My JOY Ride to Sedona
Since we have a bonus Friday this month, I figured I’d share the story of how my adventure began. This is from day 1 / night 1. Enjoy!
Part 1: Aka Betty, On a Bender
For months I was planning my getaway. Life had thrown me some curveballs and I was tired. I truly couldn’t wait for a four day drive across the country alone and two weeks alone in my Soul Place, Sedona. After that, my dad and I were meeting in Santa Fe for a special father / daughter time. I gathered my belongings- coloring books, beads to make necklaces, tarot cards, journals, hiking boots, yoga mat and bolster, snacks galore! I got my car cleaned, packed and ready to go. I even put a little Ganesh statue on the dashboard for good luck. In India he is considered the remover of obstacles.
Three days before departure, I was struggling to decide what route to take, so I used ChatGPT. Not my favorite thing, mind you. But I figured this might be something it is good for. My request was, “Show me a safe route for a single female traveler from Greenville to Sedona with stops in Fort Worth and El Paso. If possible using Hilton Hotels along the way.” It gave me what I thought was the perfect route! 8 hours to Memphis (it praised the Beale Street, Canopy Hilton as a safe and fun place to stroll at night), 8 hours to my sister-sister in Fort Worth, 8 hours to my soul-sister Marie, then 8 hours to Sedona. It looked do-able and made the trek far less daunting. I could do 8-hours a day.
Here’s the backstory you need to know… You see, last summer, I was having some financial struggles. My car payment was part of the issue. I had been looking to sell my Honda and find an older vehicle to eliminate the monthly payment. That same week, my dad called. My brother got a truck for work and his wife no longer needed their car. It had already been passed from my sister to sister-in-law and they wanted to keep the car in the family. I wasn’t sure the vehicle and when my dad shared it was a Mercedes, I definitely wasn’t sure I should take it. I even got coached around whether I was worthy of driving such a nice car. (Isn’t it funny how our minds operate!) I decided this car was a magical gift of sorts. A gift from the universe to see if I was willing to be open to happy surprises. If I said no to this, what else might I be missing? I even got myself a little unicorn to sit on the dash to remind me of magical gifts. And oddly, that little unicorn got vacuumed up when I got the car cleaned just before my trip. All this to say, this is an easy car to drive! I have seat massagers, heaters and coolers, the best cupholders on the planet (thank you German engineering), a great stereo and a fun car to drive. Eight hours in “Betty White” each day felt very different than my first trip across the country at 19 in my stick shift Toyota Tercel.
I took my time the morning of my departure. I journaled, pulled some cards for my trip and enjoyed my hugs from my kids. The cards - vulture (blessings in disguise) and camel (a journey or adventure). These seemed quite fitting so I put them on the dashboard of my car as I pulled out of the driveway. My first day in the car was lovely. Eight hours kind of flew by! My stops were timed just right since I was the only one to care for. I even saw 10 turkey vultures circling overhead and smiled. Felt right to me! My snacks barely touched so far. My audiobook (the Guncle) a perfect listen for a light, easy day. Even when rain came down so hard and flash flooding began, I found high ground and just sat for a while. I had no timeline! It was such a joy to feel so free and on my own.
I arrived in Memphis to a sunny Saturday evening. But as I was driving through, it seemed a little rough around the edges. I am not sure what part of Memphis I was in, but I was a little nervous. I told myself if my hotel felt any bit uncomfortable, I’d keep going. I even stopped for a moment to search where to park. They only had valet and is was $42! But I decided to pay it. When we were little we had everything stolen out of our car moving from Texas to Kentucky so I am a bit weary when it comes to hotel parking lots. I roll into the part of town with my hotel being sure to take my tarot cards and tuck them in my purse. I don’t want them to see how weird I truly am! As I arrive, families are walking around. There’s a nice police presence as there’s a ballgame tonight at the ballfield next door. People are eating on patios and it looks super cute and safe for me. I had to wait in line for the valet, maybe 15 minutes or so. Then my turn to pull in. There’s only one guy working and he is hustling. So I waited, got my stuff and chatted with him for a minute. The other valets showed up and they began arguing. When my first guy came to chat with me again, I let him know the car was off and I was all set. I asked, “Are you good?” His reply, “Yes, ma’am. Pray for me. It’s wild out here tonight.” I said I would. He was kind and clearly doing the best he could. I was about to try and find cash for a tip, but he was in a hurry so I got out of the way. I turned to go inside and let the desk person know to charge my room for valet. I heard commotion outside, but thought nothing of it at the time.
