I DID IT!!
I threw all my belonings into a 10ft rental truck, drove some 1600 miles (Austin, TX to Glendale, CA) and survived to tell the tale! Not only that, I did it in 3 days and within my budget. WOO-HOO!!
I left Austin as of July 21st, some two day earlier than planned. It turns out the friend I’m staying with would be out of town when I arrived, so I moved things up to the 21st instead of the 24th.
I drove across west Texas and it was a grand journey. The A/C kept the desert heat at bay and I had a chance to see some majestic scenery. Including dust devils. Weird little tornado-like storms that come and go quickly. They look like a small fire burning, when seen from a distance, but then you notice they’re scooting along the ground and, if they’re close enough, you can see the swirling dust. Marvelous. I lost count after spotting some 15 of them.
Be warned, by the way, that weird smell you get on I-10 as you pass into New Mexico is from being downwind of several VERY LARGE dairy farms! stinko
The first night, I got as far as “Truth or Consequences” New Mexico. I spent the night in some little cheap motel, the Rio Grande. I was happy to pull over. Thunderstorms were threatening and driving thru the mountains at night in a storm wasn’t my idea of fun.
The next day took me to Alburqueque where I spent the day with an old friend from my days on IRC, back when I was in college. He showed me the sites and introduced me to a great dim-sum restaurant. yum-yum
Wednesday, I started out later than I wanted, but missed the downtown traffic of Alburqueque. I wasn’t sure how far I’d get, but decided that when I got to Needles, CA, I’d call the friend I’d be staying with and let him know my plans.
I made good time across the rest of New Mexico. It was fantastic to cross the Rockies going up, up, up, even tho you don’t really feel it. I crossed the Continental Divide around 1 PM (up at some 7000 ft) and started the slow decent into the deserts of Arizona.
It was quick traveling across Arizona with only country music on the radio and more dust devils to break up the scenery. I didn’t have the time or money to stop off and see the sites, so both the Grand Canyon and Boulder Damn were missed. sigh
By night fall, I made it into California but unbeknowst to me, I was passing into hostile territory. Crazed bandits, disguised as California State patrolmen, pull my truck over and checked over my belongings. They were searching for “fire ants” or so they claimed! They made me open up the back and “haha” asked if I was bringing in an illegal aliens. Worst of all, they confistcated my beloved avocado plant! whine whimper Again, they made the excuse of saying they’re checking for fire ants and nematode worms. sigh I never saw my poor little plant again as those bandits took to the hills! 
The sun was just going down when I called my friend from Needles. I ate a quick dinner and then decided to make a run for it. So, driving thru the darkness, I made my way along I-40, then to I-15 and eventually into Glendale, California.
And here I am. Now the bad news. I’m here for graduate school. I’m all signed up for classes and getting my living arrangements and other details worked out. But with school, especially graduate school, I’ll have even less time to spend online, reading The Straight Dope, especially. So, sadly I must go back to lurker status, or worse, not even read at all!
I’ll try to make a few appearances here and there, but my new career calls (I’m in the Anthropology dept and will be studying religious and magical practices of NeoPaganism).
It’s been real, it’s been fun and it’s real fun!