You know it’s going to be a good day when you wake up before your alarm clock because you’re just that excited to get started.
Today was the first official day of Joseph’s & my road trip adventure. Up until this point, we had spent our honeymoon relaxing & exploring San Diego, but today, we went to Enterprise & rented a car for the first time in our relationship to begin the trek north to Seattle.
And we didn’t get just any car. I waited on the bench outside with our many bags while Joseph went inside to get our ride. Twenty minutes later, he rolled up in a white 2021 Ram 1500 Classic, blaring Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins. We loaded up our bags & hit the road, ready to officially begin our adventure.
Our first stop was Griffith Park to hike the Brush Canyon Trail. The weather was cool at the beginning, so I made the mistake of not putting on sunscreen, & very soon regretted it. The trail wound up the side of a mountain littered with cacti, which provided little shade from the hot sun that baked on our heads from above & reflected up on our faces from the orange dirt beneath our feet. Despite this, we still had a wonderful time taking in the views on our trek up. On the way, we passed by a sign written by pebbles that read “Have a Nice Day,” which made us smile & gave us a little lift to carry us up to the top.
The view from the top of the mount was scenic, yet somewhat disappointing. I was under the impression that we would be hiking to the Hollywood Sign, but somehow, we ended up on the mountain beside it. The trail offered excellent views of the iconic spot, & looking back, that was probably better for pictures than standing right next to the letters, but I still felt a little wave of disappointment, standing exhausted & sunburnt at the top of the wrong mountain.
On our way back down, we met up with a man named Larry who was creating another sign that said “Have a Nice Day” out of sticks on the side of the trail. After a short conversation, we learned that Larry created a number of these signs all along the trails in the park, & he comes back almost daily to repair them for the hikers that pass by them every day. Larry was inspired by a hike he was on years ago where someone had lined the entire trail with sticks – the ambience it created added to the hiking experience, & Larry wanted to do that for the trails at Griffith Park. He started by lining the portions of trails with large rocks & boulders, & then he started creating arches out of sticks. His latest project has been creating these signs, & he finds joy in the smiles it brings to travelers’ faces.
Larry took our photo & wished us a happy honeymoon, & then we were on our way, smiles once again on our faces, just as he had intended.
Our next stop was Hollywood Boulevard. We ate a quick lunch at the truck & then drove into the city of Los Angeles. We had a two-hour time limit on our parking, which I was worried wouldn’t be enough time, but as it turns out, Hollywood Boulevard is not as exciting as I thought it would be, & we returned with time to spare. As we approached the boulevard, we walked along dirty & graffitied streets that already gave me a nervous feeling.
“This isn’t quite what I expected,” I said to Joseph.
“Yeah, it’s just…a city,” Joseph said.
“I hope Hollywood Boulevard is better, but it’s not looking good.”
My hopeless prediction proved true when we arrived at the famous road. Lined with cheap tourist shops filled with plastic Oscars statues, crowded with people walking blindly past groups of homeless city residents sitting on the sidewalk, the stench of weed hanging in the air, & with bright, flashing globe lights on the fronts of theaters that, instead of adding an affluence to the walk, just seemed to add to the facade of the entire attraction. The only enjoyment we had was reading every name on the Hollywood stars beneath our feet, excitedly calling them out when we recognized one. We took the required touristy shots of us sitting & kneeling beside the stars we liked best, grabbed some delicious coffee at Tiago Coffee Bar & Kitchen, a brightly colored cafe committed to cultivating a welcoming community for artists & the LGBTQ+ community. We then walked back to the car & began our drive to Santa Barbara.
On the way, we decided to detour from our route to drive along the coast of Malibu. The waves were even bigger than the ones in San Diego. They lazily approached the shore, growing as they rolled like ice cream being scooped out of the container, before finally crashing against the sand. We admired the scenery as we drove, growing hungrier by the second but never regretting the longer drive.
For our Airbnb, we reserved a private room in a small home in Santa Barbara. We stuffed ourselves with leftovers & finally showered after a long, hot day in the sun, & then we crashed on the comfy bed & armchair in our room, exhausted from our day.
Our first day back on the road was tiring but exhilarating. It feels so good to be traveling again. I feel a little out of practice from our year-long hiatus – the long hours spent in the car, challenging hikes, & restless sleep takes a toll, but I know my body will adjust quickly to the new demands as it did before. Being able to travel & see this beautiful world is a true gift & blessing, & I plan on soaking up every minute of it.
But I don’t just want that mentality while traveling. That is the souvenir most important to take home with me. Every day has new experiences to be enjoyed, inspiring people to meet, & hidden blessings around every corner. We just have to keep our eyes open & appreciate every moment. We have to remember to stay focused on the positives & to embrace every new opportunity. And when surprising detours & trials come our way, our challenge is to simply appreciate them as part of our unique journey.
I guess I’m trying to say, as our new friend Larry put it much more simply, today, & every day, I hope you have a nice day.