Day 31
Start – 8536.0 km
Finish – 8660.1 km
—————
124.1 km or 74.5 mi

Finally, FINALLY left the Phoenix/Mesa/Tempe/Glendale/Scottsdale area. I have to say… not feelin’ it. Everyone is always saying how great Phoenix is… yeah, just not feelin’ it. I’m sure there are lovely areas of each of these towns. I’m sure of it. Had I seen them, I’m sure I wouldn’t feel differently about the fact that I never want to live anywhere near Phoenix/Mesa/Tempe/Glendale/Scottsdale. Desert climate. And there is no large body of water anywhere near it.

I eventually got on the road, having spent the night in Tempe at a really crappy hotel. I keep staying in crappy hotels. There’s always something extra crappy about the one I stayed in that beat the previous. Last night’s was far and above the winner, though. But I’m a little ahead of myself.

The plan for Day 31 was to get to Alamo Lake State Park in the middle of nowhere. Didn’t make it. Just outside of Wickenburg, AZ, a highway patrolman pulls me over. I’m surprised. Get off Scooter and he informs me that the license plate is barely hanging on. I look. One of the zip-ties holding my license plate on had snapped. Fortunate that he caught it.

He then asks me where I’m heading. Mention that I’m going up 93 and then cutting over to Alamo Lake State Park. He tells me that’s a bad idea, taking that route. That the last 30 miles is a dirt and gravel road. I should, instead, head south to Wendham and then take the paved road up. That, of course, is not on the plan for the day. It adds another 20-30 miles to the drive. I’m tired.

I stop for a bite to eat in Wickenburg, decide that I will stay in town for the night. I find the hotel I’ll stay at and all of a sudden, it’s the old west. Saloons. Cocktail lounges. Outdoor mannequin cowboys. And cowgirls. It’s 1972 in the hotel.

Strange days.

Day 32
Start – 8660.1 km
Finish – 9040.6 km
—————
380.5 km or 228.3 mi

The next morning, I decide I’m going to finish the drive, destination: 29 Palms, California. I leave Wickenburg after snapping a few photos, drive through Salome, take a right in Hope, Arizona and head to Parker the last stop before reaching California. I am utterly convinced there are 100 times more flies than people in Hope, Arizona. And they all were where I decided to rest for a moment.

Got to Parker, rested. Went to the library to use some internet. The last day left me disconnected. Many times, I’ve enjoyed not being connected at all. But when you want a connection, are promised a connection, and then can’t GET a connection, it’s irritating. After the short stop in Parker, I got back on the road. Less than two miles away, and I had reached California. The final state.

It was a long stretch of nothing from Parker to 29 Palms; 110 miles, to be exact. Almost exactly at the halfway point, Scooter died. Nothing. No cars. At least the heat from Arizona was gone. It was cooler.

I sat and sat and sat. Lots of climbing on small hills and I had been pushing him hard. After about an hour, Scooter started up. I gave him a pat on the headlamp. He seemed happy.

Shortly after dark, we pulled into 29 Palms. The outskirts of town were weird. Destroyed, vacant shacks of homes. Zombie-land, I felt certain. I didn’t see any zombies. But I think I saw a coyote. Or possibly an oddly shaped dog.

I was tired. Really, really tired. No vacancy at the budget motels, so I stayed in one of those motels you always see in the crappy part of town and wonder who stays in them. I stay in them. It was a cottage. It smelled of Indian incense. Strong smell. Paint peeling off the walls. AC unit barely hanging onto the wall. No deadbolt. Stained floor, stained walls, stained bathroom counter. A rectangular metal box had somehow been squeezed into the bathroom; that was the shower. I watched some horrible tv and fell asleep in a hot room, not even attempting to fool with the ac unit.

Today is day 33. I am in Yucca Valley. I am staying here tonight. This will be my last night on this trip before I arrive tomorrow at my destination for this trip LA.

I’ve been here at this Starbucks a while now. All day mostly. Scooter cut out twice today coming here. That makes me a little nervous. I’m sure we’ll be fine, and tomorrow, I’ll be drinking Vodka and Cranberries in LA.

Photos here.

Scott’s roadtrip across America is proudly sponsored by Miami Tour Company. For info on the best tours in Miami, visit MiamiTourCompany.com.