Best of...

Best Burger

• Blakes Lotaburger, Gallup, NM : LOTA Burger with added Green Chillies and Cheese
• Hammett House, Claremore, OK : Medium Rare Chili Burger (its pink and juicy)

Best Pie

• Hammett House, Claremore, OK : Banana Creme pie just beat out the double crust cherry pie
• Ray's Dairy Maid, Barton, AK : Cherry Cheese Cake beat out the Coconut Pecan (just, one judge hates coconut)

Best Breakfast

• Frontier Restaurant, Albuquerque, NM : Oh the sweet roll and Herveos Rancheros

Biggest eating surprise

• Frontier Restaurant, Albuquerque, NM : We were hungry and need some quick breakfast. Our first option fell through, this was an awesome find

Best BBQ

• Interstate BBQ, Memphis, TN : My god, this BBQ rocks and its drenched in the best sauce! Oh and its dirt cheap too. The BBQ Spaghetti is a must have!

Best Donut

• Donut Shop, Natchez, MS : Its worth the detour, fresh and yummy and not sickly sweet
• Cafe Du Monde, New Orleans, LA : Beignet were a killer breakfast, pity they were buried in inches of powered sugar!
• The Donut Shop, Amarillo, TX : Cherry Glazed donut anybody? Yum.

Best Fried Chicken

• Old Country Store, Lorton, MS : Juicy and the crispiest, meltiest in your mouth coating

Best Mexican / Tex Mex

• El Patio, Albuquerque, NM : Chili simmered pork burrito with a spicy as hell red sauce

Best Steak

• Big Texan, Amarillo, TX : Bit of a tourist trap, but one heck of a slab of beef

Best Cocktail

• Mulate's, New Orleans, LA : Southern Lemonade; not only great tasting but leg crippling  strong!

Best City

• Albuquerque, NM : Cool architecture, hip crowd and killer food

Best Scenery

• Painted Desert, AZ : Unbelievable colors, especially in the rain
• Sky City, NM : >900 year old adobe architecture on top of a mesa.. very cool 

Best Bed

• Westin, New Orleans, LA : You get what you pay for, but for $84/night it was as cheap as some of the motels we did stay at on the trip. Thank you hotels.com
• Hyatt, Burlingame, CA : Hotwire got us this for $109/night and a good wind down for the end of the trip

4140 miles & 83 hours and 43 minutes...

Tulare, CA to Belmont, CA



Done. With two cars and two kids we divide an conquer. I get Ava in the MINI and Dawn gets Oliver in the VW. Four hours of uneventful driving through the rolling taupe hills of Northern California broken by the smell of Garlic in Gilroy (it is the worlds capital for growing Garlic) and In-n-Out Burger (the California capital of burgers).

The iPod has the strange habit (sometimes) of throwing up something unexpected but very fitting. Today it was "Autobahn" by Kraftwerk. Me and Ava tripped out to some 70's electronica. Reminded me of the hours this and Jean Michel Jarre's "Oxygene" were paying as endless games of Monopoly, Business Game and other fixtures of a childhood Saturday night. Today it was a cruise up 101 with Ava doing German car instructor impersonations.

We fall off 101, drive up Harbor Blvd. and we are home, well almost.

Just the small matter of completing the transaction on the house. So we have at least another three nights in a hotel. Splashing out (a whopping $109 / night) on a Hyatt this time so we can enjoy a little luxury before we are stone cold broke paying for the house. But that as they say is another day.

Reflections? Not now, later. Smile, a great adventure but time to enjoy being here. Final stats

• 4140 Miles
• 83 Hours 43 minutes
• 27.4 MPG (average)
• 49 MPH (average)

Phew!

States

• California

Food Count

• Breakfast : Toast & Jam at Grandma's
• Lunch : Cheese Burger with grilled onions at In-n-Out Burger
• Dinner : Taco's at Shelly's

The beginging of the end, or the road to nowhere

Flagstaff, AZ to Tulare, CA





Flagstaff. Breakfast at Mama Zips, overcast and cool. It was actually chilly this morning, a first for this trip and a welcome break from surface of the sun temperatures although it would reach 107 degrees later in the day. The plan of action was to see some of Route 66 and then head for either Barstow or Lake Havasu (to go see London Bridge). The choice was going to be based on when the truck driver with the MINI was going to arrive in Tulare, to drop the car at Grandmas.

