Hello folks!

I'm fixing to write a damn book about myself unfortunately. I'm not sure why I'm writing this. I was gonna write about directions but my story is to good not to share. Its something to read anyway. I'm trying to add content and get advice. So bare with me here.

I'm looking for advice on what route to drive out west. From Huntsville Alabama to Mesa Arizona and back. I leave this coming Monday morning and have to return back home by Sunday. I gotta be back at work Monday morning on the 27th. And be back for my kid and dog. To continue my life here. I'm on paid vacation time beginning today.

I'm renting a car. Its been reserved for a week. Unlimited miles, $564 out the door after my little company discount...$5% off. Its the midsized they say. Corolla or something similar. I could have gotten one for 465 but would have to drive 20 min away to Huntsville Airport. The rental I chose I beside my house so I can leave my truck at home while I'm gone and walk to the rental store.

I'm driving to Mesa Arizona and have never been past Mississippi. I have only been to Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Maryland. That's it. I have never been anywhere else. I was born and raised in Huntsville. I'm 41. I live a simple life as a heavy equipment operator for a large excavating company. I'm a GPS Finish Bulldozer Operator. So I don't get out much. Been doing that for about 15yrs. I just hunt and fish with my 11yr old around Guntersville Lake and Ditto Landing.

I'm telling all this because this is a really unique story as to why I'm going out there.
I was gonna fly but I waited too long to reserve a ticket for a discount and I really don't want to get in a plane. I never flown before and won't even ride a roller coaster. I don't like heights.

So in 2005 I meet Hanna. Back then I was 24 and Hanna was 20. She walked into a room full of my friends and I got her number and began dating her. The first time I saw her, I had a weird feeling that I wanted to marry her. A feeling like I knew I had to have her and i was gonna be with her forever. The one! I didn't even know her name. That's what is so weird about all this. Its like I just knew she was gonna be my wife. Although she didn't even look at me 🤣.

No doubt. She was beautiful. I'm talking as pretty as God makes them. Definitely lingerie model material 100%. She was 5 ft 2 and 110 pounds. Golden tan skin with black thick hair. Long hair past her shoulders. White girl. All white girl. Yankee accent though 🤷🤓.

So I take Hanna out on two dates. Yes Only two! I met her brothers each time I picked her up at their apartment. They made me come inside and sit down and hangout for a while. They had just gotten out of jail for robbing a bank. No joke. Hanna and her family weren't from Huntsville. They were from Illinois so none of my friends knew these people. It made her more interesting to me. She was very quiet and had an old soul like me.

So after two dates I asked for a third and she said yes. Problem is, I get into a car wreck just day's before our 3rd date. It kills my friend driving. It almost killed me. I'm knocked out for a few weeks. I can't walk for a month. I couldn't work for a few months. I lost contact with Hanna. I didn't call her. She didn't call me. I was devastated by the wreck and wasn't thinking clear. Hanna had no idea what happened to me. I never heard from her again.

For years she haunted me. I recovered from the accident. I compared every girl to her. She was the prettiest girl I had ever seen. I dated some beautiful women but they couldn't fill Hanna's shoes for some reason.

Years go by. I never tried to look her up. I wind up ruining myself at age 30. I got a random pretty little bar whore pregnant. Her name was Sarah. Sarah births our son Payton in 2012. I move Sarah into my house when payton is born. We got married so she could be in my health insurance. We loved each other but I knew we were on borrowed time. Sarah was too wild for me. She wasn't wife material at all.

Sarah cheated on me over and over. She knew I'd keep taking it just so I wouldn't have to pay child support and her disappear with my kid. She would just use the kid for child support.
She wasn't responsible enough to keep a stable environment for a kid. I financially supported Sarah for 8yrs and loved her. She was too wild for me. I tried everything to make our marriage work. It only got worse. I lived in hell for 8yrs. Just so my kid could have both parents and I knew he was safe with me under my roof.

I managed to thrive and buy a house for us. I got her a nice car. She had everything. A nice brick house in the best area of town. She ruined it over and over. I finally got a lawyer in 2019 and divorced her in 2020. I kept the house and lost everything else. Judge gave us both equal custody. 50/50

I stayed single the entire time since the divorce. I kept our son 90% of the time since we been divorced. She never gets our kid. She is too busy partying. He is 11 now and lives with me 100% and always has. I'm so thankful to have him with me. His mom sees him about once a month for a day maybe. She has a daughter from a previous marriage I learned. She did the exact same thing to her first husband 🤣. I didn't know til it was too late.


So in 2015 I get a smart phone and Facebook. I look up Hanna and become friends again!! I don't say anything to her at all. Not even hi. I'm married Remember! Hanna is living in Mesa Arizona with 3 kids and a boyfriend!! She is still beautiful looking and didn't get fat! We follow each other on Facebook til I divorce in 2020.

