Jamie is already sleeping, and Mieko has also curled up to sleep; it is already 10:18, and we are beat! I've been up since 6 (Jamie since 4)-- unusually early for us both, since we slept on the floor last night (all furniture long since loaded in the truck). We had hoped to leave at 9, but didn't make it until 10:30, partly because of my optimistic attitude towards time ("I'm sure it will only take us three hours!"), and partly because it took about half an hour to hitch the trailer to the truck and try to back up onto the road. Finally we gave up, and I just drove us across the lawn. (Apologies to the campus Buildings and Grounds!)
The first hour of the trip was pretty hairy. Driving up and over the Berkshires through Petersburg, NY was a freaky way to get to know how to drive a 24 ft. truck and trailer. (How to drive one? SLOWLY. And in a lower gear going downhill, so I don't burn out the breaks.) Apparently I wasn't the only one freaked out: sure enough, after about the first hour we started to smell that unmistakable aroma of cat pee. And I didn't mention yet how we were sitting:
Me, Mieko, Jamie with Peaches' crate on his lap (what a brave and wonderful man!)
A mid-day stop at my Aunt Karen's in Binghamton revived our spirits (Mieko's too), and we aired out Peaches before we sallied onward. Spirits deflated about an hour later when we stopped for gas and two things happened. First, my debit card was declined. (Though Jamie's, drawing on the same account, was accepted-- phew!!!) Second, a gruff older man also driving a trailer pointed out to me that one of my chains was dragging on the ground. I instantaneously lost all the confidence as I turned beet-red, thanked him, and got filthy climbing around unhooking and rehooking chains.
The original plan had been to see Jamestown, NY, where my dad, aunt, and uncle grew up. Running late and plagued by cat-pee smell, we gave up and pushed straight on to our hotel (the closest one to Jamestown that allows pets for a reasonable fee). We are coming to see that sight-seeing/touring the country and traveling with unwieldy vehicles, two pets, and all of our possessions are really not compatible approaches to the coming week. If tomorrow goes the way today did, then we will definitely be skipping Yellowstone National Park, in favor of sights we can see from the interstate.
Finally arrived at the hotel around 9 (clearly much later than planned), although Peaches' bad times had not come to an end. Obviously something had to be done about the pee smell, or we weren't going to make it much further. So, summoning all the courage I have, I put an inch or two of warm soapy water in the tub and dunked her-- repeatedly-- until at least her bottom seemed fully soaked. She yowled like a banshee and tore my shirt, but the slipperiness of the tub prevented her from getting a good grip. As furious as she was, Peaches recovered quickly: I took out a can of cat food, and she started purring like mad.
Miles traveled today: approx. 420
Goal for tomorrow: Naperville, IL, just on the far side of Chicago.
Oh, Allie! You are also so very brave! I could never in a million years imagine trying to drive a truck anywhere - let alone across the country! I'm glad you're recording your trials and tribulations for posterity. And hopefully in the future you can look back and laugh.
ReplyDeleteBig HUGS to you both. Love all of us :)
"We had hoped to leave at 9 but didn't make it until 10:30..."
ReplyDeleteDon't feel bad--if it were me, that sentence would have read: "I had planned to leave at 7 but didn't make it until noon, then I felt so bad about being late I had to stop to buy gifts, and then got stuck in traffic, ran out of gas, stopped for lunch, lost my cat, and somehow ran over my car with my truck."
Your first day sounds a little like National Lampoon's Vacation, but I'm sure you guys will hit a stride soon, and before you know it, you'll be like a couple of ol' cowpokes with your little herd. Like Dusty and Lefty!
Happy trails!