LA to Boston – Road Trip Tales #1

Just as a quick intro…. I was cleaning out the cellar (at least taking a nick at the pile of rubble that is mine) and came across an old Road Trip Journal! Back in 1984 (that’s 28 years ago!-YIKES!) my youngest sister who had been living in southern California for a few years, had decided to return home to the Boston area. She decided to drive cross country, moving all her belongings (including a small kitchen table tied to the roof of her old Toyota) and I decided to fly out to meet her and make it a Road Trip Vacation for both of us. We had little money, so we planned to camp the whole way. The journal entries that follow are true, true, true… at least from my point of view. I can’t vouch for accuracy.

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June 13. The Adventure Begins.

All my clothes are damp. My 12 hour flight from Boston to LA had a layover in New Orleans and all the luggage was left on the tarmac in the pouring rain, including my large canvas duffle bag! The airline also lost the 4 person camp tent we planned on using. We’ll have to stop at the airport and have them send it back to Boston.

We are staying at The Flamingo Dump Motel  $45. a night to test our courage before the great endurance test… There are no chairs in the room, the ceiling fan doesn’t work, the toilet leaks, there is no hot water in the bathroom sink and the whole room has this damp quality. The view is of a roof!… but we are so exhausted we slept a little… I haven’t tried the shower yet, I kind of hesitate as there is no hot water… My clothes are hanging up to dry… My sister arranged for a friend to loan us their 2 person pup tent. Life on the road is going to be tight.

10:30 am – Breakfast at the Venice Sidewalk Cafe watching the wackos and muscle beach types roller skate by. Too cool for comfort.

12:10 Leaving LA – heading for Needles, California – that’s 250 miles with rest stops,of course.