The beginning

My best friend called on Monday to give me the news: She's moving to Portland, Oregon.

It's a great opportunity for her. She's going to an awesome job in a fun, beautiful city. Her brother lives there, and she can get all the vegan food she can stand. They're even paying for her relocation! I'm really happy for her, honestly.

It's just that now my best friend is going to be living on the other side of the country. That part sucks.

There's an up side, though: we get to have one more fabulous adventure before our relationship is reduced to phone calls and Skype for an indeterminate amount of time: I'm joining her on the cross-country drive.

The plan: Leesburg, VA to Portland, OR in five days. Her husband and her brother will be driving the moving truck/towing her husband's truck. She and I will be in her car with her three beagles. (No, her car is definitely not big enough for two women, three beagles, and their stuff.)

The trip will be awesome. We will laugh and we will cry. Our playlists will be amazing. We will stop for karaoke. Sights will be seen and state lines will be crossed. Local food will be sampled and enjoyed. And at the end, I'll fly home alone.