CA -> AR….A journey of an Indian Techie driving 2000 miles thru deserts, tornadoes and USA for work.
I do not know where I’m going to the below story (reality)
But it goes like this……..
I am at my friend’s house in Santa Clara, California and just been confirmed a job at Walmart WHQ in Arkansas, USA.
I set out on a drive early morning to avoid the bay area traffic and give myself maximum daytime drivetime.
Kelly’s Tandoori Grill, Bakersfield
7am Day 1: Bay Area, California
My only stop was supposed to be in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
But I had to make some unscheduled stops at Bakersfield, CA once that I got a call from my agent that my position had been delayed. It was a bummer, yes, but somehow, I kept my enthusiasm and after an amazing desi meal at a desi restaurant which by the way was very cheap! I headed to my next stop
Noon Day 1: Mojave, CA
Desert
Most people head west break down in the desert and get stuck beside the highway but I landed westside of Mojave Desert
It wasn’t much of a breakdown, just a flat tire, and of course because I was going 100 (I won’t say km/mi), and I had the tires with a tread which almost ran negative.
This was the first time I was changing a tire to spare on my own. Man, those skills came handy!
Night 1: Flagstaff, AZ
Rest Areas
Sleeping in the back of my car in a rest area wasn’t my daily routine!
But when you’re on the roads the highway don’t care!
Albuquerque
Day 2: Morning, Utah-New Mexico border
This was supposed to be my major city visit in the trip
The temperatures were soaring up to 100 degrees.
Old Town Albuquerque was much of a ghost town feel.
The Longmire Experience
Day 2: 11AM Mine shaft tavern, Madrid, NM
I was binge-watching Longmire at that time, and it was one of the shows which really showed Central USA in the sense of the Cowboys and Indians story.
Being my first such show I wanted to explore the places shown in the series as this was going to be probably, my only chance to do so.
This is the bar through which the Sherriff walks in for a drink and meets the owner/his friend Henry StandingBear. I go into the bar and say where’s Henry? (Lou Diamond Phillips)
Amarillo
By night
Day 2: Amarillo, TX
After those hillbilly beauties of the deserted NM mountains, Rain/Thunderstorm poured down in the musical city of Texas where I stopped at a bar on a Friday night. It was, in fact a bikini/strip bar I realized
Texas
Day 3: Morning in Ghost town Texas
As soon as I spent my first day in Texas I got acquainted with a cop! And I got my first misdemeanor (C)
Cowboy hat wearing cop
Talked about how his friend ended up dead after a car passed too close by his vehicle.
I was completely oblivious this rule applied to anything except firetrucks and ambulances and to be fair I slowed down almost to 50 considering how far they go bending their rules & safety for rich sports car drivers
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Day 3: Noon, Blue Hole, OK 74365
I dived into a common water pool with a towel side by
Water holes/swim holes/ or blue holes as they are known as are a common thing in Central USA. It brings people together, some of them are natural springs, others an alternative to escape the heat and just relax! I needed that after 24 hrs of driving
Tornado alley
4pm Day 3: Randal’s Ranch, Oklahoma
If this picture doesn’t scare you, being there definitely would.
Taking my shirt off and taking a natural shower was another crazy thing I did there!
Randal’s ranch is the name of this place
Truck Stop
Day 3 Oklahoma City, OK
Red sun melting to the blacktop
Shower at a nowhere truck stop
2 days into my journey, I was feeling I had a bath due! Instead of stopping at an Airbnb.
Although I dint end up in this town straight away, it’s the destination I ended up taking for a year after living in California.
All this journey to reach one day to his position, the one and only Doug McMillon
