Day 10: San Bernadino to the "End of the Trail"

Today marked the end of a journey. It was much than just a vacation for me...more than just a road trip...even more than just making memories with my family. If you asked me, "What was it then?" I think the answer might be hard to explain, but I'll try. I wanted to make this trip for a variety of reasons: 1. I love a good adventure. Seeing so many international travelers on the Route reminded me that our country is full of exciting, beautiful, quirky and fun places to see. 2. I love a good challenge. I think many people didn't think we could do it. I hate to say this was part of the motivation, but if I'm honest, when I come up with an idea and someone tells me it can't be done or that it's foolish...look out. Tonight I was cruising out of Los Angeles on a 14 lane freeway in a 55 year old car admiring the sunset while listening to The Beach Boys and Buddy Holly with my wife and kids. To say that there was a slight bit of satisfaction would be an understatement. 3. I wanted to stretch my own comfort and that of my family. We are spoiled. This epic journey required some grit, some self-sacrifice and a whole bunch of flexibility, perseverance and patience from my wife, my sons and me. Riding 2,251 miles in an old car with no air conditioning, manual windows, manual door locks, no trunk clicker, no climate control, one speed wiper blades, through metropolitan areas, two deserts and rural countrysides required something from the entire family. My wife was awesome on this trip...my kids were amazing...I think all of us understood the purpose of this trip and rose to the occasion. Mission accomplished. 

This morning we left Beaumont and picked 66 up again in San Bernadino. We journeyed past the second Wigwam hotel in Rialto and took in every mile of old 66 from Foothill Blvd, to Colorado Blvd (and looked for the "Terror of Colorado Blvd, aka, "The Little 'Ol Lady from Pasadena," but we didn't find her), Huntington to Figueroa, Sunset Blvd to Santa Monica Blvd on into the Santa Monica Pier and the "End of the Trail." 

We parked the Dart, walked down to Beach Trail, sat on a bench, and each of us prayed and thanked God for such and amazing journey. I thanked Him for the spirit of adventure that I believe He has placed inside each of us...a desire for discovery. In some ways I feel like this trip lived up to the command from Genesis to, "...subdue the earth." After driving across 8 states, I believe there is a lot of earth left to "subdue." I believe part of subduing is exploring and getting to know God through what He has created for us to enjoy. What a blessing to see everything from the wonders of the Grand. Canyon, the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest to the desolation of the desert. The marvels of man's creative ability (given to us by God) in the Willis (Sears) Tower, all the artistic murals we saw on the Route, the funky neon signs...all of it, I believe,, points back to the majesty of who God is and the blessing of what He's given us to enjoy and create out of what He's given us and who He has made us to be. That's a part of the trip that I just loved. I also enjoyed the diversity of culture across the USA. People in Chicago are different than people in Santa Monica. All along the way, we met people from Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, Norway, Spain, Belgium and more...the diversity of culture between the rural folks and the urban...it was fun to witness and experience. It's also amazing how something as simple as an old car can bridge the gap between someone from North Idaho and some from...well, anywhere else. God gave us the opportunity to put a smile on a lot of people's faces and for that, I feel very satisfied.

This evening we sat down at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company on the Santa Monica Pier for our celebration dinner. I told my wife that I was feeling a little emotional that the trip was coming to an end. She smiled, looked at me and asked, "What's next?" This trip is coming to a close...but, guess what? Adventure awaits!  Thanks for joining us on our journey - I plan to write a couple of other blog entries about the trip after we return home about lessons learned, but also tips for future travelers. For now, enjoy pictures from day 10!