The Road Trip Part I
Having spent the two weeks after graduation relaxing and just soaking up the California sunshine, the inevitable moment had finally arrived for David and Thad. For both of them, those fourteen days had seemed far too short, time flying by in an instant. They had spent long relaxing days at the beach, and had taken the chance to enjoy the surf - in David's case by paddling at the shore; in Thad's case, much to his friend's horror, on a board attached to a kite. On the spur of the moment they had headed up to San Francisco on the weekend, going to see the sights there before Thad moved back east and for him the trip became far too lengthy. Not that they had mentioned that fact all weekend, although the prospect of all of those miles between them was weighing down upon them more and more as time went on.
It hit Thad all the more on the days when he decided to use a spare hour to start to pack up the things that he wished to take with him to Dalton, to make his new little apartment seem more homely. Some items he could pack up quickly enough, but others had strong memories attached, and that slowed him down. He was also slowed down by the fact that he only packed when David was not around, sorting out things of his own, or was taking a quick siesta in the afternoon. Thad was relieved that Jake and Unique would be moving in when he left; their landlord terminating their lease had come at a fortuitous moment, and although it meant that the spare room would no longer exist, so to speak, it was better than David having to move out of a place that he saw as home. He would miss Thad though, and that feeling was mutual. Wes' selfless decision to ensure that his best friend had the support he needed had worked out well for all concerned in the end. It had ensured that both David and Thad had had a friend they could count on whilst in college. They had been able to support each other through the traumas that had come along to disturb their lives, and even though they would soon be far apart, they both knew that they would carry on doing so as they navigated the turbulent seas of life.
Now the day that they both dreaded had dawned. Thad had packed the last of his belongings into a box the night before; his laundry had been done during the night, and was also packed away. The RV that David had hired was parked in the driveway, and the man himself was now chatting to Jake, filling him in on the little bits of information that he needed to know about the house, and handing him two sets of keys; one newly cut, and the other the set that Thad had handed to him in silence that morning over breakfast. Thad took one final glance around the room that had been his for the last few years, then headed into David's, where the bed was neatly made, and everything was in the apple pie order that his mother had instilled into him before he had gone to Dalton. He quickly placed the envelope with the letter he had written to him on the bedside table, then placed the new framed photo that he had got for him on top of it. The photo had been taken by Mercedes, and was of the two of them in caps and gowns from graduation. She had been aware of what he had been planning, and had managed to convince David to allow the picture to be taken. On the frame he had had etched four words - 'Best Buds are Forever!' Then he left as swiftly as he had arrived, shutting the door behind him.
He paused for a moment in the hall, closed his eyes, and composed himself, his head full of memories, both good and bad, from this house. He still kept his eyes downcast for example whenever he approached David's bedroom door, unable to shake the memory of the day when he had run down the hall towards it, and inhuman noise coming from the man on the other side of it, on a morning almost two years ago… He shook the thought out of his head, and headed outside, happy to hear the sound of Mercedes voice as he stepped out of the front door; she had not been sure if she would be able to come and see them off when they had shared dinner together the night before. The moment that he appeared she came across to him, and pulled him into a hug which he quickly reciprocated.
"This place will not be the same without you," she whispered. "You see and take good care of yourself. You're a special guy, and don't ever forget it!"
"And you take good care of him for me," Thad whispered back. "I promise that I will send him back in one piece."
"You'd better," she replied with a laugh, "or I will set Santana on you!"
Then he went over and said his goodbyes to Jake, and at the last moment, to Unique, who had arrived with the movers. Then with David at the wheel, and everyone's good wishes in his ears, the two of them set off on their transcontinental journey.
They had both agreed that for the trip they would avoid the Interstate as much as possible; after all, they weren't in a hurry. Instead they had chosen to try and make the trip along the line of that most fabled and historic of roads - Route 66. It had been fun to gather together all the guides and the information that they had needed; to plan their overnight stops, and the slight deviations that they would take from the main road to see a few attractions along the way. Now they were actually on their way; they both switched off their cellphones, having agreed it was best to conserve their battery power for an emergency. For the same reason, they had ensured they had a good emergency gas supply, as there would be sections of their route where gas stations were few and far between. They had a good supply of food and water with them too, just in case they could not find a convenient diner to stop at.
As they took the road north out of the city, heading for San Bernadino, heading in the direction of the more desert-like, desolate parts of the state, Thad switched the radio on, and found a station that was playing a good mix of familiar tunes. He began to sing along with them almost unconsciously, making David shake his head at first, but then he joined in, ending up with the two of them singing at the top of their voices as they left L.A. behind them. They both knew that at the other end of their trip they would part company, but for now they were still together, and they would enjoy being so for every single moment of their journey.
