A New Beginning

 Well It was bound to happen. We had been laying the groundwork for this many years ago, knowingly or not. Now the house had sold. Emotions were everywhere. A rollercoaster of up and downs. It was time for us to unroot all we had known for the last 25 years and try something new. Some would say radically new. For anyone who knows me, knows when I am in, I am all in. For better or worse. This will be for the better.

October 24th, the day I could get the big ass Penske rental truck. 26 foot long cargo box, International Diesel, air chair and school bus steering wheel. "Damn, this sits high up" I thought to myself.  Air brakes take getting used to that's for sure.

I back it into the driveway and now the move can really start. 

Tracy and I held a Halloween Party probably every year we had lived here. We couldn't stop now. A Pizza Moving Halloween Party it would be with a Bonfire to boot.

With the help of family and friends we got a large portion of the house on that truck. With the realization that it was not going to be enough. Another Penske truck was in the drive by Tuesday. We had two days to fill it and leave. 

I queried the family, who want's to drive this extra truck? No one felt that comfortable doing it. It was really too late to ask many people to commit to 4-5 days to help. Except one guy who kept texting me asking if we needed any help. 

"Hey Glen, when can you get up here, I need a driver"

"Ha, Good one, Oh wait, you're serious?"

"As a heart attack"

"Had to go there?"

"You would have, nothing is sacred you know that"

"Fair"

"I can get you up here Wednesday night, will that work"

"Let me ask the boss, and no not Kathy, I have a real job now"

A few hours later schedules were cleared, plane tickets were bought and the move was not to be stopped.

We continued to shove crap in those trucks. We thought we had purged, but apparently not enough. I will forever be reminded of what I brought along and the reasoning behind it. It wasn't pretty. I deserve all the jokes and ribbing and will toast those who bring it up. I l augh because if I didn't I would probably cry.

Crying. Over the last few days the memories haunted us and caused some wet eyes. It was Thursday morning when we were done and ready to leave, all doing a final once over. Mackenzie, Joel, Tracy and I all found ourselves in the basement. Everyone was tearing up, group hug. It was a good house and I hope the new family gets the same out of it as we did. We have been gone two weeks and sometimes I still emotional on memories. This will take time.

It is time, the caravan gets fired up. Except Tracy's car. It's dead as a door knob. You have got to be kidding. Hope this is not an omen. Jump the car. Finally we are on the road. Only a little later than intended. The caravan looks like this: Tracy with the two dogs, Joel and Mackenzie with her cat Molly, Glen in the smaller truck and myself in the bigger truck with the other cat, Gracie, as my co pilot.

Today its about 580 miles and will take over 10 hours with gas stops and food breaks. We travel through Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and finally Kansas. For the most part today was uneventful. and we arrive at the hotel just before dark. Travelling with pets is harder because not that many places allow pets or if they do they ding you extra, a lot extra. La Quinta is a chain that has embraced the pet traveler. Three hotel rooms and a bunch of animals and we are in for the night. Its not the nicest place but we are gone before the sun anyway.

Today is another near 600 mile day, this time traversing Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. Today is also my birthday, so I am given cards gifts, hugs and high fives before we roll. 

Sunrise on the open road. Gracie is the best travelling cat ever.  She sleeps on the seat, under the seat, watches out the window or the best is when she naps on my lap. It's my own personal stress relief, purring away. I have tried to listen to music on the trip but its a lost cause. The truck is too loud so to hear anything the radio has to be so loud its just annoying. Today I dig out my earbuds and make a few phone calls and take a few calls to pass the time. 

After we left Kansas City most of the trip is on state highways. Interstates, while larger, and generally faster would add hours per day to this trip as they generally only connect larger cities. We were on Highway 54 for a long time. Most of it two lane with the occasional passing lane. I get passed a lot. This truck is limited to 75 miles per hour, and it only does that down hill. About midday somewhere in West Texas a semi decides its time to pass me and not in a passing zone. Fine, I move over a bit and he goes by. However, he comes into my lane well before he is past me. I hit the brakes and move over a bit more. Too much, I catch the muddy shoulder. Code Brown. This truck wants to go into the ditch. I get it back on the road but then all the wheels hook up and now I am in full oversteer, crossing into the oncoming lane. The truck feels like she is going to roll, I counter-steer and bring it back around. Holy Shit! A deep breath and a long loud WOOOOOOOO! No need for a monster drink when you got this much adrenaline pump.  

Stuff in the cab is everywhere. One of my Kit-Kats flew into the litterbox on the passenger floor. Classic. Where is the cat? She was still lying there like, why did you wake me? Never phased her at all.

Thankfully, no one saw that. Even though we are a group we go at our own pace. Cars go faster and have dogs and other needs. No need to wait for the lumbering trucks. We all end the day in the same place. 

This place today is Tucumcari, New Mexico. A slightly famous old west town with Route 66 remnants. Time has not been kind to it.

We park the trucks and I get out to inspect it. There must be 50 pounds of mud on the underside of the truck from the muffler back. No noticeable damage. Damn, that is a lot of mud.

We check in and unpack. I go for a run, I need to de-stress. I have run on my birthday for the last 4 years. not going to change today. Its cold and windy, I don't care. It had snowed a day or so ago and there is still snow everywhere. 

We get some Lotaburger and of course being New Mexico, it has hatch chilies on it. It was delicious. Or it could be because I am so hungry, stressed, tired or all three. We all destroy our food and turn in.

Saturday. Halloween. Our 28th Anniversary. One more day of driving. another 580 miles and 9 hours to Tucson. The rest of New Mexico is uneventful and it feels surreal when I cross the Arizona state line. I now live here. This is going to be home. Let that sink in.

We finally arrive at the last LaQuinta I ever hope to stay at. We can't move in to the new place until tomorrow.

Sunday morning we head over to the new, temporary housing. a casita on La Mesquital Ranch. 

Casita. Otherwise known as small house. And they aren't kidding. 700 square feet in a 100 year old adobe building. It's got, um, character. It does have a fenced in yard at least. This is where we will live for the next 5 months or so.  

With that squared away, we drive the moving trucks to the storage place I have reserved. We get there when they open. Except there is no one there. I call, no answer. I eventually call another storage unit of the same chain to get some help. 2 hours after we arrive we finally get access to the facility and my 2 lockers. 

Unpacking begins. I thought packing the truck was painful. Unpacking, getting looks and comments  from all your help as to why they hell did you keep this or why the hell did we move this. I try to explain, but it doesn't matter. I just couldn't jettison 25 years of living in that short of time. I shrug, laugh, and hang my head.  The day ends and we are not done. I have to rent one more locker so tomorrow we can finish the emptying of the last truck and return them to Penske.

We all crash at the Casita. Joel's bed frame breaks. Man its been a crazy few days.

Monday we finish the last truck, take Glen and Joel to the airport. I return the trucks. Nothing was mentioned about my off-roading mud run.  

Tracy and I get back and try to unwind. It's been a whirlwind of a week.  

The adventure continues.