Road Trip: Blogged (Day 3)

It's a little strange having someone in our backseat on this trip across the country--or sitting in it ourselves, for that matter. For most of our six years in Los Angeles and San Francisco, Tiffany and I either walked or scoot-scooted where we needed to go. When we did drive, it was usually just the two of us with an empty backseat. Actually, until a few months ago, we accepted as fact--based on our limited experience in the rear of our vehicle--that we had the World's Most Uncomfortable Backseat.

It turns out we just didn't know the seats had straps that allowed their backs to be adjusted from their 90 degree angle.

Miserably ignorant, we nodded and grimaced in solidarity with friends and family members we lovingly placed in the locked and upright position for trips all across California.

"We know," we said solemnly each time. "We're sorry."

Lower back and neck pain was the price guests paid for our company.

Anyway, luckily for Tiffany's dad Gary (and me and Tiffany), on one of my mom's recent visits I yanked on a strap to discover--seven years after we bought the car--that the seats actually recline fully. Unfortunately, my mom was sitting in the seat when I made my discovery and suffered a mild case of whiplash in the process. Her pain, however, paved the way for our cross-country comfort.

Thanks, Mom.