Made up my mind, make a new start
Goin' to California with an achin' in my heart
~Led Zeppelin
I didn't go to California with an ache in my heart, but I was California Dreaming on such a winter's day. After two stressful weeks of last minute road trip planning, I was on my way from Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Pasadena, California. With the help of two friends, John and Kirk, we made the week long, 4,000 mile journey to watch the National Championship game at the Rose Bowl Stadium. The facts: we drove straight through to California. We left Monday at 11:30 am and arrived at Huntington Beach, CA 8:30 Tuesday night. Wednesday we sunk our toes in the Pacific Ocean, drove through Hollywood, and watched a Lakers game that evening. Thursday, we picked up our tickets at 10 am at the Rose Bowl Stadium and spent the rest of the day soaking in the sun, waiting for the game that's been in every Bama fan's dreams. Friday, satisfied, tired, definitely not thinking about school the following Monday, we slowly started our way back home. We left around 2 pm and arrived back in Tuscaloosa Sunday at 12:45 am.
I was able to purchase a student ticket in the 2nd round of eligible students. I found out 2 weeks before the game that I was going! I stressed through Christmas to find 2 friends to make the journey. After one friend canceled two days before the trip, John and I gave Kirk a phone call, who couldn't pass up the opportunity of a lifetime. I loved the change of scenery that we experienced driving through southwest United States. My favorite state was Arkansas. I loved the weather, the cacti, and the boulders that decorated the highway. We stopped for a few hours to visit Phoenix and we toured Arizona State's campus. It was a cloudless 70 degrees in Phoenix. The worst part about going back to Alabama was the winter weather.
