Home Again, Home Again

 I'm a driver from way back.  I love to drive.  I'm not sure where that came from, maybe just getting away from it all to blasting loud music.  I've pulled horse trailers with horses from Oregon and Idaho all the way to the southern border in California, throwing in Nevada just for the fun of it.  Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's frustrating.

We didn't waste time with breakfast or even TV.  Shocker, I know!!  The kids and I were off at 7:00 am.  An even bigger shock ... Pilot Flying J (which is supposed to be cheaper fuel for truckers) had a price tag of $6.76 on their station.  Better start saving our pennies for groceries because all those costs are going to be passed on to us.

I was so happy the highways in California were finally done, but was I ever wrong.  It was so bad somewhere between Bakersfield and Madera, that I can't even tell you exactly where it was!!  They did the traffic split dance, pushing us RV and big rigs into a right lane bordered on both sides by concrete t-rails.

It was barely wide enough for my trailer, making my heart rate go up considerably.  This picture is not it because my hands were frozen to the steering wheel.  It went on for about three miles.  Again, my apologies to the truckers as I got down to 40 mph on a road so rough it was bouncing the trailer all around.

When that was finally over, I ran into it again from one end of Merced to the other.  Split traffic with so many huge bumps the trailer was swinging back and forth.  I slowed down ... we all slowed down ... to a crawling 25 mph.  If you're coming this way, be prepared for this picture.  I imagine this will continue for the next two years.  Nothing is done fast around here.  I'll be driving around this whole mess to another city next time, even if it takes longer.

At last, I pulled on to my street and contemplated parking.  It's a much sharper dogleg into this driveway and truly, I didn't do so well, but she's finally parked in the back.  Cooper was pretty funny.  I let him out and he made a beeline for the grass, then went right back to the truck.  

No sweet pea, we're staying in this nice big house.  He was having none of it.  He didn't want to go inside at all.  He just stood by the pickup.  Maybe he thought I would leave again without him.  Sadly, he was right as I had an appointment to get to in two hours.  It was haircut time for the Big Deal Elks thing today.

Meet Bella.  She gets to come in wearing a new outfit every week.  What a sweet little girl who loves to have her neck rubbed.  She parked by my feet for about 15 minutes. 

So as much as I would like to just veg out today, I have an all day photography session for the new leaders of the Elks Lodge, followed by a swearing in of officers, dinner and a dance.  I'm sneaking out after the swearing part.  I am SO looking forward to zoning out on the couch in front of the TV for at least one whole day before the unpacking begins.

In the meantime, I'm in an ordering frenzy, getting all those little gadgets for the rig that will make life easier.  AND ... I actually have to read the booklet to find out how to turn the inverter off on my rig.  New toys require new knowledge.