On The Road

My girlfriend and co worker, asked me if I'd drop her off at home. I thought to myself, she lived kind of far away, but hey, why not. So we set off from California for Pennsylvania 3 days later. Now this was a true adventure. We had only one mishap in Nevada (naturally). We stopped to get gas, got a flat, walked across the street to the AAA, asked if they could help. We got it changed and we were on our way in short order. Not much of a mishap.

In the Grand Tetons we stopped at a beautiful river that ran along the highway. Now I think the smell of a mountain river is one of the best smells on earth and I couldn't help but take an illegal swim in the icey cold water. My friend thought I was nuts, I, on the other hand, was in Heaven. We moved on up the mountain and found a state park. Camping wasn't allowed, but that never stopped me before, so we stayed. Besides, we weren't camping, we were "resting". I love the mountains, so again I was in Heaven. The rest of the trip to PA went pretty fast. I drove she slept, she drove I slept. We made it in record time. The Grand Tetons and the flat were the only things that held us up.

I spent a few days at her parents house, enjoying that tight nit country family. It was chaos with love, since there were 10 kids all but one younger then my friend and I. Somthing that was new to me, coming from the city and a family of six. (and being the youngest of the four kids) After a little bit of sight seeing, it was time for me to get back. Excited and fearful to be driving that distance alone, I put on a brave front and headed towards the west coast.

My radio station was tuned to country music. I'd gotten into it after working at a store that was owned by a Texan, who employed mostly Texans and all they listened to was country music. I was raised with all kinds of music, so I was open to just about anything. David Dudley was pretty popular at the time and sang a lot of trucker tunes, which I totally related to at that moment in time. Especially this one.

There are so many memories from that trip but the thing that stands out most is, as I traveled those American highways, I realized the truckers, who were also heading West, were keeping an eye on me. I was a young girl traveling alone, with California plates. I think they felt and obligation to watch out for me. When I would stop at the truck stops along the way, one or more of these truckers would check with me and make sure I was alright. When someone would come up to me and start in bothering me, there was always a trucker stepping up to make sure it ended pretty damn quick.They were always respectful to me and even kept a close watch out for me on the roads.

I remember once at an all night truck stop, where I stopped for the night. (I was running out of money and I didn't have enough for a hotel.) I climbed in the back of my little Opal Cadet and promptly fell asleep. When I woke in the morning I was surrounded by trucks. Not because the truck stop was full, because when I got out of my car, there was plenty of room in the rest of the lot. It felt like they were protecting me so I could sleep without fear.

I made it home safely, with a new respect for those Knights of the Highway and whenever I hear this song I think of that trip and those nomads that kept a look out for that lone 19 year old girl.

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