The plans of mice and men. So we travelled on a bunch of old Route 66, got an ice cream and milk shake at the Snow Cap and yes, the bloke who runs it it totally weird, the rumors are in fact true. After that we headed on a bunch of back road, through Kingman, AZ on our way back to I-40. And then the road turned into a track. What emerged was a vista of browns, reds and yellows in the rocks and the brilliant of greens new growth cactus. Eventually we arrived in Oakman, where not only did Clark Gable spend his wedding night but the whole town is run by donkeys wondering the streets. No, George W was not in town, he was in Beijing for the Olympics. The town itself is an original gold rush town, still preserved with this covered saloon and by the looks of it a few prospectors still remain spurs still intact.

The people described in Steinbecks "Grapes Of Wrath" must have been really pissed at the dust bowl of the mid-west to even attempt this trip in the 1930's. It was pretty crazy in 2008 on Route 66, and despite being amazing to look at it was hard core desert with few offers of redemption.



It was at this point we pointed the car to California and decides to forego both Barstow and Lake Havasu and go directly to Grandma, not passing go or collection $200 in the process. For us it was the end of Route 66 and it some ways the romance of this journey. What was going to be a 300 miles / 5 hour drive turned into a 545 miles / 10.35 hour drive-a-thon. Kids did not complain (they had only their second dose of fast food on the trip) and a couple of DVDs and we were off to the races, again.



Palm trees. That was the first sign I was in California. The second was $4.79 / gallon gas. We were running on fumes and in the middle of the Mojave desert... what were we going to do! The Mojave was our last desert, and in a way kind of unremarkable in comparison to the painted desert and other we have seen. But it will always have a place in at least my photographic heart, its where I fell in love with color photography.

Couple of days off at Grandma's and then the final leg to the Bay Area. All we have to do is get the furniture delivered when we actually own the house... oh, and there is that minor detail of closing on the house. Keep 'em peeled Danno.

States

• Arizona
  
• California
  

Food Count

• Breakfast : Eggs, Bacon & Hash Browns and Mama Zips
  
• Lunch : $6 burger at Carl's Jnr (it was only $3.99 plus tax)
  
• Dinner : Cheese on Toast at Grandma's
  

Fatigued of Flagstaff

Perhaps I had unrealistic expectations. I ordered the sausage pizza tonight, which had a "chef's choice of sausage". I had did not realize that "Hot Dog" was in the sausage family. Image my dread as my dinner arrived. The blow was soften by several large glasses of beer.

I left North Carolina at 165 lbs and change. I suspect that this trip will weigh me in closer to 180 lbs, the worst I have been in 4+ years. Oh well.

So it finally hit me today. I'm tired. The car's computer indicated 66 hours of driving and 3,300 miles. I think its enough. I think the kids feel the same way. We went to see the Grand Canyon today, and it was grand and beautiful, and despite the road through the painted desert to get there, it was basically a big hole in the ground. Now I suspect that in time I will appreciate it more, but it seems like another box ticked.

We have the mad dash to wrap up the trip and start our new life in California. The trip has been dotted with numerous phone calls, google searches and lots of emails. The car is arriving early but we are getting to delivered to Grandma's house in central California instead of Belmont. Its early, but fortunately the driver was going this way so we can sync up with it.

The contents of our house? Well they look like they are turning up on Aug-13 but we don't take possession of our house until Aug-14 at the earliest, so a bunch of things need to get sorted out. Our agent, Frank "I have my commission so I don't care" does not seem to want to take my calls and always get somebody in the office to call back.

Oh and we have to sort out insurance, but the mortgage company can't figure out what the replacement value is, despite in their valuation putting it lower than our bidding price. But they need to know my shoe size when I was aged 12, just in case I'm trying to defraud them or something, but how much to rebuild the thing they invested in? Nope, they don't have a clue.

Alright, I'm sounding crabby. Here's a picturs instead.

States

• Arizona

Food Count

• Breakfast : Raisin Bran and Toast at Super 8 Motel
• Lunch : Sandwich out of the back of the car
• Dinner : Sausage Pizza at Beaver Street Brewery in Flagstaff, AZ

Cars to Space 1999

Holbrook, AZ to Flagstaff, AZ

So I have some news. "Cars" the movie (and for full disclosure I was an investor in Pixar) was based on Holbrook, AZ. Here is the overwhelming evidence

• The "Cozy Cone" is a rip off of the WigWam #6 motel
• It has a VW repair shop that specializes in "Campers"
• There's a big red tow truck at the WigWam #6 Motel
• It on Route 66

Pictorial evidence below.

