Road Trip: Day 2

Waking up is curiously easy.  Sleep the night before wasn’t the best and it didn’t help that I was nervous someone was going to break into my car.  We get ready fairly quickly and eat breakfast.  The eggs taste powdered but the waffle is tasty.  I notice that my trunk handle thingy is dangling by its wire so we make our way to the store.  The girls pick up deodorant and energy drinks while I grab zebra print duct tape and sunflower seeds.  Car is “fixed” and looking snazzy and we’re ready for the Grand Canyon.

The drive is just as I remember but a little more dramatic.  Midway to our destination I receive a phone call.  Apparently my dog, Homer is running wild down the streets of our neighborhood.  Perfect timing, really.  My brother is at school, my mother is at work and I’m in Arizona.  I thank the lady when she tells me she will put him in our backyard.  Crisis averted with minimal stress. 

I am terrified of heights and even more terrified of canyon-type heights.  Good thing we have Vicky for comic relief.  (Read “The Saga of Vicky”)  The Grand Canyon is beautiful and breathtaking.  We take photos of us in which we appear to be falling off the ledge.  Okay, I’m done but Melanie and Danielle want to get closer to the edge.  I try not to be a worrywart but when Danielle is prancing along a steep drop off, I get anxiety.  Well, she may not be prancing but in my mind, she mine as well be doing handstands and back flips…. Equally dangerous….

Afterwards we scope out The Meteor Crater.  Obviously not as large as the canyon, but scary nonetheless.  The girls walk up higher to get a better view and I stay behind.  I can see just fine, thank you.  We buy some goodies in the gift shop and an old man comments on our matching shirts.  "Bitches be road trippin', that's hilarious!  Reminds me of that funny lady... Oh what's her name...  That black girl"  Whoa...  This guy is weird.  Note to self: Show him Vicky.  "Queen Latifah!" he shouts.  I chuckle.  Thinking to myself, "Whatever dude, smell ya later."

DONE!  I think this is the end of my anxiety for the day and I am oh so wrong.  We leave the Canyon and mosey on to Roswell, New Mexico.  New Mexico highway is achingly repetitive with some plateaus and a lot of desert.  It’s getting dark and soon it’s 10:00pm.  I’m the driver and I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes open.  Must stay focused.  “Oh look!  The turn off the highway!  We’re almost there!”  I’m excited.  Then Melanie reminds me we have about 2 ½ hours to go.  Great…  This new road we’re on is pitch black and desolate.  With the exception of our car a prowling coyote and one passing car, this road is empty.  I miss all of the truckers from the previous highways.  My mind immediately scopes the situation.  This is where we’re going to break down.  I know it.  This is where the mutant people with sharp teeth, red eyes, ears on their foreheads and slimy fingers are going to eat our eyeballs and turn us into slaves.  That doesn’t happen and we make it to our hotel. 

Danielle and Melanie start watching “The Fourth Kind” a movie about a woman who is probed by aliens.  I’ve seen it so fall asleep looking at the necklace in which contains some of my father’s ashes.  He made it.  This is where he would want to be.