They had left early enough, and made great progress along the road that had once been known as Main Street America. They drove carefully and steadily through the state that they had both called home for the last few years, but now David was the only one that could continue to claim that it was. They stopped for a late lunch at a roadside diner, then after a side trip to look around the ghost town of Calico, Thad took the wheel and they continued on their way at a steady pace to the place they had chosen to spend their first night. It was in the Mohave Valley, just across the Colorado River in Arizona. The lush greens of the irrigated land were a welcome sight after the greys and browns that they had been driving through for what seemed like hours; and the campsite that they were stopping at, adjacent to a lake with a fishery on it, was pleasant and quiet. Having found their space, they pulled up; Thad got out first, eager to stretch his legs, whilst David was happy just to sit for a moment and enjoy the view over the lake.
Thad left him there to head to the washrooms to freshen up a bit, and that allowed David to let his emotions overtake him for a moment and shed a few tears. He had, after all, just helped to drive his best friend out of the state. He did not want Thad to go, but he couldn't stop him from doing so, just because he felt that it was going to break his heart. He wiped away the rogue tears, then headed into the RV, and ran the water in the sink, so he could splash away at his face. He refused to allow Thad to see just how upset he was, or he knew that the other man would probably change his plans - and if he did that, David would never forgive himself. By the time that Thad returned, he was back to his old self, the moment of self pity forgotten, joking around as if this was just a day trip, and not as his heart was screaming, the end of the world. After an hour or so, they got back in the van and drove the short distance to an old fashioned roadhouse that was recommended in the guide books, and enjoyed a meal of ribs whilst they chatted away to the locals. This done, it was back to their camping spot, to fold out the beds, and settle down to sleep.
Nature woke them up early again the next morning, but this suited their plans. After a swift breakfast they headed back to the old road once more, and drove along it for a while, passing through the town of Kingman on the way. Shortly after they reached the spot where they turned off for the first of their detours. It was surprisingly close to the old road, and it would have been a travesty they both agreed just to have driven by. It was naturally going to be busy, but that was only to be expected with one of the greatest wonders of the natural world; a landmark for a nation, and indeed, renowned around the globe. They would be viewing it from the opposite side to Sebastian and Dave, but like them, they both had their breath taken away by the sheer scale of the Grand Canyon. The idea that such a vast feature could have been gouged through the landscape by the water that know flowed through the river at its base was astounding in some respects; in others, it was logical, and a reminder of how fleeting the lifespan of a human being was compared to the planet they inhabited.
They had taken numerous photographs, and had enjoyed a late lunch again, when Thad suddenly saw the sign advertising bungee jumps. He had done one before, but that had been in a far less stunning location than this…
David saw where his friend was looking, and his face paled at once. He was by now fully aware of the daredevil attitude that Thad had developed since Wes had died, and had heard of all the things he had done. It still startled and frightened him. The very notion of throwing yourself over the side of the Grand Canyon, entrusting your life to a thin piece of elastic rope was complete madness… "You want to do it, don't you?" he said quietly, and Thad nodded in response.
"The last one was exhilarating, and it is so beautiful here… I might never get another chance to do this, so yeah, I am going to go for it, if that's okay…"
"You're an adult. I can't stop you, but don't expect me to watch!"
"I won't," replied Thad. Then, with a mischievous tone, he continued, "Maybe one of these days I will convince you to join me. I mean, they do allow you to jump tied to someone else…" He laughed as he saw the way David's expression of horror had frozen on his face. He leant closer, then whispered in his ear "Trust me when I tell you it is almost as big a rush as it was that night that we flew above the streets of Manhattan, clinging to the hand of Kurt or Blaine…"
They stopped that night on the outskirts of Flagstaff, with Thad opening up their supplies to create a simple meal for the two of them. David had sat beside him in the passenger seat in silence, all the way from the canyon. He was still pondering what on earth had caused his sudden head rush. The one that had made him agree to being tied onto Thad and then quite literally thrown off a cliff. He could still hear his own screams ringing in his ears; the noise he had made as they plummeted towards the river so many feet below. He could still heat the gasp he had made as the rope went taut, and instead of falling they were being bounced back up in the direction they had just come…
It had all been over in such a short space of time, and much as he hated to admit it, he had actually enjoyed every single minute of it. He had been in too much shock to actually say anything when they got back to the top, and the man in charge had handed them back their property. He had heard the words 'caught it all on film for you' but they had not registered….