So what did we do? Well we saw a very big hole in the ground (aka "Meteor Crater") and slipped and slid at Rock Slide. I expected to be more impressed by the hole, but spent most of the time worrying when Oliver was going to throw himself over the armco. I guess for something a 150ft across it did a bunch of damage but nothing like the kids going through a box of toys.

Rock Slide? Very cool (as in temperature) on the slippiest rock I have even known. If was not just me it was everybody. It was like the Park Service had taken a bar of soap to the smooth sandstone just for kicks. 

And something has been on my mind. You know that gas prices are almost at 1998 United Kingdom prices... well al the trains running alongside I-40 going east all seemed to have the trailers (sans trucks) on their flat beds. Has America finally figured that is cheaper and more efficient to use the train?

Hey, more Route 66 stuff as well. Dawn wants to buy this dinner...

It was also the first day that the kids did not watch a single DVD in the car. Shocking I know. Flagstaff is also kind of weird. First the approach, the desert turns into a pine tree forest which is not what you expect. The town itself is small, I was expecting a mini Phoenix but instead its the Chapel Hill of AZ (i.e. small college town, small little down town etc.).

States

• Arizona

Food Count

• Breakfast : Corn Flakes and a toasted muffin at Days Inn, Holbrook
• Lunch : Sandwich from the back of the car
• Dinner : Chili Dog at Galaxy Dinner, Flagstaff
• Pudding : Banana Creme Pie from Village Inn

The rain in the painted desert falls mainly on... us

Albuquerque, New Mexico to Holbrook, Arizona

Leaving Albuquerque we slowly descend from an altitude of 7000 ft into a wonderland of shapes and colors as the landscape goes all Jackson Pollock on us. We headed first through the Acoma Indian Reservation to take a look at the "Sky City", or a settlement dating from 1150 AD on top of a orange sandstone escarpment. We get back on I-40 after traversing parts of the El Malpais lava flow, a pitch black river of lava. 

After swing through Gallup for a Green Chile burger at "Blakes Lotaburger" we headed for the Window Rock on the Navajo Nation Reservation. One very cool slab of orange sandstone masquerading as a Polo mint.

From there we headed through the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forrest. And then it rained, it thundered and the river ran. So we had been hit with the rain in Albuquerque, but raining in the desert? You gotta be kidding. Please note the running river in the middle of a desert in the middle of summer. Case rested.

Despite the weather this has been some of the "sickest" scenery I have seen. Sage greens, bright reds, silvers, blacks and everything in between. And that's just the rocks! The light is bright but soft, always a deep blue of the sky cut up by many layers of clouds, cirrus, cumulonimbus and a few lenticular (my personal favorite).

Between the cool architecture and great food of Albuquerque and the amazing south west desert... well I guess I have found a future home! Oh and we we are now California time. Despite Arizona being on Mountain Time (like New Mexico) it does not observe day light savings... I guess when a country is this big you are entitled to make up the rules as you go along.

Hey, and I talked tough about Oliver yesterday, so here's him being cute... how long does that last?

Quote of the day (French tourists) "We muzt find a sizzler tonight"

States

• New Mexico
• Arizona

Food Count

• Breakfast : Eggs, Bacon and a Sweet Roll at Frontier Restaurant
• Lunch : LOTA bugger with Green Chillies at Blakes Lotaburger
• Dinner : Steak at Brookfields

Texas, New Mexico where are we again?

Amarillo, Texas to Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque. What can I say after eating the most flavorful burrito made out of pork cooked with chillies and served smothed in red chile sauce. Its was lip tingling spicy but also had a smokey tang to it, kind of made you want to take up smoking all over again. Apart from that, Albuquerque is one cool place. I can see why Georgia O'Keefe fell in love with New Mexico, the Adobe architecture, the color of the rock... but for me it was the neon loveliness of Central Ave and all the old Route 66 still (just about) standing.

Started at the Cadillac Ranch, finally I got to shoot it after two failed attempts in the 90's. And finally the wide open vistas of Texas have been replaced with hilly, even mountainous landscape, dotted with the outposts of volcanoes past of New Mexico. The brick red of the rock looks leaks through the sage green brush to give a Dali'esq pallet of colors, a change from the uniform taupe of Texas. Central Time switched to Mountain Time. Route 66 continued through several towns, most of which just never adjusted to the "Wal-Mart" effect. Wonderful architecture but really the end of "ma & pa" operations. Shame really.

