#SacAcrossAmerica
I can’t exactly pinpoint where the point of no return happened. It could have been when we quit our jobs, or when we bought the car. Maybe it was when we made the call to break our lease. But it didn’t feel real until we pulled out of the driveway- the backseat of the 2003 Toyota Corolla packed to the brim with suitcases and pillows and bags full of snacks. We looked at each other and my fiancé (then girlfriend) shrugged because there was no adequate way to express the enormity of what we were doing.
We debated bringing the Sac. At first we didn’t think we could even fit it in the car. But when it came to our attention that there was a way to pack it into the trunk using the Cinch Cover, we became resolute in shedding even more of our belongings so that it would fit. The Citysac had become such a staple in our home and it held sentimental value, more than most things we owned. So it was decided: We cinch it up, stuff it in the trunk, and it comes with us.
Departing: Juno Beach, FL
Call it symbolic, but we admittedly backtracked about 3 miles out of the way to the pier so we could say we made a “coast to coast move.” The Sac meant more to us than just being a place to sit. We didn’t even plan on taking it out of the trunk, but when we were on the pier and Jackie said “let’s get a shot of us on the Sac” it solidified itself almost as marker- a piece of us that we were going to plant firmly at each stop, to track our progress while we made the biggest move of our lives. This is where #SacAcrossAmerica began.
Stop #1: New Orleans, LA
Jackie had been. I had not. It was Jackie that gave me my first Hand Grenade while we were on Bourbon Street. I am not much of a day drinker, but after one of those, all bets were off. We spent 3 nights in New Orleans and each one of them blurred together. It was a collection of music, dancing, and some of the best food I had had up until that point (remember- this was only our first stop.)
You would think having a big blob on a street corner would draw attention, but you would be wrong. The Sac on Bourbon Street was maybe the least weird thing in eyeshot, and it made for some excellent people watching. And yes, we washed the covers about 25 times after this stop. Bourbon Street is fun, it’s vibrant, it’s full of life, but I don’t even want to think about what has touched the street. Yikes.
Stop #2: Austin, TX
Imagine going to the world’s best place, and everyone who is there knows it’s the best place, and they secretly don’t want the world to know because then everyone would move there, but they are still super nice to visitors because this particular place also has the world’s nicest people. That’s Austin. It is Southern living in a small, yet culturally progressive town. It’s the best of both worlds. This place has figured it out and they are in no rush to brag about it because they are too busy living the easy life.
An hour south of Austin lays Salt Lick BBQ, which is what I can only surmise as being the best BBQ on the planet. Jackie and I had every intention of eating BBQ on our Sac, but once the food came and we dove in, it was like nothing else even mattered. All other senses took a backseat to Taste, which ruled our brains for the 3 hours we were there.
We did make sure to catch a shot in front of the world famous Austin mural. More people offered to take our picture than any other place. Nicest people in the world.
Stop #3: Marfa, TX
Here is our hypothesis: All of the music festivals that take place in the desert need a place for those traveling in to stop and rest. This is Marfa. When you drive through, it could almost pass as any other small town with a half-mile radius. But there was something different about Marfa. There were museums, and campgrounds and drum circles lining the borders. With miles of deadland Texas surrounding it, Marfa was this out of nowhere place that poked it’s head out. It was just plain weird but in the best possible way.
On our drive out of Marfa Jackie noticed a Prada store on the side of the road (in the middle of nowhere.) We popped out, and it turned out to be a really cool art installation, sitting there for no reason other than just being awesome.
Stop #4: White Sands, NM
It was like we drove into a dream. The sun was shining, but there was a brisk, cool breeze. And in every direction for miles and miles it looked like snow, like we transported ourselves to Antarctica without the cold. I don’t think I had ever been in such a quiet and serene place in my entire life. The quiet was almost distracting. Imagine hearing absolutely nothing. No leaves, no wind, just absolute quiet.
