D day minus 6

We've never done a road trip quite like this cross-country trip...driving our 1998 Volvo V70 from Washington, D.C. to Palm Desert from August 18 to September 1...one way. We're leaving the V70 in Palm Desert as our new 2014 Volvo XC70 was delivered about a week ago. The good thing about a road trip is that we will have plenty of room, and we don't have to pay for checked in bags! The not-so-good thing is that we actually have to spend 2 weeks driving.

To compensate, we'll have some comforts of home on the way...a cooler run on the 12V outlet in the car, and a real luxury...a Nespresso machine and milk frother  for those espresso drinks and café lattes when we really can't take dishwater-style coffee surely awaiting us at each stop. And did I mention that we'll also be fortified with a coupla' cases of wine? Since it's summer, we'll probably have mostly whites and rosés. No dogs on top of the car...but we will have our cargo carrier with stuff that Virginia has wanted to take to Casa Somera in Palm Desert.

We'll be guided by AAA maps, our Garmin GPS, and a new spiral bound 2014 Large format Rand McNally Road Atlas. Google maps on the iPhone, just in case. That brings me to our itinerary that we've been putting together the last few months. We're pretty much booked every day of the journey. We'll be visiting friends in Cave Springs, Arkansas...Pat...a Peace Corps volunteer when Virginia was in Fiji...and later a nutrition student at Cornell during the time Virginia was at Cornell. Near the end of the trip, we'll visit Nick & Terry in Albuquerque; they're refugees from Washington, D.C. Nick used to have an Austin Healey, and when I told him we were driving the Healey to California...he believed me. It would be quite an adventure, but I'm not sure the check book would hold up under the potential strain. Total distance will be about 3,165 miles.

David and Virginia’s Road trip to Palm Desert, California, August 18-September 1, 2013

Depart Washington, D.C.               Sunday, August 18

Distance 361 miles

Abingdon, Va.                                   Sunday, August 18
A Tailor’s Lodging, 119 Park Street Southeast, Abingdon, VA 24210 (276) 628-7119; call Rick 30 minutes before arrival
Good Ol’ Girls at Barter Theater, 7:30 pm, 127 West Main St., Abingdon
Distance 305 miles

Nashville, Tenn.                               Monday & Tuesday, August 19-20

Hilton Garden Nashville, 1715 Broadway, Nashville, TN, 37203 Property information: (615) 369-5900;
Grand Ole Opry, 7:00 pm Tickets at box office (Tuesday, August 20)
Distance 336 miles
Memphis, Tenn.                Wednesday, August 21
 Double Tree Hilton, 185 Union Ave. Memphis, TN 38103;  (901) 528-1800
 Graceland Tour (no reservations) 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, TN 38116
 (901) 332-3329; 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Distance 305 miles
Cave Springs, Ark.                            Thursday & Friday, August 22, 23
 Pat Behlen Dexter & Tim
Distance 471 miles
Amarillo, Texas                                Saturday, August 24
Courtyard Amarillo Downtown, 724 S. Polk St., (806) 553-4500
Distance 286 miles
Ruidoso, NM                                    Sunday, August 25
Hotel Ruidoso, 110 Chase St. Ruidoso, NM 88345, (575) 257-2007;
Distance 184 miles
Albuquerque, NM                            Monday & Tuesday, August 26, 27
Nick & Terry Harrison
Distance 411 miles
Grand Canyon, Ariz.                        Wednesday & Thursday, August 28, 29
Best Western Premier, Grand Canyon Squire Inn, 100 Hwy. 64, Grand Canyon;              (928) 638-2681
Distance 113 miles
Sedona                                               Friday, August 30
Poco Diablo Resort, 1752 State Route 179, Sedona, AZ 86336; (928) 282-7333;
Distance 125 miles
Taliesen West/Scottsdale, Ariz.    Saturday, August 31
The Boulders, Waldorf Astoria Resort, 34631 N. Tom Darlington Dr., Scottsdale, AZ 85262; Tel: (480) 488-9009;
Taliesin West, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. Scottsdale, AZ 85259; (480) 860-2700; (480) 627-5340; Reservations for August 31 at 1:00 pm (90 minute tour).
Distance 268 miles
Arrive Palm Desert, Ca.                  Sunday, September 1