The Road Trip – Day 2

Starring Ben and Lois

I woke up to the sounds of Matt coming in and out of the front door as I lingered in bed, wondering what kind of mood he was in, especially since we’d gone to bed somewhat angry with each other, not to mention his aggravation over the lingering car repair.

At this point Hannah started stirring. 

The plan was to tour the Carlsbad Caverns, then head to Arizona. 

Between sinus pressure, poor sleep, and feeling stiff and swollen from sitting in the car for twelve or so hours the day before, it was tempting to skip the caverns and just get on the road.  But Hannah picked up on the mood of the morning and convinced us to keep our plans.

So, we packed up our bags and drove the short distance to the caverns. You could either hike down to the entrance or climb a set of stairs to get inside. A brochure had warned the hike wasn’t for beginners so we chose to use the stairs. 

Once inside the entrance, we checked in and followed the path to the caverns. We were in awe of the depth and width of this intricate underground system. It was really hard to wrap our minds around men lowering themselves down on rickety rope ladders with nothing but headlights to see as they explored unknown depths of the earth. 

At the end of the tour, we stood in a very long line for the elevator. That’s where we met Ben and Lois, an eighty-something-year-old couple who had been traveling over the past two months.

As we talked to them, I wondered if Matt and I could be like Ben and Lois one day; long time partners enjoying life together.

Once we exited the caverns, I was hoping to eat dinner and then watch the bats fly out of the caves, but Matt was ready to get back on the road. Instead of risking an argument over whether we stay or go, I hid my disappointment and went along with Matt, as was my usual default mode. We stocked up on snacks from a nearby convenience store and hit the road. 

The original plan was to arrive in Tucson around dinner and explore the nightlife of the downtown area where we were staying. But, it was close to midnight by the time we arrived.

Matt was growing anxious as we drove up and down dark roads trying to find the driveway described in the Airbnb host’s instructions. I was so relieved when we finally pulled into the driveway. Not only because were were home for the night, but so we could stop arguing. 

Everyone got their own luggage out of the car and walked up the stairs to the garage apartment we’d rented for the night. 

A flip of the light switch revealed an open living space with a freshly made queen bed across the room, a black leather futon placed perpendicular to the foot of the bed with a coffee table sitting in front of it, and a t.v. hanging on the facing wall.  After some debate over who should get the comfortable bed, I suggested Matt have it since he was the one who had been driving all day.

It felt like I never really fell asleep by the time morning came, but it was time to get moving. We took turns in the shower before loading up the car and heading to San Diego.

I’d been to San Diego a couple of times before, but only as a stopping point. So, I was really looking forward to making it a destination this time. Little did I realize what was waiting for me there.