We can't be done packing...

 

... there's still some space left!

The motorhome is compact, but it sure swallows up a lot of stuff.  It is not unusual to take a bunch of clothes and wind up wearing less than half of them.  I tried to be "brutal" (Joan's description) in deciding what to take.  As long as I have plenty of motorcycle gear, I'm good.  Oh, and maybe some socks and underwear.  I decided to leave the tux home - if something formal comes up, I will just politely decline.

Back out to the motorhome today, with the emphasis on getting food onboard and put away; and finish sanitizing the water system.  Back home, we did everything except the just-before-going-out-the-door stuff.  Toiletries, electronics, and pillows.  Rufus's stuff - he has his favorite toys, dishes, litter box, and "lounging pads."  He seemed to be less concerned today - he was very anxious as we were carrying stuff out yesterday.  I have to wonder if he was abandoned before we adopted him.  I don't see any separation anxiety, but he does get a bit "clingy" when we're packing for some lengthy time out.  I did play some guitar for him this morning - if I sit on the couch while playing, he lays beside me with his hip against my guitar... he gets to feel the vibrations as well as hear it... and, yes, the music does seem to soothe the "savage beast."

Another hot, sweaty day today, and it looks like we'll be dealing with that for the next week or so as we head north.  All the conveyances have been prepped and checked.  Most of the hurricane shutters are down, the rest will get closed in the morning.  Washed the car; the motorhome will get its turn when we are settled in at Hart Ranch - it is gonna squish a lot of bugs between here and there.

Weather and tide checked.  Tide?  Yeah, this is the time of year that we have some lower than normal tides, which can make it dicey when towing a trailer across our bridge.  Our timing for departure in the morning looks good.  Weather along our route as far as San Antonio looks to be hot (103º for a high on Sunday), wind out of the southeast in the low to mid teens.  At least it won't be a headwind.

I am told there will be some cards and adoring on Sunday (Father's Day); it will be another travel day.  100º in Ft Worth on Sunday; upper 90s for our stop over on the TX/OK border.  Upper 80s when we get to South Dakota.  Ah, the good ol' summertime.  It will be cooler when we're riding our scoots in the upper elevations.

I think we're ready.

 

This is when it starts feeling...

 

sweaty.  Which reminds me of the saying: "Don't sweat the petty things, pet the sweaty things."  While getting the coach loaded today, I was sweaty from my hair to my toe nails.

Out to the storage unit today.  I checked tires and added air where necessary; not an easy task with the poorly designed valve stems on the outside tire on the duallies (it points in??).  That and the high pressure on the tires.

While I was doing that, Joan was putting away clothes.  The Equinox was full on this first trip to the coach.  We loaded some stuff in while the motorhome was in the storage unit, but moved it onto the pad out there so we could put the slides out...

Nice to have the a/c running while working in the coach.  Then, on to the start of sanitizing the water tanks and lines.

Tomorrow, we will take food out - the a/c will have the coach comfortable inside and the fridge will be cold.  All things considered, it should be an easier day.  Then, the "last day" stuff around the house.

We are still on schedule for a Friday departure.

This is when it starts feeling real...

 

When the bikes get strapped down in the trailer...

 We bought "new, improved" tie down gear for the front of the bikes: Canyon Dancers that slide over the handlebar grips and give you an attachment point for the tie down straps.  Heavier duty tie down straps that have a swivel at the end where it attaches to the trailer.  All this should make for faster tie down and more secure.  Well, that's the plan.

An overview of the bikes in place, to show the size comparison...

The CTX is beefier than the Xmax, but they are closer in size than I would have thought.

Before putting away hoses and patio stuff, we took a break for breakfast...

 I made enough so there will be an easy heat-up for breakfast tomorrow - that will be our first trip to the motorhome, hauling stuff, packing, checking tires (more work than you might think), moving the rig out of the storage unit and onto an RV pad so we can run the a/c and start working on getting the water tanks and lines sanitized.

It's a process.  A hot, sweaty process when packing up this time of year.  Joan had a list for today's tasks and we got through it.

It's down to Two...

 

Days before you head out?  Thanks for asking, but it feels it isn't getting any closer.  Well, except for all that needs to get done.

As I put away music gear, it always comes down to the big decision: which guitar will go with us?  The smart choice is the Emerald X7: it is my parlor size guitar, carbon fiber... it travels well.  The other choice is the new Taylor 12-string... 'cause it's new.  And sounds like unicorns singing in harmony.  No, not really - it sounds like a sweet 12-string guitar.  And, it's new.  And even though the 12-string is one of Taylor's smaller guitar bodies, it is bigger than the X7.  And more fragile; changes in humidity can be tough on wood.  But, it sure is pretty...

Decisions.

A whole week...

 

Before you head north?  No, but thanks for asking - that is only "4 sleeps" away.  I got out on the motorcycle after the weekend off.  Yes, some would say I'm always a bit off.  Weekend beach traffic gets hectic, so I generally take the day off from riding... safety first.  If by "safety," I mean there are just too many stupid people out there.

Joan said, "Be careful of all the 'heading home Monday morning' traffic," as I headed out the door.  They must have gone home late Sunday night, because it was pretty calm out there.  Even the wind was light (that will change as the day goes on); the water of the Laguna Madre was calm - not many boats out there.  It was a pleasant ride.