Hanna is single too. I contact her and tell her what happened to me years ago. The wreck. Hanna tells me she can't move til her kids hit 18 but she wants to come back to Alabama! She says she won't date me because Im fresh out of a divorce but maybe in the future we can be together. So I took that as leave me alone I'm not interested in you 🤷🤣.

I leave her alone for another 3yrs. We both remained single. Following each other on Facebook liking each other's posts. Never talking. Well, 2 months ago I asked her about spices clumping together on Facebook messenger. She asked if I was moving out there and started flirting with me. That's been 2 months ago. She has called me every single day since then.

We have been talking on the phone every single day for the last 2 months. She has a 15, 13 and 4yr old. She was married and had two kid with her husband. They divorced in 2010. She accidentally had a boy with a loser that lives off rich parents. This girl doesn't need me. She has her own mortgage on a $450k house. New Toyota truck. She raises her kids alone. We want to live together and get married but neither of us can just move without custody agreements.

So I'm driving out there to stay in a hotel for a couple days and hangout with her to make sure this is what we want to do. Have a long distance relationship until we decide on what to do. We both have great jobs, nice houses and our kids are settled. It will be interesting to see what happens. No other girl could get my attention for the last 3.5yrs except her.

What routes do y'all recommend taking? I was wanting to see cool views but I'm on a time limit. I was gonna drive from Huntsville and go a different direction on my way back home. I have always wanted to drive out west. Its been on my bucket list. I really wanted to see interstate 10, the swamps in Louisiana but interstate 10 looks really far. It curves south pretty far. I'm gonna take I40 one way and interstate 10 to I59 home I'm thinking.

Any route advice I'd appreciate. I know its a long journey but I run a bulldozer all day long. I'm use to sitting all day driving for a living. Hopefully it won't be so bad.
I'm just not sure on which interstate to take. There are a few different ways looking at the map.
I don't know which one to take 😬.

Dang dude, I can't help you on the route but I know that feeling your talking about... That "she's the one" feeling.

As far as route the only sensible way is go to Nashville and hit 40 west. That’ll take you to Winslow AZ then Hwy 87 to Mesa

It’s a nice drive, done it several times

Id go to Memphis get on i40 west to Flagstaff and take. 17 south

Dang that sounds like a movie.

On the way there you will take the fastest route (don't ask me how I know). On the way back, take two days. From Mesa head towards Globe, AZ, then through the Gila Wilderness and into New Mexico. Make your way over to White Sands and take the road to Cloudcroft, NM. Come out on the east side of the mountains at Mayhill and get on Hwy 380 all the way to Greenville, TX. From there hop back on I-20 to get back to Alabama. Leave early on the first day, the best scenery will be until you reach Mayhill, NM.

Get on a dang plane ya dummy, get there quicker and have more time with her!!

If you take the Cloudcroft route, take some empty water jugs and fill them up at the spring.

Take I-40 west to Flagstaff, hang a left and go south on I-17 to Phoenix.

Follow the signs through town to Mesa. Better to stay on I-10 south thru Phoenix and then get on the Superstition (US 60) if you're in Mesa, and not a suburb.


When you get to Oklahoma and onward to New Mexico, fill up when you can.

When I drove this route back from Phoenix to NorBama, between Albuquerque and Amarillo it was nighttime. I stopped on I-40 in the road and got out to look at the stars for 5-10 minutes. Dark, clear skies and incredible views.

Good luck.

Dude I work for an airline. Pm me. As said before. Movie material.

Good luck...That story makes me want a drink...

It's undefeated for a reason. Good luck on your travels Jake and be safe you flippin idiot.

This all day , every day . AL to AZ is a looooooong drive! And doing it alone , hell naw. You're gonna spend 1/2 your time driving. But if you have to drive , go to Memphis on US72 , get on I40 West and keep going and going toward the sunset. Good luck , drive safe , watchout for IDOTS.

Best of luck! Hard to imagine reuniting and marrying someone after 2 dates and 18 years. Hope it works out for both of you. What’s Sarah’s last name? Asking for a friend…

Wishing the best for you. Hope all goes well.

Follow Crazy Avenue to the intersection of Fools Path. Turn right and go to Shoulda' Known Better Parkway. Just kiddin' ya Man.
Good luck and damn sure be careful. Enjoyed your story !

Be careful? Keep your fluid/caffeine level up……Brush your teeth…….Clean boxers……..Where your rain coat…….

3 kids under 18???? Hell naw. I don’t care how good the connection or how pretty she is.

Spend the money on the plane tickets. Avoid another wreck. Good luck.