our limits, but also how responsible we are.
We’d like to see the Grand Canyon because it’s one of the seven natural wonders of the world, but also because of what it symbolizes in the film, Thelma & Louise. For Thelma and Louise, the Grand Canyon represented ultimate freedom from their lives back in Deep Shit, Arkansas and the people they use to be. The film’s definition of a road trip, as a vehicle for change and transformation, mirrors the definition of our road trip. We, too, want to step outside crippling walls and oppressive mindsets so that we can express ourselves and grow as individuals and together as friends. (Don’t worry, we have no plans to kill someone, rob a convenient store, run from the police, or to commit suicide –not exactly the change we’re looking for.)
Anyway, you can't drive through the American Southwest without stopping at the Grand Canyon! It's 277 miles long, ranges in width from 4-18 miles, and its depth plunges down over one mile. In my opinion, the most alluring and breathtaking aspect about the Grand Canyon is how long it took to form -17 million years! Taylor and I will take this as a life lesson --that, creating yourself takes time, and it cannot be accomplished in one day.
Annual Balloon Fiesta Apparently, Albuquerque is the hot air ballooning capitol of the world. So, we're definitely not going to miss out on this unique opportunity! Just to let you know, acrophobia is an extreme or irrational fear of heights; acrophobic = Haley. I'm not the greatest with heights, but I'm willing to face my fears and try new things. (But if I die, I'm coming back to haunt Taylor for making me do it.)
Besides, who says a road trip has to be confined to just the road?
