Half Moon, Full Heart

The Journey Begins

Chapter Seven

 The Journey Begins

 At 10:25 a.m.,

 Rachel eased her 1965 Mustang onto Mission, turned left and drove three blocks to Fair Oaks Boulevard, still struggling against the desire for one last look at her beloved home. She succumbed, for one brief second then sped away to the stop sign. Seconds later, she turned right and began the first mile of her journey.

 Rachel felt as prepared as she could be. She had poured over the scores of maps and trip info she’d gotten from her AAA office in San Gabriel. There was little else to do. She drove slowly north on Fair Oaks, past the 1 Freeway, and beyond famed Colorado Boulevard, route of the annual Rose Bowl Parade.

 After crossing Walnut Avenue, Rachel turned right, entered the I-210 East Freeway and blended into modest traffic. The well-tuned Mustang took commands eagerly.

 I-210 took Rachel past the I-605 junction, through San Dimas and to I-10, Eastbound. Her plan, flexible by design, would take her to 1-40 East, via I-15 North—the well-traveled route from southern California to Las Vegas. Her mind was so filled with thought; Rachel marveled at how quickly the miles peeled away.

Shortly after reaching the I-15 to I-40 transition, her mind was consumed with thoughts of her father. Rachel longed for his strong, granite-like presence, his gentle way. He seemed to always know the right answer to almost any question.

 Lawrence Loftin was a Texan down to his marrow. He always spoke fondly of his small birth town, Rosedale, Texas, located about 75 miles north and west of Waco, Texas. He was equally proud of his adopted hometown, Weatherford, Texas.

 It was at this instant, it fully dawned on Rachel she was undertaking a journey unlike any she had before. First, she was alone and embarking on a trip that would take her across country. To precisely where, only time would tell. She had never attempted something so daring in her life.

 Suddenly, a thousand questions—the answers to which she was certain she had already asked and answered-flooded her brain. What if the car developed problems in the middle of the night-and in the middle of the desert?

 She had AAA membership, a cell phone, a 40 channel, hand-held CB, a hand-held GPS (global positioning satellite) system and On-Star. Jesse had arranged installation through a GM friend, and suggested the other safety items.

 And there were other provisions: flashlights—three of them, extra batteries, jumper cables, fuel additives, extra motor oil, a flare gun kit, suction cup window screens, portable CD player with cigarette lighter attachment, a first aid kit with extra bandages, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, sunscreen, splints and more. Some of this was likely overkill, but Rachel wanted to be prepared for anything.

 She had no idea how long she could or should drive at a stretch. Jessie said she should simply listen to her body-pace herself. “No point pushing it,” he said. Connie, at the AAA office, had been very nice and helpful. All the excellent quality motels and hotels had been listed and highlighted.

 Her ice chest was filled with bottled water and juices. Rachel had packed snacks, fruits, sandwiches, but was prepared to test the fare found at truck stops, and other roadside restaurants, just for the experience.

 Comfort was her primary objective. She wore loose fitting jeans, her oldest, funkiest Nikes, and carried an oversized sweatshirt to mask her body’s curves. Makeup was limited to lip gloss. Carol had suggested she look as unfeminine as possible. Rachel took her advice seriously.

 It was almost 12:30 P.M. when she reached the I-40 Junction. She still felt fresh, alert, excited and scared. The gas needle had already moved to just short of three-quarters of a tank. She remembered estimates of her mileage and guessed where she would likely need fill-ups. Locations were marked on her maps and listed on a Palm she kept in her glove box.

 Rachel had considered a night departure, realizing how much she loved night driving. But reason had prevailed. She had been convinced, that until she reached some comfort level with the journey, and had confidence in her car’s taking of the road, it was best she start in the full bloom of day.

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