Mid-Life Crisis Road Trip – 2018
In 2017, my wife and I hit our “midlife crisis.” Not the cliché kind—we weren’t cheating or doing anything reckless…well, except maybe buying a fancy sports car. But more on that in a minute. Our real crisis started when we sold our house and became, essentially, homeless.
We were empty nesters, stuck in jobs we hated, living in a 4,000-square-foot house we no longer needed. The plan? Downsize, sell most of our stuff, buy a motorhome, and hit the road. Instead…we bought a Mustang GT California Special. Whoops! But hey, at least we were mobile.
We set out to cruise Highway 101 from start to finish. Starting January 1, 2018, we headed north, making our first stop in Port Townsend. From there, ferries, family visits, and a quick jaunt into Canada led us back to the Olympic Peninsula, down into Oregon, and finally into California.
Pismo Beach became an unexpected highlight. We loved it so much we stayed extra days—and were thankful. A huge mudslide on Highway 101 south of us meant our “start-to-finish” plan would have been cut short if we hadn’t lingered. Adaptability won the day.
Next, we detoured to Vegas for my wife’s birthday, cruised through Death Valley, and visited friends in Lake Havasu and Phoenix. But then the Mustang made a horrifying noise—engine failure, only 30,000 miles on the car. Thanks to a nearby Ford dealership, a rental Mustang (classic red this time) kept our adventure alive.
From New Mexico to Key West, we kept moving—visiting family, exploring new places, and improvising as problems arose. When we finally retrieved our repaired car, we hit San Diego, L.A., and even a sketchy drive down Crenshaw at dusk. Respect, awareness, and calm decision-making kept us safe.
Finally, we circled back to Highway 101 and completed the run—technically, start to finish—with an 8,000-mile detour. Some of the best memories come from plans gone sideways. Challenges happen, but facing them with flexibility, resourcefulness, and a bit of humor makes all the difference.
I’ll be writing a full trip report in an upcoming book. Want the full story? [Check it out here].
