While I was in England, MT was parked at the San Jose Elks Lodge RV dry storage parking lot. It is close to Tom and Pat's house and has been a convenient parking place for me for the past couple years. So when I was done visiting in home base, I returned to San Jose, moved MT from it's dry storage parking spot to a water and electric hook-up site for one night and prepared to drive south to Carlsbad.
I don't like to drive too far during my driving days when I'm moving from place to place - it is more difficult by myself than it was with Mike because I don't have a navigator, or someone to share the driving with, so I plan ahead for a lodging destination, future gas and rest stops and cue up my audio book and podcasts for entertainment while I drive. Four to five hours of driving per day gets me in the neighborhood of 150 to 200 miles at a leisurly pace and still allows time for a recreation break.
Between San Jose and Carlsbad I have my go-to places to overnight, but not for recreation. This time I stopped at a county park in King City
So far, so good for the 430 mile, two overnight stops trip from San Jose to Carlsbad. But what happened next on the morning of day two was noteworthy to me and deserved another entry in my journal of "close connections" with Mike. The following is my note to self, so save it for when you have time, or pass entirely if you prefer the travelogue over personal thoughts....
I am always looking for signs that Mike is with me, and am happy when something "coincidental" happens. Today, my love, you spoke directly to me and then sent others to pound home your message when I missed it the first time......
I don't like to drive too far during my driving days when I'm moving from place to place - it is more difficult by myself than it was with Mike because I don't have a navigator, or someone to share the driving with, so I plan ahead for a lodging destination, future gas and rest stops and cue up my audio book and podcasts for entertainment while I drive. Four to five hours of driving per day gets me in the neighborhood of 150 to 200 miles at a leisurly pace and still allows time for a recreation break.
Between San Jose and Carlsbad I have my go-to places to overnight, but not for recreation. This time I stopped at a county park in King City
and had a nice hike for an hour on a sunny but cool afternoon
before continuing on to Atascadero where I like to stay at the Elks Lodge RV Parking. That lodge has full hookups and is very convenient to Hwy 101.
Next morning, I found a bakery for my morning treat on my way to another
nice county park for a morning hike.
So far, so good for the 430 mile, two overnight stops trip from San Jose to Carlsbad. But what happened next on the morning of day two was noteworthy to me and deserved another entry in my journal of "close connections" with Mike. The following is my note to self, so save it for when you have time, or pass entirely if you prefer the travelogue over personal thoughts....
I am always looking for signs that Mike is with me, and am happy when something "coincidental" happens. Today, my love, you spoke directly to me and then sent others to pound home your message when I missed it the first time......
I hooked up the Jeep to MT as usual at the Atascadero Elks RV lot. But as it often happens, I got sidetracked and went inside to pee and wash the grease off my hands before making my final walk-around to check for road readiness. Instead, I sat in the drivers seat, charted my course, hooked up my book, and sent Michal a text to let her know I was leaving Atascadero now for the next 150 miles. Then I pulled out of the parking lot onto the road. I did not realize it yet, but I had neglected to put the Jeep in 4-wheel drive neutral.
When I rolled onto the asphalt road at the end of the gravel parking lot, I went at a bad and uneven angle that made MT rock really hard from side to side. Ia heard a loud, unusual crash on the inside. I pulled over to the curb on the street outside the Elks parking lot. I discovered the urn holding Mike's ashes had fallen down out of its cabinet above the door onto the floor and the plastic slider cover on the screen door inside was also knocked off it's track onto the floor. That has NEVER happened before, even though it is not unusual for items to adjust and even fall when I initially start driving. This was the first sign - you were shouting at me to stop, open the door and go outside to assess the situation, but I missed it. Instead, I returned the urn to it's cabinet and the plastic slider to it's track on the screen door and continued on down the street to the corner 1/4 mile ahead where I would access the freeway on-ramp.
