Coast to Coast - a Drive Across America!

I have known Alan and his dear wife Cathy for nearly 20 years. I was playing golf with my dearest friend well known author and lecturer Roger Dawson at the Hacienda Golf course next to his home in La Habra Heights, CA. when I got a call from a distressed Alan.

The news was both good and bad! Alan and Cathy had inherited a house in Florida and were about to make the move from Las Vegas, where we both live to Boynton Beach, just outside Ft. Lauderdale. That was the good news (for Al and Cath anyway!)

The bad news was that Alan had fallen and broken his arm requiring a cast and at least 6 weeks of NO driving! Cathy, also in her senior years was in no state to drive a rental truck particularly towing their mini van.

Hence the distress call to their dearest friend (guess who?)

Would I (and my son) be so kind as to drive the truck to Florida all expenses paid and a return flight to Las Vegas!

At first this appeared a great opportunity. I had always wanted to do the cross country trip - not I must admit in a rental truck with two parrots and a van hooked onto the back!

Of course I agreed! What are friends for!

Things didn't get off to a great start. Firstly the hitch for the trailer carrying their van didn't work - half a day driving back and forth to the Budget depot.

Finally on the road, we decided to try driving through the night taking turns. Let me tell you just in case you don't already know the seats do NOT recline. Trying to sleep, especially with two parrots in cages piled up between us didn't work! We struggled through the night and took a much needed sleep on the ground beside the truck at a truck stop in Arizona (or was it Texas?) I think the parrots were as relieved as we were.

From that point onward it was to the nearest Marriott (I have a card!) that we headed each of the remaining 4 nights. I can't say enough about Marriott- they were outstanding at each stop!

Next problem! Alan had provided us with a Chevron Gas Credit Card that we were told had an available credit of $2,000.00. Ample for the trip wouldn't you think?

Absolutely, however two days into the trip the card was canceled! Chevron in their wisdom had noticed substantial and unusual activity and as a security measure stopped the card! I rang Alan and he in turn rang Chevron - everything was now fine, I was informed. Someone however forgot to tell the Chevron stations on our route as it took 24 hours and 6 stops, before the hold finally came off!

Just warming up!

Morning three; we came out of our Hotel to discover that two, not one but two, of the trailer tires were flat! A call to Budget (45 minutes on the phone) resulted in a tire service arriving and very quickly and efficiently replacing the tires. Another half a day lost and our intended stay in New Orleans gone out the window! We had a deadline. Our return flights had already been booked and there was no refund!

We managed lunch in Biloxi Ms. and a view of the oil clean up on the beaches there, but from here on it was toll roads and highways with nothing to look at but the signage along the way. The subject by the way of my next article!

We eventually arrived to welcome Alan and Cathy into their lovely new home.

Would I make the drive again...only if I'm in my car with enough time to get off the highways and enjoy the beautiful countryside I'm told is out there? The freeways by their very nature are boring!

Learn from my mistakes and enjoy your travels.Dr. Peter J. Shield PhD (http://pjshield.com)