Long driving day...

 

How long?  Thanks for asking.  500 miles.

The day started out warm in south Texas and dropped as we rolled north.  The wind also went from zero to about 25 and gusting to the upper 30s... out of the north.  Yes, we were heading north. 

We were on the road at 6:00am.  An hour or so of dark, but the traffic was light.  Overcast and some fog to greet the morning...

We stopped at a Love's for propane.  I had called last night to make sure they had propane and was told they have someone available to fill us "24 hours a day."  I called them from the call box by their propane tank and a young lady said they'd send someone right out.  She came out and said, "The manager isn't here and I have never filled the tank on a motorhome... and that looks expensive, and I don't want to blow up your nice RV."

I said, "Well, let's give it a try and if we both get blown up, I won't hold you responsible."  I had to help her find the right adapter, but she hooked it up and was encouraged when I told her, "You're doing it just the way it always gets done."  She filled it without incident.  Unfortunately, paying for it wasn't as easy - the guy tried about 6 times and couldn't get the right amount punched into his cash register, nor to get my credit card to run.  I finally said, "Let me give you cash so I can get down the road."

Steph got breakfast for us while I was messing with the propane, and we made some miles.  The GPS put us into our destination for the day around 4:00... I was hopeful we'd get there before dark.  At one rest area, I got out to do a walk around...

... then managed to convince Steph that she should give driving this thing a try...

When I could see the wind picking up a bit, we switched back.  I was at the wheel as we rolled through the Austin traffic...

And, the highlight of the day: Steph got to experience her first Buc-ee's...

She now understands what all the fuss is about.  Besides gassing up (got 9.04 mpg before the wind came up), we picked up a few snacks and kept rolling.  Lunch underway, we were making good time the rest of the afternoon until getting into stop and go (mostly stop) traffic in the Fort Worth area... as in 45 minutes to go 10 miles.

Down for the night where I wanted to be after 500 miles, with a temperature in the 30s at 5:00.  It will be below freezing tonight, so we'll be running some heat; we had the a/c on last night.  Even with the ugly headwind, the coach managed 8.34 mpg... running solo.

We have some more long days ahead, but I am guardedly optimistic.  We should be behind the cold front after a chilly night, but hopefully the wind will be lighter.  Optimistic?  The "patch job" I did on the top of the coach held up in the wind today.  I will keep my fingers crossed that it makes it the rest of the way as we head into even colder weather tomorrow.

I was originally planning to make this trip solo, but it has great having Steph as the copilot-in-training; it is a treat to get to spend time with our kid.

Rolling...

 

Steph's plane was a bit behind schedule, but we hit the road shortly after 3:00 to get a ways before dark.  People often tell her, "You are just like your Dad," which I take as a compliment... but it means we have no problem keeping the conversation lively.

We are down for the night.  Joan sent us with plenty of food; it was spaghetti tonight.  We have to eat it or toss it, before we get the coach to Winnebago.

Steph is learning motorhome life... well, limited motorhome life, since our water system is winterized for what's coming as we head north.  But, she got a shower here at the RV park, our bellies are full, and we managed to pull in a couple TV channels... not a small feat, considering the powered TV antenna was creamed in the hail storm.

Christmas came early!

 

Probably because he's such a good boy.  Me?  Oh, hell no; of course, I am talking about Rufus.  Joan ordered some stuff from Chewy's, and got him a new bed - looks pretty cushy...

 Cool?  Oh yeah.  Look close at what the furry boy is wearing - yeah, that boy is seriously cool...

Seemed like he was enjoying the "impromptu" scarf Joan put on him a week or so ago.  Now, he has this snazzy new one and he is looking stylish!

:-)

Schools of thought...

 

Yes, thinking is something you should be doing in a school.  This would probably be more aptly titled "Differences in style."  Not style as in fashion.  Joan is a planner.  I am more like a manufacturer who gets parts to the assembly line as needed.  That "as needed" stuff used to work before the virus and delivery as we know it went into the crapper.  This also doesn't have anything to do with getting something delivered.

"Well, then, Jim, what the hell are you talking about?" you ask.  Thanks for asking.  I'm leaving tomorrow to get the motorhome to Winnebago for the repairs from the hail damage last summer.  So, that has only given us 6 months or so to prepare for this trip.  Before you ask, "Why now?", this is as soon as Winnebago could get us in for the work.

To get Stephanie and me to the frozen northland and back, we will be traveling by motorhome, picked up by a bus to take us to a hotel after we drop off the coach, a hotel shuttle to the airport the next day, then Steph and I get on the same plane to Chicago, then part ways in Chicago - to Arizona for her, back to the Tropical Tip for me.  All this has taken a butt-load of scheduling.  Joan has done a good portion of the planning for me, with printouts of everything for Winnebago, a list of phone numbers and times for all these different things.  She is a wonderful detail person.