Humidity is really down, and so is the temperature. A record low of 84 degrees and it was lovely. In the morning we are onto Arizona, our 11th state so far and the last between us an California.

I think the children are learning negotion skills, probaby something to do with being strapped in six feet apart for 6 hours a day. I used to think that my trouble ahead was going to be with Ava, but I'm leaning towards Oliver at the moment. He can be a right little stinker but always with a glint in his eye...

States

• Texas
• New Mexico

Food Count

• Breakfast : Raisin Bran and Toast at the Days Inn
• Snack : Chocolate donut from the Donut Shop
• Lunch : Last night steak in a roll
• Dinner : Pork Burrito at El Patio

Getting our kicks on Route 66

Tulsa, Oklahoma to Amarillo, Texas


So we got some of our kicks on Route 66, Tulsa OK through to Amarillo TX. There was an element of seeing "American Graffiti" and "Cars" come alive in the small towns we went through, and a tinkle of the old glint of Neon of years gone past. It was very cool indeed and despite the yearly loss of old landmarks, there is a fight back of sorts going on out there. An amazing modern structure has been built near Arcadia called "Pops" that is going a very brisk trade in dinner food and has a selection of 500+ sodas, enough to appease the pickiest of Americans...

The rolling hills of Eastern Oklahoma gave way to the flat vistas of Texas. The first indication was the tumble weed rolling across the freeway, but the endless horizon dotted with the odd cow, horse or windmill meant that the stifling views we had had the last seven days were gone. Despite the 100+ degrees weather the humidity had dropped as well. Things were looking up going West (young man).

The kids? Well they have gotten into the rhythm of watching endless movies, playing the odd game and not spending too much time killing each other. A result. You can tell when Oliver is fed up and wants to get out of the car, its starts with "I want to go home...". The trouble is that he does not realized that we are homeless!

It struck me eating dinner, that this was probably the first time our kids were not the loudest in the restaurant. All through the south there were children that were seen and not heard, well apart from our two. With a busy music hall atmosphere, for once on the trip we did not have to tell our two to use their "quite" voices.

Its been a couple of long days of driving and the drive up to Albuquerque should be enjoyable and short. Now I just need to find that Route 66 mix again...

States

• Oklahoma
  
• Texas

Food Count

• Breakfast : French Toast at Eggberts
• Lunch : BLT with Egg Salad at Pops
• Dinner : Hunking slab of cow at the Big Texan

Phew... its too blinking hot

Memphis, Tennessee to Tulsa, Oklahoma


Somewhere on I-40 it hit 107 degrees. The day had not started that hot, it was only 93 degrees at Memphis Zoo earlier in the day. If you want to see animals really up close it has to be recommend, but I did think that the enclosures were more like a Bay Area house than a North Carolina McMansion. Dripping, we wrung out the kids before putting them into the car for a 7 hour drive across Arkansas and the eastern side of Oklahoma. After looking through our notes we figured that 

1. We wanted to get to Tulsa for the end of the day
2. We wanted Pie

The mission we took on was a 300+ mile odyssey to make it to Hammett House in time for their 8pm close. At 7.48 we make it to Claremore but get held at a light by the anaconda of all fright trains. We make it to Hammett House at 8.01pm, but graciously they not only allow us to get pie but to also sit down for a very well earned dinner.

Funny making this drive. The panorama changes slowly and you forget. Today we came across a range of hills in western Arkansas and it struck me that was the first elevation change we had seen on this journey. Still fields of cotton and crops, horses but entering Oklahoma I'm getting the Native American vibe. If nothing else, I know that I can never live here, for simply I cannot pronounce any of the place names!

Oh, and "Hardies" is now "Carl's Jnr.". We are getting closer to home.

States

• Tennessee
  
• Arkansas
  
• Oklahoma

Food Count

• Breakfast : Fruit Plate & Toast
• Lunch : Last nights BBQ made into a Sandwich
• Dinner : Chicken Fried Chicken with Mash & Gravy followed by Double Cherry Pie at Hammet House

A date with "the frog"

Greenville, Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee

My date with my childhood, green style. Who would have thought Leland, MS would have brought the creator of the Muppets into this world. Well for Jim, Leland was the birthplace of Mr. Frog and that's Ok by me.

Following the Alton Brown route, we also took in Doe's Eat Place for Hot Tamale's, which were cooking big a big pot at 11am in Greenville, MS. Straight from the pot into foil for the journey up the Great River Road. 

