It simply was a desire to go on a road trip.  I love road trips and rarely go on them.  Mike and I planned a road trip last year, and while it was a trip, and we used a road, we ended up doing little more than visit family.

Now don't get me wrong; visiting family is great.  But, to me, a "road trip" is an opportunity to travel where you've never been before.  The purpose is to go where the road takes you, stop when you want to stop, and have no schedule other than when you start and when you end.  Last year's trip didn't live up to that.

And, so, the desire for a road trip grew ever stronger in me.  In my mind I felt I had to justify the road trip.  I knew Mike couldn't or wouldn't take the time off to allow for enough time for a decent road trip.  How about just doing it because I want to?  Somehow that seemed extravagant.

And then there's the question of where.  And when.  Can't wait until summer--school's out and too many people on the road...and it gets too hot...gotta be spring...but Memorial Weekend is an awful time to be on the road...and I have a Girl Scout commitment mid-May...well, maybe if I keep it to a week...then maybe Mike could come...but what could we do in a week?  I guess head down to my folks and then back up the coast back home.  I've always wanted to drive the coast.

And, then pops in Jenni.  "Mom," she says, "you should drive up the entire California coast."  Wow, what fun that would be!  But that would take more than one week.  Especially if we included the Oregon and Washington coasts, too.  That's too long for Mike.  "Mom," she says, "you do the entire California coast and I'll come with you."  That did it.

So, here we are--planning a trip up the entire West Coast, starting in San Diego.  Mike will join us for the first week and then Jenni and I will take the coastal trip.

I've taken a few trips with my mom and always kept a journal.  Jeanne, a friend of mine, likes to blog.  She encouraged me to convert my journal idea into a blog, and so here we go.  Hopefully, Jenni will be able to work her tech magic so that I can post daily. 

I hope you will enjoy the journey with us.  It will be quite the West Coast Adventure.