VOLUME 57 ISSUE 15 APRIL 14, 2020 P63
PLAN B
Meet Shawna and Landon. On this
particular day in March, they were
supposed to be high above the
clouds over the Atlantic Ocean, fly-
ing to Europe to celebrate Landon's
17th birthday over spring break. But
this trip was twofold; it was also a
chance for them to spend some
quality mother-and-son time before
Landon shuffles off to college next
year, and who knows when the both
of them will have the time—at the
same time—to do an adventure like
this before life kicks into high gear for
Landon? So, this was the ideal time
for them to get away on a trip of a
lifetime. Or so it seemed.
They had been planning this two-
week trip—a big chunk of it to be
spent in Italy—for more than a year.
Instead, they found themselves on a
dry lakebed on a chilly and windy day
in the middle of the California desert.
No, it wasn't Rome or the hills of Tus-
cany; instead, it was Ocotillo Wells
(SVRA). This place would have to do.
As it turned, it did—and then some–
because it was on this Saturday after-
noon that both Shawna and Landon
learned how to ride a motorcycle.
Once it was clear that traveling to
Italy was out of the question, Shawna
put plan B into gear the moment
after she hit the cancel button on her
computer and their vacation plans,
following the arrival of Covid-19. (I
promise, this will be the only time
you'll see that word in this story.) Un-
fortunately, there was no plan B, yet
there was still a birthday to celebrate,
and nothing was going to alter that.
(Left) Landon spent
his 17th birthday
learning how to ride
a motorcycle. By
the end of the day,
he was already out
enjoying his first
trail ride. (Right)
Shawna, who had
never even sat on a
motorcycle before
but always wanted
to ride one, caught
on in no time.
