The Long Journey - Part 1

Yes, I drove this while pulling the attached trailer with my car from Missouri to Texas.

The moment I picked up the 20 foot truck and trailer from the dealer, I was so nervous. The lanes on the Interstate seemed so narrow. I found myself drifting to the right line, so I stayed in the right lane the entire way to the apartment which made for a fun time because there are exits all along the way. The engine also didn't have a lot of pick up for such a big load so I am sure there were a lot of fingers flying my way. Hopefully, they felt badly when they saw me white knuckling it down the highway.

When I got home, I just pulled into the driveway, praying that I could pull the truck off of the trailer to go pick up my paycheck to pay for the trip back to Texas. Unfortunately, the man at the dealer put the straps on wrong and I couldn't release the straps. I called a friend and sent photos of everything and went online and tried to find away to release them. Just when I was about to figure out how to back the truck up and take it back to the dealer (20 miles away), G drives up and saves the day. (You have no idea how angry I was that HE had to save me. I know that's stupid.)

After getting the car off the trailer, I scooted up the highway (another 20 miles in different direction) to get my last paychecks. The feeling I had receiving those final envelopes was one of doubt and trepidation. Was I making the wrong decision leaving a job that provided nothing but a paycheck to go home to no job that provided NO paycheck? By that time, it was too late to turn back. So I said my goodbyes to my friends and hit the road again back to the apartment where I found G had loaded most of the garage boxes onto the van.

We spent the rest of the evening (until 10 pm) with a break for supper, packing and loading.

The following morning, the kids and I pulled the truck onto the Interstate going south only one hour late. Everyone had been to the bathroom and were warned to give a heads up long before a bathroom was needed because the 11 hour ride (turned 13 hour with the heavy truck) is not generous with the restroom stops.

I think the most challenging part of the trip had to be the close confines of the truck's cab. It touts that it seats three, but it never said comfortably.

This trip really taught my children the importance of cooperation and tolerance, something a 7 year old and a 15 year old often have very little of. In fact, this entire experience of moving back with uncertain circumstances awaiting us has been a lesson for all of us.

This could become a really long story, so I shall stop here in the middle of our road trip and invite you back tomorrow when I finish the drive and find the most interesting of accommodations at the end of our long journey.

(Are you curious??)