On the road back to Michigan – Day 1

What an adventure I am having.

Monday evening after work I think I spent planning my departure and starting to sort through stuff.

Tuesday evening I was working on packing and had a great visit with Carolyn.

Wednesday evening evaluated remote support options for Rusty’s WiFi network and had a great visit once again with Tom, Alicia, and two of their guests (Tom and Alicia run a B&B).  I learned that the deadbeat renter took my refrigerator and washer and dryer when he moved out and the water was shut off for non-payment.  I also learned that the house was overrun by fleas.

Thursday was a vacation day dedicated to packing and preparing to go.  Woke at 3AM local time and got up around 3:30.  Made a trip to Douglas for an oil change and lube, as well as to pick up some RV antifreeze, and a large frappachino.  Took some time to call, and pay the delinquent water bill so I would have water when I got home.  Worked like crazy to pack the truck and pack stuff I was leaving behind and wanted to protect from mice into totes and garbage cans with lids.  Removed the couch from over the fresh water pump to tap into the line to pump antifreeze into the system only to realize that I didn’t have the necessary tools and hose with me to do that.  After I was done cursing, I made the decision to dump the antifreeze into the fresh water holding tank which was empty for the most part and simply pump it from there (this is against the advice I’ve seen on the internet but I didn’t have any choice at this point). Dumped the water from the hot water heater and bypassed the hot water heater before running the antifreeze through the water lines (hot and cold).  I am thankful I had enough antifreeze to get to the taps.  I am hopeful it was not too diluted by pouring it into the nearly empty fresh water tank…  Come to think of it, I’m hopeful the fresh water tank is nearly empty.  Something I didn’t think to check until this very moment – a bit late…  Ugh.  Anyway…  I didn’t meet my goal of moving the trailer before dark.  I didn’t even get hooked up until nearly dark.  Thankfully, when I asked, a couple fellow park guests were willing to help guide me back to hook up the trailer to the truck.  By the time I was ready to move the trailer to the storage space in the park, it was dark.  Using a lantern to first mark the corner of the trailer I was to park to the right of then to mark the right side marker I needed to line the driver side of the trailer up with, I was able to park the trailer in the dark by myself.  It took patience and a few back and forths creeping along to get it right but I got it done.  After I got the trailer parked and the back end supported with jacks (remember the I-beams supporting the back end are rusting out so the back end of the trailer sags without added support), made multiple trips back and forth between the old campsite and the trailer storage site to move stuff – the steps I made, empty totes, stuff I set outside the trailer but wasn’t ready to pack into the truck yet, my tools, etc.  Once I felt confident I was done with my tools I packed them in the truck where they would not be easily accessible.  Once I had the old site all packed up, I took Sasha for her evening walk and took her to the storage site.  I then continued working with the aid of a lantern for light on the inside of the trailer to try to finish up.  I worked until about sometime between 11 and midnight local time at which point I was exhausted and wasn’t able to really think clearly enough to work efficiently so I called it a night deciding I was not going to set an alarm as I needed a full nights sleep in preparation for the long drive on Friday.

Friday morning, woke around 7AM (two hours after I wanted to depart).  I finished packing the truck.  Once again, I was thankful for all those hours I spent playing the game of Tetris.

I turned the electrical breakers and the propane off.  I borrowed a cresent wrench from Bob to disconnect the negative battery terminal from the trailer so as not to kill the battery while in storage.  Made sure all the windows and vents were closed, prayed there was nothing left in that disaster of a trailer that I wanted or needed to take to Michigan, and locked up (not that there was any room left in the truck to take anything else).  I settled up with Rusty, and sat and had breakfast outside the club house while visiting with Bob before hitting the road at 9AM local time – 4 hours later than planned.

From that point forward, I was blessed with numerous opportunities to exercise my stress management practice of being thankful.  So let me demonstrate.

I am thankful I put a sheet down on the front leather seat of the truck where Hershey (my cat) spent most of his time during the ride from MI to AZ because it worked wonderfully to catch his urine when he decided to pee on the seat which was not more than 18 inches from the litter box.

