The Molehill

The Molehill

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The Molehill
The Molehill
ostentatious anonymity, the key to a good road trip outfit
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ostentatious anonymity, the key to a good road trip outfit

the enduring appeal of running away and looking good while doing it

Viv Chen's avatar
Viv Chen
Jan 15, 2023
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The Molehill
The Molehill
ostentatious anonymity, the key to a good road trip outfit
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Photo by Alao Yokogi, 3/1998

At 6am, Ethaney pulls up outside my house. It’s pitch dark outside, I’m nauseous from waking up so early, and the weather report says to beware of floods and gusty winds today. We had this trip planned for a while though, and there was no universe in which we could fathom calling it off.

Winter had been bleak. We’d been hit with storms the past week, life felt stagnant and exhausting. We were ready to escape it all. We told our loved ones we’ll drive slowly! we’ll be careful! we’ll wait out storms if it got bad!

Which was all true. We were very careful. But at the heart of things, there was a mutual understanding that we had to chase the call of adventure, thrill, rebellion. Even as a single lighting bolt flashed over the dark skies, we swallowed our fear in silence. Turning back was simply not an option.

Ethaney expertly navigated us down the 580, a modern Odysseus in shearling mules and Pippi Longstocking braids.

Books and Umbrellas: The Golly Sisters Ride Again by Betsy Byars & Illus by  Sue Truesdell

It was a trip to celebrate our friendship anniversary.

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