Day 2: nico become uncooperative

Why oh why do some people become uncooperative on road trips when mother and daughter filmmakers are documenting it?

the Proof: French Tourists

Day 1: fermentation, friends, the French, and flashes

So our first day we finally pulled out of our driveway and hit the road a bit, okay a lot late. But no stress. It's vacation. Hello, no stress, folks. So on the road we get on. We snacked and enjoyed the sights from our car pumping the AC. The temp outside was 100 degrees. We snacked on yummy food when we realized our cucumbers had a fizzy taste with each bite. When you're not expecting a pickle, it's an unpleasant experience. Then we moved onto the grapes.....and yup each grape also tasted fizzy. Foiled again by fermented foods. Then we get a call from my mom. She's left her medication at her home and as the consummate New Yorker, she doesn't drive. And we had driven more than an hour away. So, we get on the phone and text a circle of friends, asking for a favor....pick up my mom, drive her to her apartment 4 miles away then take her back. To our house. Well, after a few minutes Liliana comes to our rescue. She comes through. Thanks, girl. And the other folks, Audrey, Josh, and Barbie called back, ready to do us the favor, too. So, many thanks to our friends. You all rock. So, given this issue and the traffic, we were behind our loosie goosie schedule, when I recalled a convo at the mechanics. A suggestion was visit Bagdad Cafe on route 66. I remember the German movie years ago and. Always wanted to go. So, off we went, to find the French. The story is...because of the movie, busloads of French tourists always visit the cafe. We wanted to see it for yourselves. We pull in. It's just a near empty old timey Cafe. The owner is awesome, friendly, and inviting. Then she yelps, "BUS!!!!" And in stroll tons of French people, taking pics and ordering American beer like Miller High Life, the beer of my great grand father. So, it's true, the French love stopping at the Bagdad Cafe. Back on the road, and almost 2 hours later than we had hoped, we had the best front show seats to a bonified rainstorm with shockingly beautiful lightning, the kind from the movies. Dramatic. Entertaining. And a storm that broke Arizona's 28 year drought. On a last note, we finally get to Ash Fork, check in to our hotel and rush to the only restaurant open til 9pm and it's 8:30 when we get there. And they let us eat despite closing the doors. Thank you Lulu Belles. 10pm and we hit the sack. Zzzzzzzz.

Before We Begin....

This is the day before our grand adventure begins. Needless to say, we three are excited for 11 days of driving and really getting to see parts of North America that two of us have not experienced. Many thanks to Ron's Automotive in Pasadena for squeezing our car in to be checked Friday morning. And it's a good think we have the best and kindest two mechanics because it was discovered that an important part, a tube connecting to the radiator was gone. Absolutely gone. It's presumed that it cracked and broke off and we've been driving around without it for some time. Evidence of radiator fluid was sprayed everywhere. Yikes. Guess I should look under the hood more often. Anyway, Ron and the other Mechanic also made great suggestions for our trip. They made my four hours hanging with them pleasant and enlightening. We are also grateful that Nunu (my wonderful mom) will be house and cat/dog sitting or we would not be able to hit the road. And as for all you suckers out there paying the big bucks and getting onto planes flying to far corners of the globe, I say make a trip in your own back yard. Here's to getting off the interstate and discovering the real America.