THE PLANNING MEETING (#1):

Red and White Wine.  Shrimp.  Cheese.  Fruit.
The map was spread on the table, and the wine flowed as five girls crafted a plan where there had been almost none. RV? Route 66? Leave from Florida? Fly to Chicago? Start in Cali? Van? And within an hour the framework for the trip had emerged. They plan to fly to Chicago in July and rent a van and drive the American Highway, the mother road, Route 66…

TRUDI: A gorgeous single woman, travel-junkie and mother of a twenty-something NYC dancer shines as a practical problem-solver type who isn’t afraid to address the elephant in the room: “Is anyone that’s going to be on this trip a TRUMP fan?” Thankfully the group silenced. And all were relieved.

PATTY V: The impetus for the trip. She says “Bucket List” and we say “when?”…”Bucket List”…”WHEN?!!!!!!”….”Bucket List”….”WHEN?!!!!!” Patty has the bluest eyes and the readiest jokes. She’s an endless font of banjo tunes, and americana references. And Bravery is the badge sewn neatly on her blue blazer…if she wore a blazer… which she most certainly DOESNT. Battler of Pancreatic Cancer. Breast Cancer Survivor. These could be her names, but they are not…she is Patty. Our friend. Yours too if you knew her.

Jean: Reportedly Jean snorts when she laughs. This will certainly be proven out over time. Something to look forward to. Jean is likely to be the most easy
going of all the travelers. She is calm and thoughtful. We hope she will lead
morning yoga and rigorous hikes and evening meditation…and then we hope she
will tell us all how it went because we missed it when we were sleeping.

Janey: Sister to Patty V. Janey is happy to provide hilarious Callaghan family
stories which will be the meat and potatoes of the trip, we hope! Patty V inserts sound effects and insider knowledge throughout Callaghan stories as well. Janey
is kind. And very very funny. Janey once met the cast of The Facts of Life.
Okay, she didn’t meet them, but she did SEE them. If you were alive in the seventies you know this is a pretty darn big deal.

Julie: Your blogger. She does NOT snore. People say she does, but they are
unfair and inaccurate people. More on this later. Julie likes to read and to
listen to stories. While she had never thought of traveling Route 66 it became
clear almost immediately that her bucket list had been lacking this item due to operator error. She firmly believes that blogging this trip is her key to stardom and celebrity. If
she is ever going to meet Kim Kardashian, this is her chance.

And Patti T: (notice that she is Patti with an “i”). Patti is funny and smart
and sure to entertain. She missed our first meeting but will make up for this in enthusiasm and by joining in all the frivolity sure to come. She is often known
as “the one of us with the youngest kid” which is a sentence that brings instant
awe and respect…somehow she is making the time in her crazy world to make this happen. We heart Patti.

So where will the road go? Who will drive? Who will forget her toothbrush? Who will pack the biggest suitcase and live to rue the day? Will Jean learn to play the guitar in time? Do Trudi and Julie successfully go the entire trip without wearing tube tops as headgear? Will there be a “Biggest Ball of Twine” on Route 66? How many times will they play THAT SONG? Stay tuned. Strap on your seatbelt. It’s not about the destination because “When you make that California trip” first ya gotta “Get your kicks on Route sixty-six!”

What the heck is Winona anyway? That’s one of the Judd sisters, right?