And…heading home!
My eyes flickered open and tried to focus on the microwave clock…5:45 am. “Are you awake?” I heard Dennis ask. I had this sense that he was about to drop some really bad news on me. “Pennsylvania is closing all the RV parks to new registrations. I think we need to start heading home today.” So, it wasn’t as terrible as I’d intuited but it was disappointing news to say the least. Today was Saturday and we were scheduled to leave Tucson on Tuesday. We had anticipated enjoying the absolutely perfect weather for the next few days, walking trails with the dogs, and continuing to enjoy our time with Lisa and Tom. And then there was the planned trip though California, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Utah, Iowa and states leading to New Jersey and finally Maine. But now, it was time to shortcut all of those plans and head home.
We rolled out of bed, had coffee and began the pack up routine. This campsite had been so great that we had even dragged out the dog fencing to create a small yard. We had a stone patio, a fire pit and a small patch of grass, complete with a heavily fruited grapefruit tree. The dogs had enjoyed being able to lie outside enjoying the sunshine, and of course, barking at passersby. (ugh!)
Lisa stopped by for a quick visit and to give us the perfect farewell gift; 2 rolls of toilet paper. In exchange, we gave her 2 cans of tomato paste. Who would have thought those would be special items…but they are, for now anyway.
We are on the road, heading east towards home. It’s a 2,800 mile trip. We aren’t quite sure how long it will take. The dogs need breaks, we need breaks, and some days we can drive further than others, and then sometimes we just need to stay put for a couple of nights. We will play it by ear. Traveling in an ideal way it will take us more than 2 weeks to get home, pushing it, it will take about a week, and if it becomes urgent we can haul ass across the entire county in about 3-4 days.
The strange part is that getting home will not include getting together with friends to catch up and enjoy time together. It will be to get home and stay secluded while we ride out Covid-19 the best we can. To see empty grocery store shelves just as we did in Tucson. Strange times!
We drove through Arizona and New Mexico today. I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy the ride the way I had on the earlier part of our journey. But it was hard not to be in awe at the beauty of the wild flowers creating a sea of yellow in Arizona, and the stunning beauty of New Mexico. We were really happy to finally pull into our RV park at 8 PM. There was a sign posted at the entry way, “Guns allowed.” Well…there you have it.
I contemplate being home and how much the dogs will enjoy being in a nice big yard again, enjoying off leash walks on the beach. I imagine how we will settle back in, get through the cleaning of house and RV, and then settle into quiet time, into sorting through storage areas in the house, and into things I haven’t yet imagined. And that part is enticing…the unknown.
Wishing everyone a time of renewal in the lockdown.
