We ate breakfast at 4 in the morning at Howard
Johnson's and headed east into the dark looking for the sunrise.
As we approached Boise the Gigabee's were leading the way.
Suddenly they veered off the freeway onto the alternate route into
downtown Boise. We drove surface streets for awhile and finally
got back on the freeway. Durango thought to himself that he sure
was glad we got that early start so we could take these bizarre
side trips. We stopped at a vile rest area east of Boise where
Picture Boy took his first group photo.
We drove on for a bit til the Gigabees needed
the first of their many extra gas tank fillups. On we drove
through the boring part of Idaho and into Utah. We got off the
freeway north of Salt Lake City. Lulu informed us with a strange
earnestness that Jack needed food. Within the hour. Or
else...well, we were to find out what the or else would be. The
Gigs seemed to know of nowhere to eat despite their numerous trips
through the area. We said we'd follow them. Jack said he'd look
for a grocery with a salad bar. On the freeway we got. Off the
freeway we got. No grocery. No salad. We drove surface streets for
awhile. We got back on the freeway. One we drove. South of Salt
Lake City. Traffic was thick. It's been an hour since Lulu warned
us that Jack needed food, Wanda remarked. And then suddenly Jack
veered off the freeway without warning. Brake lights lit up ahead
of us. Durango expertly and safely negotiated the exit. But we had
lost the Gigabees. We drove and drove looking for them. Finally we
found them. Jack said he wanted to go back to a Mexican restaurant
he had seen. He careened through various parking lots and flew
into a KFC. We saw air between their tires and the road. We say
Lulu hit the roof. Literally. Finally we parked. We got Jack fed.
And we got back on the freeway and headed south toward Richfield,
past a dead cow bloated with legs sticking straight up. Perhaps
some sort of metaphor for this Road Trip.
Jack must sleep after a feeding. So, Lulu drove
on into Richfield. Durango drove to the registration zone of the
perfectly pleasant for one night's say AAA rated motel. Lulu
followed. Durango exited his van and walked up the the Gigabee van
where Lulu had an expression that Durango had never seen before.
She said you have got to be kidding in a tone of trembling anger
that scared Durango with its almost threatening violent nature.
The Gigabees drove off, Durango was worried sick. He took a
sleeping aid and knocked himself out hopping everything would look
better in the morning. Durango had trouble falling to sleep,
worrying what would Lulu do when she saw the trailer we were
staying in on Day 3 in Bullfrog?