Westward ho

It's hard to believe that in about 32 hours, we will be leaving Iowa's comfortable confines and headed to Arizona and California (via Nebraska, Colorado and Utah) for two weeks. It seems like we aren't even close to ready, even though I know we are doing better than either of us are willing to admit. What I will admit to is a bit of apprehensiveness, but as someone pointed out to me today, driving vacations can be so much fun, because it is the thrill of the open road. This, not surprisingly, made me think of the Gary Barlow song of the same name.

But she is right. I haven't driven this far EVER, and haven't been on this kind of driving vacation since the early 90s. Our ultimate destinations are Phoenix (where my brother will finish Heidi's implant) and L.A. (where my sister is now living, after spending the last several years in the frozen Arctic of Northwest Territories, Canada.) Along the way, we're planning to hit a couple tourist stops, not the least of which is the Grand Canyon which I have not seen since 1986. I doubt it has changed much save the skywalk that has been built, but there is no way I'm paying 70 bucks a person to walk on that thing.

I am nervous about driving in L.A. but I have driven in Chicago so I figure it's not like I'm completely incompetent. I have never been to California before, so I'm looking forward to it. I feel like it's a crime to get all the way out there and not see the big trees but you just can't do everything. Anna is going to get to go to Disneyland, which is much less expensive than I was anticipating and I am looking forward to spending a large amount of time on the beach.

There may be some blogger meet-ups while I am out west - the logistics of which remain to be worked out so we'll see. I will be blogging from the road as well as uploading stuff to Facebook. I'm not sure how many updates there will be. It'll kind of depend on how worn out from driving we are and how much is worth reporting. I promise nothing but to endeavor to do my best.

Vacations of this sort kind of stress me out a bit, but the stress is completely self-manufactured. I am nervous that I will come back more tired than before I left. I still worry a bit about money, but that has been worked out as best it can. The thing I'm going to try to do is not get attached to outcomes. Rather, each day will be a new adventure and whatever happens will be part of that adventure.

So it will be fun and regardless of what happens, it will be memorable.