READERS WHO WRITE: Following Reid and Romy to Coachella

READERS WHO WRITE: Following Reid and Romy to Coachella

Published 7:00 am Sunday, April 26, 2026

It occurs each two years. I make the trek to the desert area of Southern California.

It’s a two-day drive, and this yr my touring companion was my little corgi, who’s a minor superstar in Talent the place I dwell. She likes to make the rounds on our each day walks, visiting individuals who she is aware of shall be good for pets. She loves individuals.

The first day of driving is fairly acquainted. I’ve spent plenty of time driving between southern Oregon and the Bay Area the place I’ve household. The second day will not be so acquainted, marching down I-5 with what appeared like an Army of Teslas and Prime vans. It will get extra attention-grabbing after I flip off of I-5 and head towards Lancaster and Palmdale.

I don’t know what it’s about this specific stretch of street, however my navigation system appears to all the time make some unusual decisions for me. Two years in the past was sort of excessive, many twists and turns off of freeway 138 (E), many involving Oasis Road. Maybe a shortcut? I don’t know.

It was at this level of my travels that I began noticing the vehicles getting comparable navigational recommendation that have been clearly headed to Coachella, a music pageant within the desert. One automobile from Michigan had “Coachella or Bust” emblazoned on the rear window, over the “Midwestern Princess” bumper sticker. Another talked about Justin Bieber, who I’d a minimum of heard of.

It was right here that I encountered Reid and Romy, driving what appeared like a non-public luxurious tour bus, towing a van with their names professionally painted on the again. Clearly this was a swank strategy to journey! I adopted them for fairly some time, and in the long run all of us wound up on the aforementioned Oasis Road. I misplaced them as we discovered our manner again to the freeway.

I prefer to think about that they have been headed to the music pageant. Hosting grand events of their fancy bus. The thoughts does get pleasure from wandering on lengthy driving journeys.

As for me, Coachella was not my vacation spot. Music festivals and arthritis don’t appear to combine, though I’ve many fond reminiscences of the Days on the Green of my youth (and if anybody has a spare ticket to the offered out Bonnie Raitt Concert at Britt in June, I’d be pleased to take it off your arms). I used to be headed to Palm Springs, the place my prolonged household has a reunion each two years. This yr, there have been 59 of us, and I couldn’t flip round with out bumping right into a cousin.

The corgi had a good time. I’d prefer to assume that Reid and Romy did, too.

Joan Barnhart lives in Talent.

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