I Could Have Planned That Better

This gorgeous sunrise was the last vestige of sanity I saw as I headed out on an epic journey to California. I mean really, who tries to drive 790 miles in 13 hours?  Yes, that would be me.  Here's the secret reason why.  I sold my rig.  Wait ..... that doesn't mean I'm out of the RV business.  Quite the contrary, I'm getting a new one, but more on that later.

It was mostly for financial reasons.  It was almost 10 years old, meaning there were a lot of HUGE and EXPENSIVE maintenance items coming up, not to mention all the "little" things (meaning under $2,000) that needed replacement (and possibly one BIG thing).  In about six months I would have been completely upside down on the mortgage, only to continue that big payment until I died.  

Being the accountant I am, it was time to say goodbye.  I expected a long drawn out process, but after contacting La Mesa RV, they bought it outright in less than one hour.  The inspection took less than ten minutes.  Yikes ... that was FAST!  The problem that brought up was a required trip to California for the four dining chairs, the European recliner, the parts and pieces to the vacuum system and all the original bedding.

Add to that meeting up with the fence adjuster!!  All good reasons to make a mad dash to Cali with the ever increasing prices of everything!!

And so I was OFF!!!  Into the cloudy rainy skies of Arizona.  First off, Friday is the worst day of the week to travel ANYWHERE!  Oh my goodness the traffic!  I kept saying ... self?  Aren't you glad most of it is going the other direction?  Little did I know.  By the way, it rained for mile after mile! 

I fueled up in Quartzite.  The price has already escalated from $2.29 to $2.50, and by the time I hit California, it was $3.95 for regular!!  I guess that pipeline will cost people much more than they expected.

By now I've made a couple of puppy stops, an exercise in craziness itself.  You haven't lived until you are trying to lift two dogs out of a small back door while hanging on to their leashes for dear life.  

Out of nowhere, I ran into THIS.  Think about this for a second, those of you who know the roads well.  The 20 mph snail race pace started at the turnoff of Hwy 215 from Hwy 10 and ran all the way over Cajon Pass to my Hwy 395 turnoff.  Big sigh!!

Here's where I learned a big lesson about eating.  The body cannot survive on Cheetos and peanut butter cookies, even though I tried.   At the next stop in Victorville for gas, I could barely hit the keycard numbers I was shaking so badly.  Hmmm maybe I should eat.  Taco Bell it is!!

At long last I arrived in Tehachapi where I learned my lesson in planning had gone all wrong.  I drove to the expected location of the dog friendly hotel.  Nope ... not here.  You must go BACK 3 miles to the Baymont.  After driving around it twice, I finally found the registration desk.  This place cost me $129.00 for just one night.  $10 of that was for the puppies.  Ca-Ching!!!

Add to that OH NO!!!!  Nooooooooooo!  That beautiful piece of plastic that was my Arizona license plate (until the real one arrives by mail) had broken off and disappeared.  Oh great ... now I'm going to get a ticket for no license plate!!  

So here we are, with one of my quilts on the bed to make sure Jessie doesn't have an accident.  Let me just say you should always bring everything ELSE in first and the dogs last.  Lesson learned.  Time to feed Jessie, except there was no knife packed, nor spoon in the hotel, to get the dog food out of the can.  Cooper refused to eat all together.  

After multiple trips outside with puppies going six different directions and me trying to figure out how to unlock the darn door, we settled in for some TV.  This is it ... all I could get the $129 hotel room to put out.  At least there was sound.  

We finally crashed on the bed.  I didn't even bother to change clothes.  I might have gotten a little sleep except we were right next to the soda machine.  Ka-bonk ka-bonk happened about once an hour, followed up by the barking dog in the room next door whose owner appeared to have flown the coop.  I'm guessing I got maybe three hours sleep.

When the clock hit 4, I was up.  No use waiting around for daylight.  That's when I discovered I had no toothbrush, no hairbrush and no food for me ... again.  All of my good planning was for naught!!  This time I did it right .... I put the dogs in the Jeep first, then loaded up all the other crap ... er overnight stuff.  We were OFF again after saying a prayer the police didn't stop me!!  Yes, I drove Tehachapi in the DARK!!!  White knuckles and all!!

Three hours later we pulled in to the garage at home #2.  I was so exhausted I couldn't sleep a wink.  I spent a couple of hours gathering up all the RV stuff and figured out the jigsaw puzzle of how to fit five pieces of furniture, a big box and four bags of pillows into the back seat of my truck.  I'll have to spend the night somewhere on the return trip and didn't want anything stolen out of the back.  

Why am I taking my truck?  Because it actually has a license plate!!  YAY!!!

It's a new day ... and VALENTINE'S DAY ... so give your sweetie a hug and tell them how much they mean to you.  Otherwise you would be single, like me!!

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ... you know who you are!!!  Be sure and hit the quilt store for your discount.

Now to find that insurance adjuster for the fence and plan the return trip.  Oh ... and I have a whole new respect for the term "MY" bed!!!