Make Hay while the Sun Shines... and Travel Together

Today, Wednesday March 25, was an easy day on our planned northward migration. Only a little over 200 miles. Tried to find a place to camp for the night that was just, oh... another 60 or 80 miles further. But came up dry. With just the little camper it would have been easy. But with both the camper and the bushouse the possibilities diminish. And many federal campgrounds are not open this early in the season.

That was all a long way around to the fact that we're here in Susanville CA tonight, after an easy 217 mile jaunt. We've decided that tomorrow we'll keep the momentum going and finish the migration back to Sutherlin. It'll be a "big" day for us... something like 325 miles... but we're up for it. As I said last night, we can smell the barn.

We had one interesting situation today when we were exiting from I-80 to US-395 in downtown Reno. The off-ramps are close and a little confusing to the occasional traveler through here.  I was in the lead, Dar following close behind. We both could see the exit... but there are two different exits very close to one another. I mistakenly pulled into the far right lane when I should have stayed in the next-to the far right lane. At the last moment I realized my mistake and had a clear shot at changing to the correct lane... and did so. Dar wasn't so lucky. She was committed and blocked... and it was too late. She went into downtown Reno and I was heading out of town on 395 north. Hmmm.  While traveling in tandem like this we use little FRS two-way radios, with a real life range of just a mile or so (despite the package claims of 22 miles!!!), and we used the last few seconds of signal strength to bid each other good luck, agreeing to meet down the road as soon as reasonably possible. Some stories might have ended there. ("Believe it or not little one, that was the last I saw of her. Lost her to the siren-song of the big city. We had a good run while it lasted.")

But it didn't end that way. The good news is that we did get back together about 10 miles down the road. I slowed and found a good stealthy spot at roadside, and she used her innate inner compass to home in on the correct route... and the rest is history.

And for those newbie grasshoppers out there who are contemplating full-time life on the road, here is my message after making a couple trips with us driving separately:  Don't be fooled into thinking you can have the same quality travel experiences by driving separately in order to take two vehicles from place to place. I mean, it's like saying... hey, I'll meet you in Rome for a few days next May. No sir, no madam, you will be missing so much... the joys of shared experiences... the side comments... the unspoken vibrations and emotions only possible when in the same place at the same time... within eye contact. Remember, much of the lifestyle is about the journey... not just the destination. Would you take your wife/partner to a nice dinner and sit at separate tables?... maybe connected only by two way radio... so you can "share" the experience??? Huh? No. Of course not. The thought is ridiculous. Do what you have to do to shun this urge. Travel together, as a twosome. You miss sooo much if you don't.

Tonight we're resting in Susanville. Tomorrow we'll be back at homebase.