Kingman, Arizona

So I'm finally back from my epic roadtrip that ended a few days early (long story.) Let's just say that Southern Utah and Colorado will have to be seen on another trip (spring break anyone?) If given the chance, I think everyone should hit the road for a few days and explore a part of our country they haven't seen. It gives one an appreciation for the vastness and diversity that exists under the stars and stripes.
It was an amazing to camp in the Grand Canyon for three nights and days. I remember waking up one night and peeping my head out of our tent door like some little kid spying on mom putting "Santa's gifts" under the Christmas tree. What I saw were stars-thousands of tiny scintillations decorating the night-blackened sky. Do we even have that many stars in the sky here in Tennessee? I must have sat there in awe just gazing into the blackness until I realized that my tentmate might not like drafts of 40 degree night air joining us in our tent. Then there was the experience of Cammie and I watching the sun set at Hopi point with people from all around the world, each of us unsuccessfully in our own language trying to describe the transformation of the canyon's colors as each butte paid homage to the dying golden light before fading into the obscurity of evening.
Of course, anyone knows that a roadtrip is just as much about the journey as it is about the destination which leads me to an interesting story that happened to us in Kingman, Arizona:
The incident would have never happened except that I'm allergic to the Grand Canyon or to my tent or maybe just to the state of Arizona in general. Sunday morning Cammie and I awoke early and packed up our tent so that we could make it to Las Vegas in time to check into our hotel at go to church. Yes, I'm quite aware of the irony of the previous statement, but we had plans to go to church in Vegas that night. We ate breakfast at a local coffee shop and started our drive to Las Vegas.
As we descended in altitude, the pressure in my ears correspondingly increased. My left ear adjusted to the pressure changes but my right ear just wouldn't "pop." I tried everything to make it pop: Swallowing, chewing gum, taking Sudafed, holding my nose and blowing, saying the names of all my relatives 5 times backwards (ok so maybe not this one.) Nothing worked. Two hours later we were on one of those stretches of interstate that have the sign "No services for the next 65 miles" and my ear felt like someone was jabbing an ice pick into the canal. I've never experienced an ice pick being jabbed into my ear nor do I think that such a device would fit; however, I am certain that if such a thing could happen, it would feel just like the pain I was experiencing. Something had to be done.
About this time, we arrived at Kingman, Arizona and Cammie stopped for gas. The only time I had ever heard of Kingman, Arizona was in the famous song about the mother road, Route 66. While Cammie was trying to pump gas into the car, I ran in and asked the attendant where the nearest walk-in clinic or hospital was. Looking at me like I was slightly retarded the attendant replied that the nearest hospital was across the street. I walked out of the gas station and beheld a wonderful sight: on the other side of the street the large sign saying "Emergency Department." We drove across the street where I checked myself in. I must say, I felt somewhat silly signing my chief complaint as "right ear won't pop." It was if I had written "nasal laceration from hot dog injury." Fortunately, un-popping of right ears is high on the triage list because I was in and out of the busy ER within an hour and a half. Unfortunately, it wasn't high enough on the triage list to be seen by a physician, rather by a PA. We had a somewhat interesting and not so productive visit as shared below (my thoughts interjected):

PA: So how are you today?
Me: I should respond with fine, but if I were fine then I wouldn't be spending time visiting the ER. Good...I guess...
PA: So I see your "right ear won't pop?"
Me: Actually, my friend and I have been camping in the Grand Canyon for a few days, and my sinuses have been bothering me. This morning...
PA: (interrupting) Let me just look in your ear (looks in ear.) You seem to have a slight infection in your right ear. I'm going to give you a prescription for an antibiotic and a nasal spray.
Me: Ok. Thanks.....and what should I do for the pain and to make my right ear pop?
PA: You can try some Sudafed. You can purchase it at the drugstore.
Me: Are you kidding me? So you're telling me I could have saved lots of time and money by picking up another box of Sudafed? Tried it.
PA: Well...Sudafed's not a magic pill. It may take it a few times to work... I'm just going to listen to your heart and lungs before you go. If you have any further problems, I'd see your regular doctor.
Me: Apparently she didn't take Dr.Eason's physical exam course. I think the exam is supposed to come before the diagnosis. Does she realize that my primary care doctor is 2000 miles away? Ok. Well, thanks for your help.

I went to Walgreen's nearby and picked up my prescriptions (another long story) my right ear still unpopped. An hour and a half later and almost 6 hours since the initial pain, my ear finally popped about the time we were stuck in traffic driving over one of the engineering wonders of the world. I guess I shouldn't complain too much. The little girl in the room next door had (no joke) rocks in her ears.

So that's my experience with the famed Kingman, Arizona. Sometimes the journey is just as interesting as the destination.