The Girl in a Car

Road Trip Day One
Miles Driven: 600

How do you pack for a month when the weather will flux from snow to scorching sunshine? It turns out you just throw your favorite seasonal clothes in a suitcase and hope for the best. Luckily, I was driving and I had a big trunk.

List:

Camera

Ipod filled with new playlists

Journal

Clothes for all climates (remember hat, scarf, gloves, bathing suit)

Shoes for all climates (One pair per season!)

Snacks

2 Glass Gallons of Water

Sleeping Bag/Pillow

Tent

Dog bed

Dog Crate

Dog toys

Dog food

Dog

I packed up the recently tuned up 17 year old Toyota Avalon. I’d randomly thought to have the tires rotated the day before and the mechanic found a nail in the tire. My Intuition is back! It was pitch black outside when I pulled out of my driveway. The nausea of what I was about to do had left me, replaced with excitement for what I might experience.

The first leg would be from Franklin Tennessee to Tyler Texas Via I-40, I-440, I-369 and clocked at 9 hours. I'll be spending the night in Tyler at my friend Rachel's house. Because I drive I-40 nearly every year to visit my grandparents I wanted to drive straight through without attempting to site see the area.  

The dreadful insipid I-40 that normally sucks my will to go on had no power over my hopeful mood. The miles quickly passed accompanied by a motivating soundtrack that I sang at the top of my lungs.

3.5 hours in I reach Memphis where we stop at Cracker Barrel for an audio book and clean bathroom break and leave with The Girl on a Train. 

The Girl in a Car becomes fully engrossed by The Girl on a Train.

“Who's to say that once I run, I'll find that isn't enough? Who's to say I won't end up feeling exactly the way I do right now-not safe, but stifled? Maybe I'll want to run again, and again, and eventually I'll end up back on those old tracks, because there's nowhere left to go. Maybe. Maybe not. You have to take the risk, don't you” ― The Girl on the Train

I arrive in Tyler a little over 9 hours later just before Rachel gets home from work. I walk around the yard, peek in the windows, looked at the nice landscaping in the backyard and just as Patrick is about to do his business I realize I'm at the wrong house. We quickly jump back into the car and drive a few doors down.

Rachel’s Stats

Friend since: 1978

Who introduced us: Our moms

Together in: Oklahoma

Then She moved: Louisiana, Oklahoma, Abroad for awhile, Oklahoma, Texas

While I moved: Hawaii, Colorado, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Tennessee

What Makes us alike: creativity, Autumn birthdays, grew up in the church

What Makes us different: I am quiet. Rachel is athletic. 

Fun Fact: Rachel was going to be named Sarah but I was born first.

I have heard the name stealing story many times but I cannot imagine Rachel being named Sarah.
She is SO a Rachel.

Proof we were baby besties and showcases that our personalities were from birth.

Even though I am officially middle aged, I don't feel like I've reached adulthood. It is still weird for me to visit my friends homes, homes they own with guest rooms and children running around. It seems like we are just playing house and the real adults are going to emerge from the library at any moment and tell us to settle down and not run in the house. After a tour of her beautiful real home that she shares with her real husband and two real children, we went out to dinner.

We gorged ourselves on amazing gluten free pizza at Roast Social paired with white wine and intense Girl talk. I have to say, being a small town, I was a little surprised to find mouth watering gluten free pizza at this fab little eatery. 

Roast Social
Bees Knees pizza:
Roasted Garlic, 4 Cheese Blend, Soppresatta, Sausage, and topped with Mikes Hot honey, Thyme and fresh Orange.

I fought the urge to eat the whole thing and left myself two pieces for tomorrow on the road. 

Even though we moved away from each other in grade school, Rachel and I have always kept in touch. Normally we catch up over coffee the day after thanksgiving while visiting Family in Oklahoma. An overnight.. This was the longest amount of time we’d spent together in 10 years. I missed my friend.

I’d always thought Rachel was my opposite, and this was why we got along so well…the yin to my yang. But listening to my dear friend talk about the last ten years and bringing up memories of our childhood I realized we are very much alike. We shared similar life experiences and had similar reactions to those experiences. We both have had a rough go with food allergies and both have found a way to be healthier because of our limitations. And we both lead very different lives then we set out to live.

Now for a bath in the guest bathroom and a good nights sleep in the guest bedroom before the long drive tomorrow to Santa Fe.