Great American Road Trip: Day One

The Great American Roadtrip
A German, an American married couple and a Queensland Heeler dog set out on a cross country roadtrip to share experiences of Americana. The perspectives will all be different since we all perceive sensory information so differently. We don't know the outcome, but as we travel we will share our experiences and thoughts of America. This will be my fifth time driving across the United States and it will be Susy's third time and the Krazy Kraut, Nikolai, and Chloe the Heeler's first time.

Day One: 237 Miles to Flagstaff, AZ
Knowing my value for time, we started out a bit later than we had originally planned. We wanted to get out of Ojai around 9 a.m. which eventually ended up being 1 p.m. As I pulled up the Dennison Grade out of Ojai, Susy and I both commented on how it was a fitting departure. We originally arrived into Ojai up highway 33 from highway 101 and this time we left as if we had passed through town. As we wound our way up the grade to Santa Paula we found ourselves filled with so much emotion. Ojai was a wonderful place for us and we are so sad to say goodbye to the valley and all our great friends we made in the three years we lived there. We know we will stay in touch with them.
The route we took today took us through the desert and also allowed us to avoid Los Angeles, which in our minds is a wasteland. That's neither here nor there. Currently we our about 237 miles out from Flagstaff, AZ which is our planned stopping point. The desert area in eastern California is rolling hills dotted by the amazing Joshua trees. The hues are golden browns, and dark greens against a big deep blue sky that goes on forever. The interstate slices through the landscape. We have almost approached the golden hour of light and the sun is warming the desert that surrounds us.
As the day has gone on, the stress of everything we left behind h is beginning to fade as a distant memory. The details of moving can be so overwhelming that they stifle decision making. I'm exhausted physically yet my mind is racing with so many thoughts, did I forget something? is there some loose end that I forgot to tie-up before we left? In addition, I'm stoked to be beginning anew and many of my thoughts surround that.
Basically, life seems so surreal today, am I just on vacation? am I really moving across the country? I guess maybe its still all just mush in my mind.

The roses and thorns thus far: Rose, we are finally moving in a forward direction after taking care of months of extreme stress. Thorns: Del Taco really should be named Taco del Shame (their chicken doesn't really taste chicken which is hard to explain when so much food tastes like chicken.) The thorn for the day has changed, see below.

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We've arrived safely to our hotel in Flagstaff it's 12:37 a.m. and we cranked out 517.4 miles today and when we were about 37 miles out from Flagstaff we had an unfortunate event happen. Cruising down the road at 75 m.p.h (which is the speed limit in AZ) we tagged a small deer on the interstate. I did what I could to avoid the situation without putting us in grave danger, I acted quickly but the deer zagged when I zigged and we ran over it right down the middle of the car. I'm hopeful that the deer is alive, but I would be surprised. I'm saddened by the event but I did all that I could.