Day Three: Victory is Ours

With 505 miles to go, Day Three was like a gift from above. We woke up to sunny skies in Tucson, and even sat down for breakfast before we got on the road. The big drama of the day was the Bears playoff game against the Seahawks. Conor, a huge Bears fan, was so intent on not missing the game that we bought a 9’’ portable TV on Craigslist the day before we left.

The TV worked for the first half of the game, but once we pulled away from Phoenix, the signal was lost as we rode through the desert. Eventually, we couldn’t get the game on TV or radio. In times of crisis, our first line of defense is a call into headquarters – our friends Derek and Christine are on call round-the-clock, ready with a text message of vital info or internet research at the push of a button. So we called it in, and they immediately put their phone next to the TV. So Conor listened to the third quarter through the cell phone, and relayed the highlights to Jessica, at the wheel.

The game is a close one. At some point, while driving through the mountains, we drop the call. We’re now approaching the Arizona/California border, and Conor wants to stop and watch the game. But there really is nothing for miles. Finally, we see a truck stop with a Best Western hotel. We pull off the road, and head to the lobby.

The game went into overtime, and stress ran high. Jessica knew if the Bears lost, the rest of the trip would not be a fun one. Things were not going well, but our luck came through once again. At third and ten, the Bears threw an amazing 35 yard pass. They kick a 50 yard field goal to win the game in overtime. Hotel patrons seem confused at the strange couple cheering and jumping up and down in the lobby. After the victory, we ran to the car and hit the road yet again. The hour we lost on the game is immediately made up a mile down the road, as we cross over to Pacific time.


The rest of the evening was uneventful and relaxing. We checked into our hotel in LA around 6pm, and relaxed a bit before going for dinner in Santa Monica. The next morning, we were able to sleep in before heading 20 miles south to Long Beach to drop of the old Civic and head to LAX to catch our flight.

To view all of our photos from the road, click here.