Bonding With The Night Fury

Wednesday, April 13 my dad and I loaded into the Night Fury (Other wise known as my 2007 black prius) and headed off. We headed into the vast unknown for an adventure of a lifetime: New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and the final resting point of Virginia.

A few years ago, I was on a road trip just a few hours shy of the one I had in front of me. On this trip, I was most comfortable in my best friend Kyle and his wife Camille's F- something amazing truck. Although the accommodations were exemplary, I found myself a with a bit of motion sickness. During my short bouts of consciousness (sleeping is the only remedy for motion sickness), I foggily remember two men talking to each other about the strangest topics such as the Hells Angels and totem poles. Even though the memories were only foggy, I remember thinking that this could be something interesting. Once these memories surfaced, I talked with Camille and asked what the heck we were listening to. She changed my life. She introduced me to Josh and Chuck, two men who are now a part of my life. Josh and Chuck have a podcast "Stuff You Should Know".

Knowing I get a little sick from such long rides in the Fury, I was not adrenalized with the idea of 4 straight days on the saddle, so I made sure and prepared well: I downloaded 195 of their podcasts, 2.8 days worth of material. We made it through at least 25 of them! An informational, humorous and random podcast was the perfect thing to pass 6 states and 36 hours with. My dad and I were able to enjoy ourselves and really get to know Josh and Chuck pretty well.

The trip was pretty uneventful. We drove, switched, filled up the gas, drove, switched, filled up the gas... repeat a bagillion times. The Night Fury impressed us all and on one tank of gas got 429 miles! I think it took a little under 7 tanks of gas to go 2299 miles. Thank goodness I got me the Night Fury and not some other gas guzzler.

It is taxing on ones body to be cooped up in a car all day. Then adding the fact that it was raining, hurricane style, for three days in a row meant that I was clutching all my muscles and so tense as I held a death grip on the steering wheel. So, each night we stopped at a motel (thanks dad) to rest our little bodies. I'm not gonna lie, the motel 6's we stayed at both had a really bad smell to them, but heck all we needed was 6-8 hours to sleep so their job was fulfilled.

A long road trip with a person is a big commitment. My dad is the perfect road trip partner. It was great to be with him for 4 days. There aren't many people in the world that you could take a 4 day road trip with and not ever once get sick of them or annoyed by something they do, my dad is that man. He should be a professional road trip companion. (I don't know what type of road trip companion I make, but I know I am not nearly to his caliber!)

Needless to say, the three of us got here safe and sound. Then 18 hours later my dad was on a plane headed back to the good ol dry city of Mesa Arizona while I stayed in the freezing wet city of Centreville Virginia.

Love you dad!