Bet you're wondering what two people and a schnauzer dog do for grub when they're on the road, right? High temperatures make it impossible to stop at a restaurant while we're traveling because we can't leave our little woof in the car and not being fans of the typical fast food restaurants that line the freeway, I pack most of our meals while we're on the road.
We left Tucson yesterday early afternoon to drive to Indio where we stayed the night which meant we had not one but two meals to think about. Hey being a passenger's a lot of work and I get hungry! Lunch was what we call a "snacker" lunch, crackers, cheese, vegetables and dip and smoked sausage or as the big guy calls it "donkey dick" ...now that's gonna' get me some weird traffic isn't it?
The only problem was as soon as we pulled out the food and started in on it, the Maxer decided he was car sick. If you don't think that didn't involve some fancy footwork!
Dinner had to be something we could eat on the fly. Last year I made pita sandwiches but personally I thought they were rather dry and tasteless, so thought I'd make a take on the stromboli we've had in the past only as hand pie sized Calzones. Now the stromboli was excellent cold and the Italian sausage, roasted red pepper and triple cheese calzones were too, maybe even better and very easy to eat.
I would have loved a nice cold apple as dessert or even some grapes or a nice cold anything actually because about 70 miles outside of Indio the AC went out on the Jeep. Now it is 107 in the shade and with the opposite of wind chill, it's a heck of a lot hotter. We'll be stopping in San Bernardino to see if the Jeep dealer there will fix our problem, otherwise it's gonna be a long hot haul to Redding.
So that's about it for our first day on the road. I figure that we were about due because in 4 years, this is our first issue. Pray people or we'll be spending our first full day of vacation in San Bernardino.
By the way, we've eaten our limit of white chocolate macadamia nut cookies instead of fruit. Isn't that a bummer? Of course we also have some snack food to keep our energy up - nuts and gorp for the big guy, chips for me and zucchini and romaine lettuce for Max. He loves the stuff!
By the way just so you know, we don't STOP to eat ...we just keep driving. Heaven forbid we should stop when the big guy's in his driving box but on the other hand who wants to when it is 111 in the shade. Saying all of that, thankfully they've finally re-opened one of the rest stops in Arid zona that I can attest to. Yes, can you imagine? Somebody figured it made sense to close the darn things down to save the State some money. Course I always figured the call of nature much like death and taxes is a given. After all when you gotta go, ya' gotta go. I think they kinda' "pissed" away the opportunity to make some extra scratch - I mean I'd pay a buck to go if I had to. Wouldn't you?
I'm sitting here sweating at the thought of you guys without AC. I'd be a whining mess! I chuckled at your mention of the big guy's "driving box." Dave has one of those too and just HATES to stop for ANYTHING.
Posted by: Mags | 06/26/2010 at 10:04 AM
Mags, I'm a hot, sweating, whining, wining mess!
Posted by: June | 06/26/2010 at 01:59 PM
Think of all the money you save by packing your meals and then think of all the gas and wear and tear on the jeep you save by no AC. Did I make you feel better?
Posted by: pam | 06/26/2010 at 05:51 PM
Pam, maybe, kinda' sorta'. Nahhhh!
Posted by: June | 06/26/2010 at 06:02 PM
I used to drive around in that heat without the a/c on purpose - I had the Miata - hehehehehe!!! You got snacks - life is good!
Posted by: Nanan | 06/26/2010 at 06:26 PM
I did a trip like that with my cat a couple of years ago. I got through Chicago and wanted to eat. And I wanted to get out of the car. I had no idea it was so hot out there! Had to do fast food. Then in London, Ontario I just had to get out of the car. Took my cat in her fancy dancy carrier into the restaurant like it was my personal bag. Nobody was none the wiser. She is always so quiet. We both got to sit in air conditioning and not in the car.
Posted by: Sarah G | 06/26/2010 at 06:59 PM
Lea - we've driven it in our Miata too but somehow it never seems quite as hot, except the time we drove through Joshua Tree National Forrest and I almost croaked on the big guy. Come to think of it, that's about where the Jeep AC gave up on this trip. MMM wonder if I'm cursed. LOL
Sarah - lucky you your pretty cat and a nice bag. Max'd be barking at all the ladies looking for attention. Course we could just pretend it's the big guy. LOLOL
Posted by: June | 06/27/2010 at 02:34 PM