She would like me to have everything packed and ready to go out the door, preferably a week ago.  That's where my "as needed" style comes in.  If I pack early, I will continue to "find" more things to take along.  We have to have the coach nearly empty when we turn it over to Winnebago.  This isn't like being out for several months.  I can go with a backpack and computer bag.  Planning ahead means I will fill the backpack... several times over.  Because: the stuff is there.  I need some socks and underwear, a warm coat, some boots, a pair of jeans, and a couple shirts.  I plan to only need the backpack for that overnight at the hotel and the flight home the next day.  By planning ahead, I now need to pare things down.  Last minute really works for me.

Surprisingly, the two styles do work together.  This isn't anything new - it's how we worked together most of our adult lives.  I tend to be the "Let's do this..." person, she is the detail person that pulls it all together.  

It has been a while since I've traveled without my co-pilot.

A foggy start...

 

 

My view when I headed out for my morning bike ride.  Drippy.  It was pretty much gone by the time I got back home.

Turned out to be a nice day, but we weren't around much to enjoy it.  I had a follow-up doctor appointment, and we went to the storage unit before had to get the rest of the prep done on it for the trip to the frozen northland (to Winnebago in Iowa for the extensive repairs).  Joan gave me instructions on what she does inside when I am generally outside getting utilities hooked up.  Got the last of the tires aired up thanks to a new articulating air chuck that I ordered after the last frustrating attempts.  The coach is ready to go.

While Joan vacuumed in the coach and swept out the storage unit, I went to the urologist for my 6 month follow up.  It has been a year now since they harvested my prostate.  She asked me a bunch of questions, we discussed how I think I'm doing, and she said, "You seem to be doing well.  Your last two PSA tests have shown no detectable cancer."

"I do have one question... on my last PSA results, someone from your office told me the number was 0.1 - that is higher than I expected.  Should I be concerned?"

She said, "Your number was .001; that is small enough to consider it non-detectable."

I said, "Big difference between .1 and .001."

She said, "I apologize for any misunderstanding - I can see why you had some concerns.  Put those behind you; .001 is essentially the cancer is gone.  We'll continue 6 month follow ups for a couple years, but only because that is standard procedure."

So, a good visit.  Plus, I was there early, they got me in early, and I was leaving their office just before my originally scheduled appointment time - that is definitely a win.

Back to the coach to get Joan and close things down.  If the airline does its job, Steph will be here Sunday and we'll hit the road.

Happy Anniversary, Baby...

 

Got you on my miiiiind.  If you said, "Little River Band, 1977," you get 30 bonus points.  If you said, "Another year of wedded bliss for you and Joan?" you are correct.  Time flies when you don't know what you're doing.  I have to laugh at all those people who said, "Well, that'll never last."  That's been part of the glue that has held us together all these years.  That, and one of us is pretty and the other is smart.  I'm kidding, of course, we're both pretty and smart.  If you don't believe me, you can ask Steph or Rufus - they'll vouch for us.

We do what many couples do to keep the romance in a marriage.  Today, I was in my music room playing one of the guitars, when Joan came in and said, "I need some help outside."  Seems that we had a light bulb out on one of the outside lights in the front of our house.  Of course, it is never that easy... the socket was corroded and when I took it off the house, some of the wiring right at the socket was disintegrating.  So, yeah, we did a home repair... 'cause nothing says, "I love you so much," like a home repair.

The nearby hardware store didn't have a socket.  I found that out after waiting for 10 minutes for the guy on the phone to finish his discussion - seems he didn't order something for someone and that someone was thinking he did.  How many different ways can you say, "No, you didn't say to order it" to make someone understand?  Apparently, the correct answer is: 314.  I left after 287 and went to the lighting center where we originally bought the lights.  The guy in that store was friendly and helpful, and I was on my way home in very short order with a new socket.

I wired that one up, Joan went inside and flipped the switch - it works.  Then, both of us up on ladders to get it all buttoned up.  It is never as easy as just changing a light bulb.

We are staying in for the evening: I am going to grill steaks and Joan will have baked potatoes, rolls, salad, and some bubbly ready when the steaks are done.  We were good at this keeping to ourselves stuff way before it was a thing.

Nobody I'd rather be staying in with.

-------

And, this view off the deck while grilling the steaks...

What a delightful ride!

 

Out on the Vespa today.  Nothing out of the ordinary, other than the aligning of perfect weather (mid-70s, sunny, no wind) and almost no traffic.  I had my Airpods in, providing noise cancellation and listening to a podcast about this latest Beatles project by Peter Jackson.

No photos or video.  I rode Joan's scoot yesterday - the Vespa just fits me; it is easy, fast, and sporty.  Just think about making a turn or switching lanes and the scoot is starting to make the move.  The acceleration is near linear: twist the throttle and it just moves out; so smooth.

I stopped to top off fuel before coming home... a bit less mpg than the last fill-up.  Still, at 78 mpg, it makes me smile.

Before heading out on the scoot, I did a recording while Joan was gone to the store (easy to keep the house quiet, as long as I feed Rufus before laying down the first track).

 I did stereo tracks on the guitar, a vocal track, then a subtle bass track.  To keep it short (their specifications), it is just the last verse.  Here's the video...

Probably won't see Emerald's finished project until right before Christmas.