It struck me that the landscape had changed. After an endless tress line of the journey so far, the Mississippi delta had opened out so that finally we had a horizon. Wheat, Cotton and other crops had replaced trees and swamps. But we were also in a different America that I had ever seen. It was rural, clearly poor and very, very black. There's probably a reason that the Blues originated from this area, all the greats came from around these parts. Its also a reminder that this is America today, not the urban hip environments, but the gritty down to earth people that make this country tick.

So another side trip to Arkansas to go to Ray's Dairy Maid for lunch (another Alton Brown special for the "pie") before heading to Memphis for a nights stay at the airport (it was cheap, had a pool and a window view of the runway... Oliver was impressed). 

Finally... Oh finally. Killer Dinner #637 at Jim Neelys' Interstate Bar-B-Que. Sampler platter made up of

• Pork Ribs
• Beef Ribs
• Beef Brisket
• Beef Links
• Chopped Pork
• BBQ Spaghetti
• BBQ Beans
• Coleslaw

Yikes, it was a mountain but the mountain came to us and the eating was good.

States

• Mississippi
• Arkansas
• Tennessee
  

Food Count

• Breakfast : Special K and Toast
• Lunch : Chicken Salad Sandwich and Cherry Cheesecake
• Snack : Hot Tamale
• Dinner : BBQ blow out followed by Pecan Coconut Pie

Donuts anybody? It has to be Nachez

New Orleans, Louisiana to Greenville, Mississippi

So the Alton Brown food marathon continues after a pit stop at Waffle House, about 50 miles out of New Orleans. So we had to sample just a small selection of

• Apple Fritter
• Glazed
• Cinnamon Swirl
• Chocolate Sprinkles
• Pine Cone

And yes they were good. And no we did get you one. The food marathon continue onto the Old Country Store, just on Highway 61 at Lorman where we had simply the best fried chicken on the planet. Dawn walked about with a signed menu.

We hauled ourselves back into the car (it had been less than an hour since the donuts) and then drove on to Vickburg, where the longest siege during the American Civil War occurred. By all accounts, only the black residents celebrated the 4th July until the end of WWII because Vicksburg surrendered to the Union Army on the 4th. Memories last a long time around these parts.

Visit to the Coke museum was a bit of a disappointment, but we jumped in the car and did another 90 miles before we found another nights refuge in Greenville, Mississippi. 

States

• Louisiana
  
• Mississippi

Food Count

• Breakfast : Fried Egg and Bacon Sandwich at Waffle House
• Snack : One and a half donuts at The Donut Shop
• Lunch : Fried Chicken, Ribs, Rice, Beans and Mac & Cheese at the Old Country Store
• Dinner : I skipped, could not face another bite

Lower 9th

I personally don't think I have anything to say that has not been said a million times before. I have spent time in other areas of civil disruption. Beruit, whilst suffering the worst civil war in living memory was teaming with life and the celebration of life. I ate the best Falafel sandwich of my life in the bombed out remains of an American chain hotel. Krajina in Croatia was different, again ravaged by ethnic cleansing in the name of civil war, but lurking around every corner there was this sense of something very pure and very evil. It was a creepy feeling that made your spine tingle, and a bit like a cheap horror movie, you felt like there was a twist around the next corner. Needless to say, I am happy to never had to go back.

So the Lower 9th Ward. Silence, the absence of people, the absence of any noise that represents the sounds of life other than the buzz of insects. The heat and humidity enveloped you like that Christmas sweater from Grandma that was only worn on that day. 

There was construction, some Tyvek wrapped houses, some new construction. The streets no longer caked in mud, all the rubbish cleaned away. The politicians could spin a success. But it was the row after row of concrete slabs for where a house and more importantly a family, no, a community was placed really brings home what happened here. Despite what has been done, what cannot be done is repair the gaping hole that was left behind. As the developers buy up large tracts of the 9th Ward, something else will replace the community that had been there.

Sure, it was a community in blight, but the elements that established its structure, its rhythms, and what made it tick had all been present in abundance. What changed is was not the 12 hours of a ill prepared for storm, but how a nation failed to respond to ensure that despite the disruption, life could have returned to "normal", even if that was a normal that 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue did not care for.