As Thad set the simple meal of chicken and noodles in front of him, he suddenly found that he could speak again. "Well, I can see why you would like doing that. I'm glad that you convinced me to give it a go, as it was quite an experience. But, never, ever again…"
"I understand," Thad replied. "It's not for everyone, the life of a daredevil…"
"Yeah. Anyway, so next time I think that we should try a spot of skydiving instead," said David nonchalantly. Thad burst out laughing, but then stopped abruptly when he glanced at his friend's face and realised that maybe, just maybe, he hadn't been joking about that…
From Flagstaff, their journey the next morning continued to take them eastward, across Arizona in the direction of New Mexico. The whole area was completely new to both of them, and a complete contrast both to the world that they had known at college in L.A., and that they had grown up with on the eastern side of the continent. It was a lot less green for a start, the features more rugged, and the temperature was high. The air conditioning in the RV was turned up to the max, and yet they both still felt warm and sweaty, even though they were only wearing light T-shirts and shorts.
"I can't imagine how people manage to endure this when they are working outside, day in, day out. Even the idea of coming through here in a car with no air con is making me feel queasy. When I think of all of those poor people fleeing from the Dustbowl back in the 1930s in those old trucks, often sitting out in the unshaded back or crammed together in small cabs, it must have been horrendous," said Thad as they roared along a desolate stretch of road, with not a building in sight.
"It would be even worse in the winter; if it is hot like this just now, the chances are that it will be freezing cold up on these high roads then, especially at night. It is not the most hospitable part of the world to say the least," replied David. "having said all of that, I am glad that we are taking this chance to see some of it, rather than just flying over the top of it as we so often do. The people that travelled this way, the people that built this road and others like it; they are the people that made the country what it is now."
"True, but let us not forget that it was the railroads that united the disparate territories first. Those great transcontinental railroads were the glue that bound the country we live in now together. What it must have been like in their heyday, when you could board a train in New York, and stay onboard in relative comfort until you reached L.A.; thundering through these remote corners behind the full horsepower of a mighty steam locomotive. I almost wish that I had been born earlier so that I could have experienced that. Those trains brought goods to these places; they brought jobs, services and most of all, they brought people. Small communities of railroad workers and their families. Of course, times changed, the world moved on, and those people were forced to leave as the jobs went, even though the trains often kept running," Thad continued.
"I guess that the interstate did the same kind of thing to this road when it was constructed; all of the little places, with their motels, garages and diners fell victim," added David, as they drove past the shuttered remnants of what had once been a gas station, abandoned now to the encroaching vegetation. He could see the interstate running almost in parallel to them, the trucks shining under the bright cloudless blue sky that stretched from horizon to horizon. "Yes, the new roads were faster, but not safer, and they also destroyed the livelihoods of so many people, all sacrificed to the altar of so called progress. Of course, not everywhere ended up like that; some were fortunate enough to be near the exits, and they survived, at least until the big chains came along and undermined the old establishments."
"Which is why when we planned this trip, I deliberately avoided the big chains. That is why we are staying in the small places in the little towns of the real America," said Thad proudly.
"Just as long as we remember not to mention that you're gay, and we let them think you have me employed as a driver in some spots though," remarked David, and with a sigh, Thad nodded in agreement. They might have brought modern roads and new hotels to the middle of the country, but that didn't mean that they had also brought the attitudes of tolerance that existed on the coasts to everywhere in between…
They stopped for lunch in the town of Holbrook. In contrast to most of the other places that they had passed through up until then, the town still seemed to be alive, with a sense of bustle and purpose that was missing in so many of the other communities now. Their lunch was good quality, old-fashioned fare, and the burgers that they consumed that lunchtime were better than even those at the Spotlight, not that they intended to repeat that fact to Michelle or Santana anytime soon. Then it was back onto the road, heading into the Petrified Forest National Park. The moment that they saw those signs, they knew which of their friends would have loved the place, just for its name - Blaine. It sounded as if it should be in the pages of a Harry Potter book. They made a stop at the visitor centre, and took their time looking at all the displays, reading the story of just how it had been created. The wood itself was beautiful, and that encouraged them both to buy a tiny piece in the inevitable gift shop. David stated that he was buying it as a gift for Mercedes, but Thad was pretty sure that like his own, it would end up on his desk at home, just one of many reminders of their cross country adventure.
The visitor centre left behind, they continued on at a leisurely place, enjoying the splendour of the views towards the Painted Desert, which stretched out northwards from the road, until they eventually reached the spot that they would overnight in, close to the small town of Gallup. That night they watched a free dance show after dinner, which was being put on by the local Navajo, a reminder that the land they were passing through had once been the preserve of the indigenous tribes. Their ways had been lost as their own culture had come along and overwhelmed it. That thought was sobering for both of them, and left them feeling regret for what had been lost.
