Maybe this is my passenger seat. I am not ashamed. |
Packed. Finally out of driveway.
It took a little longer than expected, as there were some
crucial vehicle updates that needed to be taken care of. Rob is handy with that
sort of thing and saved us boatloads of cash by doing the jobs himself. It put
us a little behind schedule, but I talk like I have places to be.
It would be ideal to get to Alaska by May so that I can track down a new job before tourist season is in full swing and other transient, twenty-something hobos snatch them up, but it would also be a shame to rush a trip like this.
Not often that I have 3 minor reoccurring bills, no job, and money actually saved up.
It would be ideal to get to Alaska by May so that I can track down a new job before tourist season is in full swing and other transient, twenty-something hobos snatch them up, but it would also be a shame to rush a trip like this.
Not often that I have 3 minor reoccurring bills, no job, and money actually saved up.
We made it 3 miles before we had to turn around and go back
to the house. This was both ominous and beneficial. We had to come back for a
CB Radio, but Rob also discovered that he left every charger for every piece of
chargeable technology he owns.
Into Iowa. Making decent time. Nothing has blown off the
roof yet. Storms in the distance.
Suddenly, Rob’s tire looks scary flat. I radio the news and
we get off on some empty back road. Our options are to re-do the plug (this
tire had been plugged long ago and another plug-and-fill might get us to the
next big town) or drive on back to Des Moines and get it plugged
professionally. When the new plug seems to be holding air, we opt to carry on.
It’s going on 8pm anyway- the chance of a shop being open is slim.
It might seem like common sense to change a trouble tire
before heading across a continent, but consideration of finances trumped common
sense. That’s the way it is sometimes.
Rob’s car is an all-wheel-drive Subaru. You can’t just
change one tire on that type of car: they have to all be exactly the same. You
change one, you gotta change them all. My Toyota and I could probably roll halfway
to Florida on a donut if I was feeling lucky, but Subarus are more touchy. You
can blow the transmission riding an under or over-sized spare.
Rob and I were feeling lucky, so we got on the highway, blew
the tire out again in the middle of a thunderstorm, got a police escort to a
rest stop, re-plugged the doomed tire, and made it as far as a Super 8 Motel.
Stuck.
RAIN! LIGHTNING! SEMIS! |
A kind and generous law man. He followed Rob to the rest stop so a semi didn't plow him in the dark as he went 35 mph down the expressway. |
Thank god Super 8 accepted dogs. On the subject of dogs, Dodger
became a second priority while thunder and lightning rained down on Rob and his flat
tire. Perhaps we should have walked him more (...in the thunder and lightning). Instead, we rushed into the hotel
room and began thinking about where to fix the tire.
In the mean time, Dodger snuck into the bathroom and took a
massive dump on the floor. We should have known, as Dodger always does a victory lap after he craps. At one point he was bounding from bed to bed, incredibly pleased, and we thought oh man! This is so cute!
Rob stepped in it. It smelt really bad. This was the
end of day one, but we were not upset.
Misfortune happens, and Dodger had the good sense to drop a load on tile.
Misfortune happens, and Dodger had the good sense to drop a load on tile.
Dodger, about a pound lighter and feeling joyous. |
Awww lQQk at Dodger so pretty and smiling for the camera...joyous indeed!
ReplyDeleteAnd of course...Thank you kind generous man of the law...scary stuff...
ReplyDelete