I am thankful that Hershey finally stopped crying (after 3 hours).

I am thankful it only took a handful of rejections for Hershey to stop trying to join me in the drivers seat.

I am thankful Hershey no longer thinks that Sasha is going to eat him so he was content laying down on the tote in the backseat by Sasha (my dog) rather than insisting to be in my lap.

I am thankful that when Hershey puked on the tote on which both my flannel and sweatshirt were on, he only got puke on one of the two.

I am thankful that not all the puke went into the tote when Sasha put her weight on the tote and collapsed the lid inwards.

I am thankful that when my truck started acting up in Alamogordo NM, I was able to get it out of the road and get it to move normally again.

I am thankful that once working, my truck seems to run fine so it did not strand me roadside in the middle of nowhere.

I am thankful I had a second pair of shoes easily accessible when I stepped in dog poo on the sidewall at the gas station that someone felt was fine to leave there in Vaughn NM.

I am thankful that Sasha is a good dog and took care of her business in the grass at the gas station in Vaughn (which I picked up and properly disposed of).

I am thankful for the Tamales which was the purpose of stopping at the gas station in Vaughn (I remember them from our trip out last year).

I am thankful I was once again able to get the truck off the road and into a dirt lot after it didn’t want to accelerate when I pulled out of the gas station there in Vaughn.

Speaking with the insurance company for road side assistance and being told that I would cost about $250 to get it towed to Santa Rosa NM and the earliest they would work on it would be Monday.  I googled a couple of roadside mechanics in the area, same thing – Monday (I think it is hunting season for dear here).  I am SOOOO VERY thankful for Jesus who not only stopped to check on me but then drove me around to talk to a local mechanic Tomas who was out of town but said he would be willing to look at it Saturday morning around 10-11AM when he got back into town.  Jesus then took me to meet Daniel who was also incredibly nice and offered to let me stay with him although he had a dog that was a bit particular about his space.  Daniel also offered to pull me to Santa Rosa with some chains.  I declined that offer as I am very inexperienced in being pulled with chains and was concerned about rear-ending him and I couldn’t find anyone to work on the truck in Santa Rosa until Monday when Tomas had agreed to work on it Saturday for me.  Jesus then took me back to my truck and hooked up with chains to tow it to Bel Aire, a motel just down the road that he works part time at.  I was nervous as hell that I was going to rear end him, but we got it moved and parked without incident.  Jesus  then went into the office with me and explained to the office manager (in spanish) my situation.  I checked-in.  Daniel stopped by on his way to check out a tow bar that may work to pull my truck.  I’m to call him at 9AM Saturday morning to arrange having the truck pulled to Tomas’s place.  I took Sasha to do her business again before putting her into the motel room, moved Hershey and his litter box in along with my laptop bag and suitcase into the room.  I’m thankful for the carry out burrito joint across the street.

I’m thankful I have a place to stay the night with the animals with a comfortable bed.

I’m thankful  it is a vehicle failure that has delayed my travels rather than an accident or health issues.

I’m thankful for the support of my kids and wife who are working to get the house ready for my return – flea bombing.  Carpet cleaning.  Other cleaning.  Buying a mattress for me to sleep on.  Getting the water turned on and verifying no leaks.

I’m thankful for the four hours of sleep I got before waking up and not being able to go back to sleep, so started writing this blog entry.

I’m thankful for the epiphany as to what is most likely wrong with the truck – my best guess is that a pack rat as chewed the power line to the fuel pump.  I am hoping that Tomas can find where it is chewed and implement a quick fix that will get me home where I can then have all the damage done by the pack rats assessed – fuel line power, firewall insulation,  ABS sensor or line, idiot dinger, other.

I’m thankful for the tip Carolyn gave me on dealing with missed hotel/motel reservations as I called Motel 6 in El Reno OK and rescheduled my reservation for Saturday night.  Assuming Tomas can find and repair the truck by 3-4PM, I should be able to make it to El Reno OK today, and home Sunday night.

Well, time to try to get some more sleep.  Another big / stressful day today.  Will need to be well rested to deal with what is coming my way.

Night all.  Or should I say good morning all?

Cary