[RC] What I have learned- packing for 6 weeks on the road - Laura Hayes
We are only a week away from heading west from New
York to the start of the XP2004 in Nevada. We are giving ourselves a week
to amble across the country while visiting with old friends in Illinois and
Colorado before the five week ride.
I am in the process of unloading my trailer, a
10 foot long wall with no LQ, into the big 18 year old LQ (affectionately named
"the Mother Ship" ) we are leasing for this trip. We moved recently
and I figured the best place to store stuff was in the trailer, so for
months I have been stacking things in anticipation of this trip. As I saw
things on sale, or things I might need, I bought them and tossed them in the
trailer. As I am hoeing out and trying to organize it, this is what I have
learned:
1. I am very forgetful. Well, I have
had alot on my mind, anyway, and found I now have multiples of many
things.
2. I am apparently subconsciously afraid of
three things:
a.
dehydration. I have cases of water, fruit juice, gator aid, and boost-
LOTs of cases- I had to divide them up to put on opposite sides of the trailer
so we wouldn't go down the road with a lean!
b. the
dark. I have all these cool flashlights and batteries. I guess I got
carried away, or I just couldn't resist a great design.
c.
caffeine withdrawal. I have cans of double shot expresso, instant coffee,
free trade whole beans, cans of ground coffee and those little bags you use like
tea. I also have a one cup electric pot, a french press, a bean grinder, a
stainless stove top pot, and a one cup pour through dealy. Good
grief!!! The kicker is, the trailer came with a Mr. Coffee on the
counter!
3. BIG cans of baked beans, and german potato
salad must have been on sale. Good for pot lucks, I guess.
4. Dry socks are important. I forgot
I bought a bunch on sale last fall and tossed them in the trailer.
I just bought more recently....the kind that are short and have
the dry wicking stuff on the bottom, if anyone needs some!
5. During this months long gathering process,
I have learned that the male check out employees at Big Lots are amused when I
buy 5 or 6 tubes of desitin and several tubes of triple antibiotic, while the
female cashiers don't bat an eye.
6. This part I have not
learned.....how do I pay bills while we are on the road?? My regular
payments are going in envelopes with post dated checks and a date
where the stamp goes, and my mother will religiously mail them on the correct
date, but how do I make sure the rest are paid??
I realize there are Walmarts all across the
country, and I don't need so much stuff, but the plain truth is that I have been
so excited about this trip that I had to do SOMETHING while I was waiting, and
so I shopped. I truly think we have enough stuff to eat to get through the
6 weeks with just buying milk, bread and eggs. If you are near, NV, UT, WY
or NE, stop by for some dinner, dry socks, a drink, or a chat. We will be
the ones with the Mothership lit by numerous really cool
flashlights.
