The Beginning of the End

As has been the case this past week, I awoke before everyone else and went downstairs to partake in the free continental breakfast. After preparing a cup of coffee the way I know Susan likes, I step outside and am greeted by the smell of Santa Cruz, California. The distinct smell of pine needles, rosemary, and the ocean breeze reminds me of something that can only be experienced in California, and for some reason I was experiencing it in the parking lot of a Hyatt Place near the Albuquerque airport. Although I'm sure it was the easy to maintain rosemary bushes that surrounded the hotel, but the romantic in me told me that it was my desire to go home that triggered the aromatic memory. If it wasn't, why wouldn't I have noticed it during the rest of the week I stayed there?

Before leaving Albuquerque (boy am I glad I won't have to type Albuquerque anymore) we promised ourselves that we would hit Sophia's Place one last time before leaving. It was a Monday morning and once again it was empty when we arrived. Susan, being the creature of habit that she is, ordered the Huevos Rancheros and I ordered the Sophia Omelet. Being the Los Angelinos that we are, we ordered off the menu for the kids and had them make up some eggs and bacon. We don't usually order off the menu, but I know it's something cool people in LA do. So being in Albuquerque and naturally feeling a bit more sophisticated than the local yokels, we thought in this case we were cool enough to attempt this stunt. Actually, the people at Sophia's are just awesome and would do this for anybody, but it is nice to be made to feel cool.

While we were eating, a large family entered the restaurant, clearly on a little DDD tour of their own. I figured this out when the entire clan surrounded the Guy Fieri picture for a family photo. Those of us who are veterans on the DDD circuit believe it goes against etiquette to make a big deal out of the large Guy pictures left at each stop- it's just uncool. The family came and went without even finishing their food, too busy worrying about the experience itself rather than experiencing the food Sophia's has to offer. My last experience at Sophia's allowed me to leave Albuquerque on a successful and memorable note.

The drive ahead to Phoenix would be the longest stretch of driving on the trip- 456 miles to be exact. It wasn't something I was looking forward to, as I had done it just 4 days prior. Therefore, I decided to focus on aspects of the drive that I may have not noticed on the way there. The aspect in question turned out to be the numerous "Indian" tourist traps that line the highway offering a variety of enticements to get you to pull over in the middle of nowhere USA. These places are introduced to the weary traveller by thousands of gigantic billboards that line the highway proclaiming this and that every 40 yards or so, "Authentic Indian Blankets, exit 224, 4 miles," "Clean Bathrooms and Dreamcatchers, exit 224, 3.8 miles," " Free Petrified Wood, and Mechanical Dinosaurs (not a joke), exit 224, 3.6 miles." This would go on for miles, building up the anticipation until you really did have to exit the freeway just to see if all of this could be true. I would start to believe that the entire Navajo Nation would be waiting at exit 224 ready to sell me blankets and show me their state of the art dinosaurs. Instead, exit 224 would consist of a double wide trailer with a few gas pumps and paper mache dinosaurs.

The one we decided to stop at made the promise that we would be able to see the "Continental Divide." I'm no geologist, but I think the continental divide is where two continental plates come together. Not being a geologist, I really have no idea what this would look like. Since I'm down to a quarter tank, I'm a little thirsty, and the kids need to pee (prime road trip stopping conditions) we decide to take a looksee. Well, I filled the tank (35 dollars), bought a few drinks and snacks (8 dollars), and let the children relieve themselves in the relatively clean facilities (priceless). However, I was disappointed when I discovered the continental divide is apparently a covered wagon with the words, "Continental Divide" written on the side. Those of you who may be geologists, or even have taken a few units of geology in college, please confirm whether or not this is a scientific fact. If not, I will have to inform the good people of the "Indian Village" near Thoreau, New Mexico that they may be misleading the public. Come to think of it, the "Indian Village" actually looked more like a gas station and a Kwiky-Mart.




About 320 miles into our 456 mile journey we returned to Flagstaff. This is the point where we head due South toward Phoenix and the final leg of the trip. This is also where a normal person begins to feel like they have driven too much, yet must continue because the end is so close. Fortunately, the stretch of drive between Flagstaff and Phoenix is quite beautiful. In roughly an hour and a half you descend from the evergreen forest of Flagstaff and slowly watch the environment morph into a desert littered with those iconic cacti only found in the Southwestern United States. Although I was quite ironically nearly driven insane by driving, at least the view was pleasant.

We arrived in Buckeye (a suburb of Phoenix) around 7 hours after leaving Sophia's Place back in Albuquerque. My cousin lives there with her husband and two beautiful children (she's probably reading this so I think I just earned some brownie points). As an added bonus, my Aunt and Uncle and their two dogs were also visiting. This was my chance on the trip to allow Susan to see my side of the family. Although it really isn't the same because there is no language barrier and Susan worked with my Uncle for 10 years as teaching colleagues at Bell High in Los Angeles. Despite that, they graciously allowed us a night's rest before the final 320 miles back to Whittier. They also threw Naibe a little birthday party that made her feel special. Liam was in hog heaven because he was able to play with his cousin Jacob who is only a few months apart in age. 18 month old Aliyah, or Yah Yah, as she is called, was tolerated by her cousins as she followed the boys around while they were pretending to shoot every living thing in sight with their makeshift guns (usually fingers or toy golf clubs).




Packing and unpacking an SUV filled to the rim with luggage, toys, and electronics- twice, at two different hotels, neither with any type of luggage cart or conveyor belt leading to the room can be tiresome. My plan in Phoenix was to only take out the necessary items required to sleep and dress the following day. We were only going to stay about 14 hours or so right? Toothbrush, underwear, and change of clothing is all we need to take out of our bags. This would be the perfect plan for the so far perfect vacation. Susan was of course in agreement only so I would shut up, I would later find out. So yes, despite only spending about 14 hours at my cousin's house in Phoenix, we emptied the entire car and repacked it the following day. At least it was only about 105 degrees.



Tomorrow we will finally be returning home. Of course we will stop in Palm Springs to have lunch with my Dad, but we will finally be home!