Busy Hollywood boulevards, roads narrowed by streetside parking, crowned cross-streets that more resembled jumping ramps than roadways, and traffic lights located on steep hills added spice to this adventure.
All Well-Laid Plans
However carefully you plan, setbacks always happen. The start of our trip was delayed 24 hours, due to technical issues with the Porsche. Instead of towing the car to Hurricane, Utah, and picking up the Golden Gait trailer specially built for this trip, we drove to Hurricane for the enclosed unit and doubled back to California for the car. Then, just as things were beginning to realign themselves, a rock cracked the front windshield of the 2005 Ford F-250 Super Duty on Highway 15 near the Nevada/Arizona border. You can't foresee every possible problem, but preparing for the unknown can be the difference between a small issue and a big one.
Leaving California
Crossing Nevada in the middle of the night was a strange experience. Although not visible, steep grades and sweeping curves were evidence that sheer cliffs lay just beyond the ancient-looking, flimsy guardrails. Perhaps it was best that these deep, rocky cliffs and valleys remained cloaked by the night. Once back on level ground, the divided highway seemed to disappear into pitch-black darkness.
Another Bump In The Road
At 7:00 on Sunday morning, the second day of travel, we awoke to a dead battery two hours west of Flagstaff, Arizona. If it weren't for the jumpstart from Dale Mayes from Big D Tire service, who just happened to be in the area, the wait would've been a long one.
When you're prepared for traffic and other possible issues, and the schedule isn't rushed, things like cracked windshields, blown tires, and dead batteries are less likely to become major obstacles. If you're under pressure to keep a tight schedule, be sure to carefully weigh the cost of time and speed.