So, what's that "whole week" thing?  Thanks for reminding me.  Gas was $4.49 when I rode by a couple stations this morning.  That is a whole week without raising the price.  Oh, don't get me wrong - that isn't a sigh of relief, because those prices are still artificially high, because... they can.  I guess the 25¢ per gallon price increase of last weekend was enough for a while?  Last time gas prices took a fast rise, people quit complaining when the prices came down a bit.  Historically, that's the way it plays out: prices go up, people complain; prices go up even more, people get mad; the economy dumps; gas prices come down a bit (not as much as they went up), and everyone seems OK with it.

It is what is fueling the rapid inflation we are seeing: prices on everything goes up when gas prices rise.  It seems "acceptable."

Off my soapbox now.  I did my rides in reverse order this morning: motorcycle ride first, then a bicycle ride.  Still hot though, with 80º and 88% humidity when I got up.  With the wind yesterday, we saw another round of "Sahara sand" blowing in on us; the forecasts are for more of that all week - it is best to get the outdoor activity in early.

The rest of today will be getting things ready in and around the house.

Speaking of "sleeps," Rufus is getting in one of his many sleeps today...

He's a good boy.  He had a nice walk this morning (before I went out on the bike), and got his usual Momma treat when Joan made our smoothies.  And now... nap time.

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The prep stuff has started.  One of the things I do each year when we head out for a while: a home video inventory.  It's a walk through and around the house, inventorying specific items, but also showing that the house interior and exterior is all in good shape.  It always feels a little creepy, like making out a will with specific items.  But, instead of a give-away, this is important in case Mother Nature "takes"... and living in a hurricane zone, you have to keep that in mind.  And wonder, "Did I miss anything important?"

Yes, I put Rufus on the video, but he goes where we go.  :-)

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This next part is tougher for me: putting away music gear.  Guitars into cases, waiting to go to their "undisclosed location."  Mics and PA gear unplugged and put up off the floor.  I did stop to take this photo of the two wood acoustic guitars (both Taylors) I enjoy...

 

Another video featuring the Taylor 652ce 12-string

 

 

Another good day to be in air conditioned comfort.  About 4 hours all in, including recording 7 tracks, mixing those, setting up and shooting a two-camera video, then editing the video (and lunch in between all that), uploading the finished video.  As usual, Joan handled the video on one camera, the other on a tripod... couldn't do it without my Honey. 

Another song featuring the new Taylor 652ce WHB Builder's Edition 12-string.  The music tracks: guitar/vocal scratch track, Taylor 652, Emerald X20, bass, drums, main vocal track, harmony vocal.  Music production recorded and mixed with the Spire Studio.  Video editing with iMovie.

And, here it is, a bayou version of the CCR song Proud Mary...

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I posted this video on the Acoustic Guitar Forum and on my Facebook feed.  Somewhere between uploading the video and posting it, YouTube decided it was a copyright infringement, meaning I can't "monetize" the video... yeah, like I'm making money on Facebook??!!

When I do other covers, I will sometimes get the notice that "any money to be made on the video (from advertising) will go to the song publisher."  I'm good with that.  I'm guessing John Foggerty took issue with the video, since he has made it tough for the other guys in CCR to make any kind of living doing the songs the three of them used play back in the day.  They even had to change their name to Creedence Clearwater Revisited instead of Revival.  As of now, it still plays through on the link here.  I'm just making some music with my new 12-string guitar.  :-)

Aged out...

 

Joan and I had a good laugh this morning.  When I got back from my motorcycle ride (the part of my morning ritual that I enjoy the most while here in the Tropical Tip), I told her about an observation: when riding the Vespa, I would frequently get a thumbs up, a wave, or a "Nice Vespa!" comment when at a stop light or in a parking lot... that doesn't happen with the CTX.  Oh, other bikers wave, but it is rare that the civilians (non-riders) acknowledge the bike.  Joan said, "I think your CTX is a great-looking bike, but it doesn't have the cute factor of the Vespa."

Cute factor?  I considered the Vespa to have sexy Italian styling, but I have never bought a bike based on what anyone else might think of it.  Not like I am missing the comments, but I noticed the lack of them compared to when riding the Vespa.

The conversation continued: she said, "You have come full circle."  Frankly, that's how I felt we bought the Honda PCX scooters: they were 150cc, the same size as the Honda Dream I started on when I was a young teen.  With the PCX, I kinda figured that might be my last bike before I was done riding.  We went to those scooters because of my deteriorating hip.  Or as Joan put it: "You aged out of motorcycling."  Yeah, we laughed about that.  She continued, "Most people don't get the chance to come back and get bigger bikes again after that kind of downsizing.  You worked hard after the new hip."

The Vespas were bigger bikes than the PCX.  The CTX is significantly bigger than the Vespa.  I guess I am working back up.  Who knows what the future will bring for my bike riding?

Last night, Mark sent me a couple finished song files, one that he and I have been working on for a while; we're both happy with this finish mix.  Another that he and a friend in Phoenix did, that I added a drum track.  He told me, "Not bad for a couple fossils - that's what we're called now by other musicians in the Craigslist ads."

I told him about Foxes and Fossils, a truly outstanding group of musicians (old guys who sing and play, younger women who sing - great harmony!)... yeah, we old guys can still rock.  Haven't aged out from that, yet.  ;-)