I get in my room. So proud of myself for taking this journey and getting one step closer to my dream trip. I went to the bathroom and sat down on the bed. My phone rings with the Hilton number. I assumed it was a welcome greeting, but no it wasn’t. “Ma’am. Your car has just been carjacked. You need to come downstairs immediately. I’m not joking.” My hands started to shake. What on earth is happening?
I arrive downstairs to a melee. Ambulance leaving. Ten police officers. National guard. Et cetera. Et cetera. I can’t tell you the events that continued to unfold. The lack of support from Mercedes to help me track the car - when it was fully possible and the officer even spoke to them on the phone. My family calling Mercedes, On Star, anyone to help. But alas my car was gone and I was alone in Memphis.
Not gonna lie- I cried and I called my sister. First thing she said, get on a plane and come here (Fort Worth, Texas). All I wanted to do was go back to the safety of home. But she suggested so gently, come here and regroup. Decide your next steps from here. At 8pm, I booked a flight first thing in the morning to Texas. Booking an Uber to the airport next. Women-only driver… yes, please. Suddenly safety feels oddly elusive in this town I don’t know.
I took some time then went downstairs to check on the valet. This is when I learn his name (Eric) and his condition, non-critical care (a broken leg from jumping on the car to stop them). Then I learn the name of the lovely woman at the desk, Shaleeta. She gave me a free drink at the bar and said it was the least she could do. A sweet young couple heard what happened to me. The woman came and gave me a hug and invited me to join them for dinner. People really are kind. I was not fit for company and elected to stay at the bar alone to eat what I could. On my way back upstairs a gentleman stopped and asked if they found my car. When I shared the police said it could be gone, his reply, “Be glad you weren’t there to see it. We were in the car behind you.” Two kids roll up on rental scooters. Throw the scooters down as they see the valet get out of the car for a second. The valet jumps in front of the car and they ran him over on their way out. Shakily, I went to bed with fireworks out my window, a movie on the oversized tv and a chair in front of my door.
The next morning I was up early and ready to go. The hotel was still a buzz and now there was a security guard in place out front. My driver, Lesundra, was a ray of sunshine. She was sharing the story of her morning and her garage not opening. Her ex-husband coming to help her. Her canceled ride which left her free to pick me up. She spoke of miracles that led her to possibly miss some bad ride. When she asked me what I was doing in Memphis, I shared and she said, “Oh baby! Some miracle will come out of this. We just don’t know what it is yet.”
Fear and magic, it is funny how they both creep in. Magically, I left my passport in my charging cable bag. Magically, it was in my backpack I took into the hotel. Magically, I was able to get through TSA and only had a swiss army knife that broke the rules. Fearfully, I kept my passport in my bra while in Memphis. Magically, I boarded my flight and headed to Texas.
As soon as I saw my sister pull up, all I could feel was relief. Sisters can have that effect on you. And I am so very grateful. I arrived in Fort Worth on Father’s Day. My first one with my dad since I was maybe 10 years old. We got to all be together as a family for the first time in a long time. My dad has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s so this has more meaning than I can adequately write. Texas was the reset. The place to take a breath, talk to police, insurance and figure out the next right step. Thank goodness for family that knows you, supports you and just allows you to be. Thank goodness for a safe place to land.
(Part 2 coming next Friday!)