We initially thought it would be a nice photo op but we stayed for hours. We rolled our Sac up and down the dunes and the Cinch Cover protected it from all of the sand. But in what might have been the most memorable part of the trip, and up there in one of the happiest moments in my entire life, was when Jackie and I sat on our Sac, in the middle of the cool desert, and took an hour-long nap. There was no place to be, no worries to be had.
Stop #5: Santa Fe, NM
With each stop in our trip, we found a completely new world to explore. A rich and vibrant culture fills the streets of Santa Fe. It’s an artist’s hub. Adobe style homes are the norm, and a bright and beautiful palate contrasts the brown desert terrain. There is an art museum at every corner where bursts of colors unapologetically fill each canvas. More than another spot on our trip, Santa Fe had deep roots steeped in Native American culture, and it was proudly shown through the paintings and music that lined the street and main town square.
Jackie and I strolled down Canyon Road, which housed over a hundred art galleries from every medium. Artists from all over the world found their spot in Santa Fe, and collectors from all over the world met them there.
Stop #6: Sedona, AZ
A town strewn with red rock formations and exquisite hikes- and we saw none of it. We stayed 3 days in Sedona, in a room of a hostel, sick with the stupid flu.
#SacAcrossAmerica made a hard stop a little more than halfway into our trek. We arrived at night, and a couple hours later, the basin was at either side of the bed. Somehow, somewhere in the country, we had both caught a terrible flu. It was truly awful. I could say it gave us time to reflect, time to plan the rest of our travels, time to rest in what was becoming a 2 week cross-country trip. But nope. It just plain sucked. We had both cabin fever and an actual fever. We were trapped in a small room, puking our guts out, wondering when we’d get better enough to get back on the road. The Sac stayed in the trunk of our car for this stop. No apologies there.
Stop #7: Grand Canyon, AZ
We were on the upswing from our flu, and we seriously debated making a straight shot to Los Angeles and bypassing our next two stops. I was on the mend quicker than Jackie and I was insistent that we get to our final destination. Jackie would not have it. Sick or not- we were finishing #SacAcrossAmerica. We were making our last 2 remaining stops. And so we did- and thank God for that because we would have missed a big beautiful hole in the ground.
There’s not much you can say about the view at the Grand Canyon except to say that if you haven’t been, you just have to go and see for yourself. It’s a hole in the ground. And it takes the breath right out of you. Your mind can’t really comprehend what you’re looking at, no matter how long you sit and stare out.
The fact that there were no guardrails was alarming. You would think there would be a little more safety precaution, but it made it all the more exhilarating. Here was a great place to un-cinch our Sac, and pull up a seat to the best view in the country.
Stop #8: Las Vegas, NV
Not my cup of tea. I really just don’t get it. Maybe I need to go again but I honestly feel like Vegas is one of those cities where I “get it.” And I can move on.
Jackie was still sick, so she went right up to our room, which, by the way, was an upgraded suite at Caesar’s Palace. She went right to bed and I hit the casino.
After losing 20 dollars in 5 minutes I thought maybe it was time to just take a quick walk around. A wrangled with the passersby to get my #SacAcrossAmerica shot on the Vegas Strip, and honest-to-God, happily turned in before midnight. The best part of Vegas was the overpriced room service in the morning. Breakfast overlooking any city is always a treat.
Final Destination: Los Angeles, CA
You can drive from Florida to California in 3 days. We did it in 13.
We were admittedly scared to leave the comfort of the East Coast and make a move as big as we did. What kind of challenges would it bring to us as both individuals and as a couple? Dropping everything and moving across the country is a daunting task, and we were prepared for the hardships it could potentially bring.
But we made it. And it was the best 2 weeks of our entire life. Dancing in the streets, eating BBQ in Texas, throwing up in AZ. What could possibly bring us closer together than that? The Sac now sits happily in our living room, the Cinch Cover put away until we need it again.
We got engaged a week later. If you’re going to make a life change, we say go all in. Our Sac was there when we met, it was with us as we trekked across America, and it will be there for the next big adventure. Whatever that may be.