When I rolled onto the asphalt road at the end of the gravel parking lot, I went at a bad and uneven angle that made MT rock really hard from side to side. Ia heard a loud, unusual crash on the inside. I pulled over to the curb on the street outside the Elks parking lot. I discovered the urn holding Mike's ashes had fallen down out of its cabinet above the door onto the floor and the plastic slider cover on the screen door inside was also knocked off it's track onto the floor. That has NEVER happened before, even though it is not unusual for items to adjust and even fall when I initially start driving. This was the first sign - you were shouting at me to stop, open the door and go outside to assess the situation, but I missed it. Instead, I returned the urn to it's cabinet and the plastic slider to it's track on the screen door and continued on down the street to the corner 1/4 mile ahead where I would access the freeway on-ramp.
When I approached the stoplight at the corner, the guy in the car in front of me waved, got out of his car and came back to tell me he saw smoke and thought I must have a brake on. I checked the parking brake - not on. Your sign number two "well, if you won't listen to me, then I'll send someone else to help" still did not sink in until the stoplight changed from red to green, the guy in front of me drove away and as I moved up to the intersection I heard squealing and I finally realized what was happening. I continued straight through the intersection (rather than turning right to approach the highway) and pulled over to the curb again. Here I got out and was joined by a third guy who had pulled over because he could see what was happening, too and was there to offer help. By the time he got to me, I was in the process of finishing the job I neglected in the RV parking lot 3 minutes ago - put the Jeep in neutral, put the 4 wheel drive in neutral and roll up the windows. I explained the situation to guy number three - I had forgotten to complete my job, and all was in order now, thank you very much for stopping.
Guy number three drove away. I returned to the drivers seat, now completely shaken and started to review the events of the last three minutes. When I realized the significance of the falling of your urn - that was no coincidence - I got the same full body rush with tingles from head to toe that I experienced the first time on Easter Sunday (are 17.04.16) in 2017, in Valladolid, Mexico ( see 17.06.14-23) when the band played Bob Dylan's "Knock, Knock Knockin on Heavens Door" and most recently in Liverpool in the Cavern Club (see 18.01.14-15 Boats and Beatles) I love the fact that you are watching me. I can feel your spirit entering my body and It gives me welcome tears, and I'm looking forward to more.
Guy number three drove away. I returned to the drivers seat, now completely shaken and started to review the events of the last three minutes. When I realized the significance of the falling of your urn - that was no coincidence - I got the same full body rush with tingles from head to toe that I experienced the first time on Easter Sunday (are 17.04.16) in 2017, in Valladolid, Mexico ( see 17.06.14-23) when the band played Bob Dylan's "Knock, Knock Knockin on Heavens Door" and most recently in Liverpool in the Cavern Club (see 18.01.14-15 Boats and Beatles) I love the fact that you are watching me. I can feel your spirit entering my body and It gives me welcome tears, and I'm looking forward to more.
I continued on my journey, and the Jeep seemed fine in tow. When I got to my night number two layover with friends Roger and Michal in Camarillo, I relayed the story along with my lessons learned
- remember to do a walk-around the rig before driving away
- slow down to appreciate the signs that you are sending me.
Roger, who is a car man, rode along with me the next morning when I unhooked the Jeep and took it for a test drive. Everything seemed OK, and the Jeep's tires and tranny got a clean bill of health from Roger's mechanic later that day.
I believe I dodged a really serious bullet! I'm not ready to replace the Jeep quite yet - it tows well with MT and is part of my comfort zone for now. All rusty roof with 213,000 miles of it!
- remember to do a walk-around the rig before driving away
- slow down to appreciate the signs that you are sending me.
Roger, who is a car man, rode along with me the next morning when I unhooked the Jeep and took it for a test drive. Everything seemed OK, and the Jeep's tires and tranny got a clean bill of health from Roger's mechanic later that day.
I believe I dodged a really serious bullet! I'm not ready to replace the Jeep quite yet - it tows well with MT and is part of my comfort zone for now. All rusty roof with 213,000 miles of it!
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