A Roadtrip from the West Coast to North Carolina, Day 1: California and Arizona

We picked up our Penske truck and the car carrier in Corona and set off at around 11 a.m. It would have been more convenient to rent in Orange County, which we were leaving, but it was cheaper in Corona, which is about 50 miles east of Los Angeles.

The drive is about 2,600 miles.

Corona. Corona?! Reminds me of the coronavirus. Surely, the place had this not-very-pleasant association four years ago.

Leaving California. Leaving California is a very long process. This place is so damn large. We’ve been driving for hours, and we still haven’t left California.

It’s a vast desert. Do people realize how much desert there is in California? Many views show no signs of life when you look far into the distance. It’s a desert! I wonder: If I leave the car and start walking away from the highway into the desert, how long would it be before I die from dehydration? The movie Babel with Brad Pitt comes to mind. I forget where exactly the events take place, but there’s a scene where the nanny loses the kids in the desert.

Joshua trees! Are they Joshua trees? We’re not in the park, but there are a few trees here and there in the desert that definitely look like Joshua trees.