New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana

Beignets at Cafe Du Mond. Yes, there is a theme here, its all about the food! A wonder around the old french quarter in the warm rain and then to the aquarium, which was probably the best I have seen. I did wonder if the Anaconda would be interested in a naughty child snack, but the thought passed. Regrettable the same thought was verbalized with the Alligators, to be informed by Dawn that the previous day the first attack by an alligator had been recorded in Louisiana. A child had lost there arm just down the road in Slidell.

Street ride up St. Charles to Camellia Grill for burgers and shakes. Would rate 7/10, it was decent, the service eclectic and the kids scoffed their grilled cheeses. But its a burger right?

Got back to the hotel to chill out, and took a trip to the lower 9th (details in another post). A need drink at the bar and then the delights of Bourbon street. Kids ate dogs, we ate seafood. All were happy.

How do you get the kids to sleep in a one room hotel? Beats the crap out of me.

Food Count

• Breakfast : Beignets at Cafe Du Mond
• Lunch : Cheeseburger with onion rings at Camellia Grill
• Dinner : Entoufee at Red Fish Grill

Atlanta to New Orleans

Atlanta, Georgia to New Orleans, Louisiana

Wow, what a breakfast at Days Inn in Union City. We feasted on a sumptuous "continental" breakfast or Corn Flakes, Cherios and plastic wrapped pasties. Yummy.

Later start at 9am, fill up on gas (the cheapest so far at 3.69/gallon) and Krispy Kreame donuts. Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and then Louisiana. Somewhere we switch to Central Time Zone. Trees turned to marsh and swamp before the first sign of Katrina. It was like Oliver had gone through Ava's toys and bend them in half. In this case it was the freeway signs, all neatly folder about 6 feet from the ground and bent over covering the directions. Its not funny that this was two and half years ago, surely they could have fixed the sings by now.

Coming into town, there were boarded up houses and all the other icons that you have seen a millions time before, but the reality struck of what happened here. But its a tale of two cities, the French Quarter looked untouched. Yes, there were a few "for sale" signs, but on the surface business looked to be good and plenty of people spending money.

Dinner at Mulate's, lots of yummy food and a live band. Both kids danced, especially when the "choo choo" was payed. And then collapse for it had been a very long day.

States

• Georgia
• Alabama
  
• Mississippi
• Louisiana
  

Food Count

• Breakfast : Days Inn "Continental" breakfast
• Snack : Krispy Kreame donut
• Lunch : Sandwich we made at a truck stop
• Dinner : Mulate's for Gumbo

The road to Atlanta

Chapel Hill, North Carolina to Atlanta, Georgia


So the packers arrive. One man short, again. I phone the ever helpful Frank "I already have my commission so I'm Ok" to find that he can't do anything to help, I should phone dispatch. Needless to say, I did not want to have another fruitless conversation so I went onto other things, like helping to get the house packed faster! 

We finally hit the road at 3.30pm. Car packed, kids installed. Full tank of gas and a bunch of miles... hit it!

North Carolina blended into South Carolina and then into Georgia. To be honest, it all looked the same and since we did not see Charlotte, the first city we saw was Atlanta at 10pm. We had a quick pit stop for Wendy's and gas before Atlanta and Oliver had slept some of the way, which was good. The kids had gone through their backpacks in 10 minutes, it all distributed over the car like some twister had touched down in the rear. The day was saved by "Charlie & Lola" on the DVD player. I think we may be sick of the English kids by the end of this...

Eventually at 10.30pm on the other side of Atlanta we call it quits. A little behind where we wanted to be but close enough. Checking in at the first Days Inn Ava bursts into uncontrollable crying (she had been asleep) which lasted what felt like an hour but was probably 15 minutes. We all slide into bed and close out eyes and dream of well... I can't remember.

Day #1 down, 11 to go... yikes.

States

• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Georgia

Food Count

• Dinner : Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwich

The start of the beginning...

So we start tomorrow, a mad idea indeed. Often asked why don't we fly, well everybody does that these days right? So what could be more fun than locking up two kids (five and a half and three) in a VW and drive from North Carolina to California via New Orleans and Route 66 for 12 days... 

The house is not packed, the movers turned up one man short and then finished at 6pm with a shrug of their shoulders. "Could not finish boss..". They return tomorrow to complete the job. We have been promised at least three guys, maybe a fourth to get the job done by 1pm at the very latest. We shall see. If nothing else its leverage for a discount from our man "Frank". Another night sleeping on the floor so lets see what happens.

So if nothing else, this blog will record what not to do when crossing America with two kids!