The next morning they quickly reached the border with New Mexico, which was marked with what they had discovered was typical signage, and a plethora of gift shops. They drove straight past, the small pieces of wood from the petrified forest being a more than adequate souvenir. They had a new day to enjoy, and after a brief stop to take a photograph under the sign for Local Road 666, they once again turned off the main route on a detour, heading south and then east once more, to pass by Inscription Rock, part of the El Morro National Monument. They stopped to take a look at the names carved into the rock in the shaded oasis in the desert, some now faded, but others still clear, despite the fact that the last names had been carved prior to 1906. Then it was on again, heading through the Indian reservation, passing along the southern edge of the Cibola Forest, the rocky peak of Mount Taylor looming above them in the distance. Just prior to reaching the small community of Grants, they arrived at the El Malpais National Monument, with its lava fields and sandstone bluffs. After taking a few moments to stretch their legs and stare at the desolate landscape, they decided to use their supplies once more, and Thad made lunch. It was still early, but they had a long drive ahead of them to reach Albuquerque, and then a way to go beyond that to their overnight stop. The day was warming up again, and they were both grateful for the shade that the small awning on the side of the RV afforded.
They drove on, making time to go and visit the Ice Cave nearby, happy to spend a few dollars to make the walk down into the ground, through an old lava tube, into the heart of a dormant volcano. After the 20 minute walk, they both felt themselves start to shiver as away from the heat of the day, they now were in temperatures that were more common in winter. The walls of the cave glistened blue-green with the ice that never melted here. It was one of the most beautiful things that either of them had ever seen. The only problem they had after visiting the strange natural phenomenon was that the heat of the surface seemed all the more pronounced.
They resisted the temptation to take a further detour to see the Acoma Pueblo, for two reasons. Time was now pressing, and the sun was strong; the idea of walking around all of the historic houses in what was dubbed the Sky City in the current heat did not seem appealing at all. The road appeared to shimmer as they carried on eastwards, leaving the mesa to the south. The traffic, which had been light, began to build up as they approached the outskirts of Albuquerque, a city were once again their guide books had offered them a choice - they could head north, off the final line of Route 66 to Santa Fe, on the old alignment, or carry on east. They chose to do the latter, as there was a good campsite close to Tinkertown, the model village, from where they could easily drive back into Albuquerque to pay a visit to the old town, and to find an evening meal. their route through the city took them along Central Avenue, much of which had now been painstakingly restored to how it would have appeared in the heyday of the road, with gleaming stores, garages, diners and motels. They stopped briefly to fill up, then headed out of town to check in at their overnight stop.
They returned to the city, after they had both freshened up, and did so by taxi, as both of them found the idea of driving back in tiring. It was by far the biggest settlement they had been in since leaving L.A., and as such it was a draw. The sun was now setting, and the temperature was more bearable, which made for a happy stroll through the historic buildings of the old town, all of which had been built in the traditional, Spanish influenced style of the region. They walked round the historic church, appreciating it's architecture. Then it was back to the old road, looking for somewhere to eat, but also stopping to take photos of the buildings along it, that had been constructed in a time when life might well have been better. They had selected one particular diner from the guide to visit, but on arriving there discovered that it was now closed. Still, the diner that they did eventually walk into was absolutely ideal, as it was decorated for a time frame when driving from coast to coast would have been done in a gleaming Cadillac; a time when the roads were not filled with massive trucks, that made the RV shake as they thundered by….
"This is the life," remarked David, as he pushed his empty plate away, and contemplated ordering a slice of pie for dessert. "Good food, good service and a good friend to share it with. I don't think it could get much better than this!"
"True… If Wes had still been around, do you think that we could have persuaded him to join us on this trip? In so many ways, this would have been right up his street. He would have loved exploring the old America that he always liked to talk about," said Thad sadly in reply.
"Now that would have been good, and bad… He'd have insisted on carrying his gavel about with him all the time in case we argued over something; he'd probably have insisted on doing all of the planning, and that would not have been great; and the RV would have been awkward for me, given that you two lovebirds would have been sharing a bed…" David grinned at the shocked expression on his friend's face at that last comment. "But no, it would have been such a laugh, the three of us making our way across country. What does surprise me is that he hasn't shown up to sit behind us in the RV and help us navigate…"
"I guess that he might still do that, but he has his work to do these days, and he is pretty dedicated to that. He feels so much responsibility for his tasks, but then again, he always did…" sighed Thad. "I would love it though if he could maybe get away and join us as we head into Texas tomorrow, albeit briefly… So Wessie, if you are listening…" David laughed, and resisted the temptation to point out that he was pretty sure Wes was always listening. The waitress arrived and they placed an order for pie. After demolishing two generous portions, they left to head back to their temporary home, and bed.
