I have spent plenty of time running around in women's clothes in Utah and
surrounding states, and I decided it was time to take a longer trip. On
April 23, I drove down to southern California. Although I had no problems
related to my transsexualism, I had more trouble than usual on the way down.
First, there was a snowstorm near Parowan, Utah. It is unusual to have such a
storm this late in the year, but the high-elevation regions of southern Utah
are full of surprises. Upon getting through the worst of the storm, I stopped
at a rest area near Kanarraville. I am sure that trannies driving through the
area would be happy to know that this rest area has unisex one-holer restrooms.
That certainly helps to avoid problems. The last thing that I want is to have
problems at an isolated rest area in the middle of nowhere.
After an uneventful trip through Arizona and Nevada, I found to my dismay that much of Interstate 15 in California was under construction, resulting in a traffic jam in the middle of nowhere. That road was built in the 1960's, and the state has happily neglected it since then. I suppose it has become too bad to ignore any longer. Part way through the desert, I stopped for a quick break at my favorite "unofficial rest area", the Zzyzx Road exit. One day when I have more time, I should drive down that road and see where it goes.
Upon reaching San Bernardino, I took Interstate 215 to Interstate 10 to Palm Springs, where my cousin lives. Those two roads are horrible - clogged with traffic and inadequate to the load. I was happy to get to Palm Springs. My mother was there - she and my cousin welcomed me as I drove in. I was tired and needed to relax. My cousin made an excellent dinner and we enjoyed that, along with a bottle of Madiran wine that I had brought with me. It was nice to get to talk to him - he is gay and he knows what it is like to be seen as a social misfit.
My mother and I checked into a rather run-down motel for the night. Sometimes it seems that almost everything in Palm Springs is run-down. It has the look of a place that has seen better days. The next morning, we had breakfast with my cousin and then we left him and drove to Oceanside, where my mother lives. Oceanside is the northernmost suburb of San Diego along the coast.
Later that day, my mother's boyfriend met the "real me" for the first time. The changes in my life are a shock to him, but he is gradually becoming accustomed to it. He handled my visit well.
Now it was time to get down to business - some serious shopping! It was great
to be able to enjoy some mother-daughter shopping trips, even if all that
shopping wore us out. At a small wig shop, I found a new wig but decided I
wanted a color that was not in stock. I ordered it, and it arrived a few days
after I got back from my vacation. I also bought clothing, as would be
expected.
Over the weekend, we stayed at a tropical island-themed resort in San Diego. It was a relaxing place to stay, and it gave me some time to think. Also, the resort had a very fancy restaurant where we had dinner; that was a nice treat. Before checking into the resort, we went shopping - again - and had lunch. I dripped red pasta sauce on the brand-new outfit I was wearing. That was upsetting; I spent much of my time in the restaurant rubbing out the stain as much as possible. Now that I am wearing clothing that I actually like and care about, I need to be more careful while I am eating!
After returning to Oceanside, we had a nice dinner at a Mexican restaurant, and I packed up the car for the return trip. The drive back was not as bad. Traffic through the construction zone was lighter in the morning, and there were no snowstorms in Utah. It was a whirlwind trip and it left me tired, but it was well worth it.
It was wonderful to get out of town and have some time with my mother. We had a lot of time to talk about my situation, and she encouraged me where appropriate and gave me constructive criticism to help me correct a few mistakes. She has been as supportive as I could have hoped, and for that I am grateful. It means a lot to have a family which will not reject me and will help me as I go through this difficult transition. I cannot imagine going through this without that kind of support.