Venice, California to Mustang Island, TX

1,706 miles

Los Angeles has been my home for the past 15 years. Less so lately as I’ve spent more time traveling for work or play but it is still my home base.  Returning from remote Costa Rica during the midst of the pandemic was surreal but the riots and destruction that ensued soon after I arrived were truly heartbreaking.  I watched as the restaurants and local businesses that have given me so much joy were shut down, boarded up, or worse destroyed. I realized it was never going to be the same. The city needed time to heal, to get back on it’s feet and it is going to take a while.  It seemed like a good time for me to continue on my way, to venture out and witness what the rest of the country was going through and to settle in a more laid back spot, somewhere close to the beach, somewhere where Mustangs roam free. 

If you would rather see my journey rather than read it, WATCH MY Highlights HERE

Venice, California to Phoenix, Arizona

389 miles

For me, long road trips are more fun with a copilot, so I was thrilled my friend Lucy wanted to join. Growing up in the Czech Republic, she had never taken road trips as a family like I did as a kid, so I was excited to show her a proper American cross country adventure.

Our journey began just 2 blocks from the Pacific Ocean in Venice, California, a city shut down due to riots and the Covid19 pandemic. Eager to free ourselves from the tension filled streets, we hopped on Interstate 10 and headed due east for nearly 400 miles.  The first hour and a half we navigated the Los Angeles traffic which is not ideal in a classic Mustang, but we made it through in one piece.   Once we passed Riverside, the scenery unfolded into rolling hills sprawling with hundreds of windmills. It was so majestic and a much welcomed change. 

Joshua Tree National Forest 

Roughly 150 miles from Los Angeles, we reached Joshua Tree National Park, a vast protected area in Southern California that is named after the twisted, bristled Joshua trees found throughout the area.  The stark desert landscape and rugged rock formations create a surreal landscape that is worth the trek in the heat but I recommend getting there in the early morning and bringing plenty of water and snacks. 

To officially enter the park, take exit 117 toward Highway 62 for 20 miles, then drive about 5 miles south towards the West Entrance.  The park was closed due to the pandemic so we stopped off the road for a quick photoshoot in the midday summer sun.  As the heat crept in we realized the overhead light was not in our favor and continued east to Phoenix.  

We stayed with a few friends in Phoenix who were happy to see us after being in quarantine for 3 months. A few glasses of wine turned late as we enjoyed the cool nighttime air till the wee hours of the morning.

Phoenix, AZ to Tucson, AZ

115 miles

Hot and hung over, we woke up a few hours later than planned and drove during the hottest part of the day. We didn’t have far to drive, but at 114 degrees F, I was keenly aware my car could only go so far before getting too hot.  Luckily our drive was smooth and we rolled into the city a few hours before dusk.  The desert sunset scene was unlike anything I’ve witnessed before.  We parked my car, scrambled up the hillside and gazed as the tall cactus on the hillside became silhouetted against the vibrant orange desert sky.  

Tucson, AZ to Truth or Consequences, NM

302 miles

Learning from our previous day, we departed Tucson just after sunrise.  I didn’t want to be driving in the relentless heat of the afternoon and we were determined to make it further than a few hundred miles.  We headed east on I10 towards El Cruces, NM and instead of continuing south towards El Paso, TX, we decided to drive north to Truth or Consequences, NM. Truth or Consequences is a small town built around the natural geothermal springs in the area and was orginally named Hot Springs until the name was changed in 1950 to win a contest hosted by a radio show of the same name. Unfortunately, amid the Covid19 pandemic there wasn’t much open, but we were able to book a room at the Pelican Spa, a funky boutique hotel built in the 1930’s which has natural geothermal hot tubs for guests to use all night long, and we definitely took advantage of that. 

We strolled along the main street through town admiring the various murals, attempting to understand the culture during a time of shelter.  Enter, Dirty Boots Garage Gallery, a museum and classic car garage owned and operated by Jim Bush, a US Veteran, classic car mechanic, and all around nice guy.   I met Jim while taking a picture outside his shop and ended up touring his gallery and garage.   

Truth or Consequences, NM to BroWNsfield, TX

352 miles

From Truth or Consequences, we drove north on Interstate 25 towards Socorro then east on the 380.  This is where the topography got interesting (finally some trees) and so did the history as we strolled through the town of Lincoln, New Mexico, the last place of Billy the Kid.  

As we drove across the arid desert landscape towards Roswell, I looked out the window and wondered if it was really an interesting place for other life forms.  I mean, there was NOTHING out there. Miles and miles of nothing.  How could this place be interesting to visit when there was so much going on elsewhere.  Or maybe that was the point?  Maybe they wanted to land where there were hardly any people? Undetected.  I thought I may get some answers when I arrived in Roswell, but all I saw was just a bunch of green alien statues next to corporate signs like McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts and Best Western. Unfortunately, the museums were closed and with social distancing in place I couldn’t speak to anyone to get more information. So the mystery continues…

The best stop in Roswell was at Antigua Cocina Mexicana which was the first sit down restaurant I had been to in three months. We ordered a round of fresh margaritas and my veggie fajita platter was a pound of grilled zucchini, asparagus, red pepper and onions served with black beans, rice and tortillas.  It was just the fuel we needed to push through another couple hundred miles before sunset. There was no particular interest in Brownsfield, Texas, we just wanted to make it all the way through to South Texas the next day and arrive at the beach.

Brownsfield, TX to Port Aransas, TX

564 miles 

As anyone who’s driven through Texas knows, it’s a very large state and most of the northwest is dry and flat.  Since there is not much in the way of road trip scenery and it was notably hot, we pushed the pedal to the metal and cruised the 385 miles to San Antonio. I was craving a big salad for lunch so we stopped at Salata, a fast-casual salad spot with endless healthy options and large portions. The landscape south of San Antonio remained flat although thankfully it was a lot more green. Once we passed through Corpus Christi, there were multiple bridges connecting the land to Mustang Island and as we drove over the last bridge during sunset a big smile crossed my face.  We finally made it!