Today is packing day, and finishing up all the little tasks. Carol is finished with work and we are making final preparations for the trip. We leave tomorrow (Saturday the 26th) morning at 5 am with the greater Cleveland area as a vague destination. We seem to have packed just about everything we own into a lot of boxes that have yet to make their way into the car. I got the travel box on top of the car and have tested the bike rack. The Yeti cooler is getting pre-chilled with a large block of ice and I have all my photo gear, drone and GoPro stuff packed along side of my painting supplies, Carol has her knitting and books. We have downloaded several audio books books for the car and some movies and tv shows on the iPad for rainy days. Our philosophy is that you just can't bring too much stuff..we'll see if it all fits.
Doug sent the picture above - this is what she looked like at 3:00 this afternoon. We will take delivery at 10:00 on Tuesday morning at the factory in St. Paul, Minnesota. The weather is looking pretty good for the trip - a couple of rain possibilities but I am always optimistic. The bike tires are pumped, the gas tank is full and the trip meter reset... now to get all the stuff in the car so we can later load it into the trailer and sort out the car to a more livable space.
Ben and I put the box on top last night and of course it was covered with sawdust from being in the garage which is also my workshop of it all got washed today. I made up some new stickers for the side of the box with a line from Carol and I's favorite song. This must be adventure time for a lot of people. Our friends Jackie and Paul embarked today of a cross country road trip. Our friends Darryl and Jean began their transatlantic crossing in their sailboat. We were fortunate to make that trip with them back in 1998 - just a short 20 years ago. We wish them fair winds and following seas. Our friends Rayna and Al are driving up the east coast, returning from Florida - so everyone seems to be traveling. And of course we are heading out on the busiest weekend of the year... I hope we find hotel rooms. . . just a thought.
The house is crammed with bags sitting everywhere and I still need to tend to a few things (rather than writing this) but it will all get done. It is Friday night which means our grandson is coming over (can't deny tradition) and we will likely get some Mexican food and watch a movie. We are trying to round out his movie education..... I'm thinking Cool Hand Luke tonight.
And of course I still have a couple of boxes in the garage and at least two in my studio. I am hoping this will all work. I will try to keep the blog going while on the road but wifi might be spotty. After we pick up the trailer and get out indoctrination we plan to head to a state park in Iowa on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi then after a couple of days move down river to Nauvoo Illinois for a stay then over to visit with my brothers for a few days. Hopefully I can blog from the road but will definitely be able to catch up from my brothers house. So until then, happy trails and glorious sunsets.
Ed and Carol, on the road again.