Doc Hop

Thing have so fallen so perfectly into place over the past couple of days that this move is shaping up to be an absolute dream. ✊ 🪵

Since my last post I have crossed all my t’s and signed on the dotted line. I signed my lease and completed all onboarding requirements needed to move into my new place, including setting up electric in my name and obtaining renter’s insurance (which seems to be required in California). An internet modem should arrive at my doorstep the same day as I do, and since I finally have an address, I was able to complete all my paperwork for Cal State’s HR Department as well.

Last but definitely not least — with all else set, I finally bit the bullet and booked hotels for my 36-hour, 2,460-mile cross-country trip. And ya’ll — this trip is going to be WILD!!

July 16: Little Rock, Arkansas

I plan to leave Georgia bright and early on July 16, as I have a 10-hour (667 mile) drive to Little Rock, Arkansas. I’ve never been, and I don’t really know much about the area, but I expect this to be the least exciting leg of my trip. I’m staying at the Hampton Inn downtown, which is nice enough — but out of all the places Hotwire placed me, this one definitely has the least personality.

Every trip comes with the unexpected, so I’ll happily accept a uneventful but restful night, especially after my first full day on the road. I’ve made quite a few significant moves in my life, but this is by far the largest and the longest, and the only one spanning multiple days and nights. I’d be lying if I said that the idea of driving it alone (and with pets) does not stress me out, but I’ve been trying to view it as an exciting, cross-country adventure. Which is exactly what it is!

And it’s from here that it really starts to get interesting.

July 17: The Big Texan, Amarillo, TX

About eight and a half hours and 600 miles will place me in the lobby of The Big Texan Motel in Amarillo, Texas. Let me explain how I got here.

For anyone unfamiliar with Hotwire, you can usually find a pretty good deal on the app, but it does not let you select your specific hotel before you book. Rather you compare price options, general locations, and amenities, and based on what you select the site just kind of puts you somewhere. You can see a handful of potential hotels before you book, but once you book, it’s like elementary school lunch — you get what you get.

And I got The Big Texan.

Look, I had to stop in Amarillo because the next closest city was Albuquerque and driving there would have made this leg of my trip 13 hours. I might have been able to do that with help, but Lemon has never once taken a turn at the wheel, let alone the boys. That said, the reviews online are actually kind of great, and if anything I am sure to leave Texas with a colorful story. I mean, the exterior of the motel is blindingly flashy and there’s a pool in the shape of Texas. And the sign out front literally says, “Come one, come all,” so they’re sure to be welcoming.

My only concern is that my room will be completely covered in cow hide and that I won’t be able to find anything to eat that is not soaked in animal fat. I was initially pretty bummed out by my luck, but I’ve really come around to this location in the past 24 hours. It’s giving camp. If I can connect to the internet during my stay, I’ll make sure to blog with my immediate thoughts.

July 18: Yavapai Lodge, Grand Canyon

And now for the pièce de résistance of my cross-country road trip — the Grand Canyon!

I’ve never been, so even though it’s adding about two hours to my overall travel time, it’s going to be totally worth it to enjoy some of that natural splendor. (And what’s two hours more when I’m already driving for four days?) And the detour provides the added bonus of allowing me to spend my birthday at the national park!

Even though this is the longest leg of my trip at 10-hours and 700 miles, I plan on leaving Amarillo before daybreak so that I can enjoy as much time at the Grand Canyon as possible. I refuse to miss the sunset, and ideally I’d get into town around 3 p.m. at the latest. I know I’ll likely be exhausted, but that might even allow me the time to walk a trail while I’m there. I’m going to do my damnedest to watch the sun rise as well as the sun set, but I am also prepared to give myself a little grace. At this point it will be the third/fourth day of my trip and my 30th hour of driving, so I’m fully preparing for complete exhaustion. The canyons aren’t going anywhere soon, and I’m going to remain grateful for the opportunity to see them, all-be-it briefly.

I’m also extremely excited about my hotel for this leg of the trip, as I’ll be staying at the Yavapai Lodge. Just as The Big Texan Motel literally screams Texas, this place screams national park. As you can tell from the photos I included, it has strong log cabin in the woods vibes. Again — I really hit the jackpot when it came to reserving locations with personality.

I can’t think of a better way to turn 38 — staring off across the canyon and into my open future. These days I often stop to think about how lucky I am to have made it here. My life really does feel like a dream.

July 19: Home, Long Beach, CA

As hard as it will be to tear myself away from the beauty of the Grand Canyon, the last leg of my trip will lead me to my home in Long Beach, so I’m sure I will hit the road with a spring in my step! Luckily, at eight hours and 500 miles this is also the shortest leg of my trip.

I was so excited last night that I could not sleep and opted instead to use the Google Street View function to find my exact building. (Is that weird? I don’t think it’s too weird.) I don’t know which specific apartment is mine, only that I’m on the bottom floor, but it makes my heart leap to look at it. I am just so excited!

I’ll arrive in Long Beach about a week and a half to two weeks before my U-Haul pods make it to town, so it will be a very empty apartment for a minute, but I cannot wait to drag it up and make it home. I’ve already started checking out the shops and eateries near my apartment and GIRL! The vegan and vegetarian options in Long Beach are gonna have me feeling like a KING. There is also an AMC movie theater about a mile from my house! I’m totally taking myself to see Twisters the weekend I arrive. I just love that Brandon Perea. (And I still remember seeing the original in theaters with my momma.)

Leave me a comment with things to see, do, or eat in Little Rock, Amarillo, and/or the Grand Canyon! I probably won’t do much but fill my stomach and kick up my feet, but any recommendations are greatly appreciated, especially surrounding the Grand Canyon. Which trails/viewpoints do I need to make sure to hit and when?

“Made up my mind to make a new start, going to California with an aching in my heart. Someone told me there’s a girl out there with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.” — Led Zeppelin, Going to California