Relocation leg #1 completed: 1,099 mi, 17 hours 16 mins
Last Tuesday morning I officially left CA. Technically I'm still a Californian but for the next few weeks I'l be traveling on my way to my new home. Though what is home? For me it's been redefined after living full time from The Glampette since the first week of January this year. I'll write all about what it's been like in a future post.
So, last week I quietly left California thinking I'd blog about being on the road eventually but something happened that was so funny I wanted to share it with you now.
The day I arrived in Washington state I looked at my Facebook page late that evening. This is what I saw. . .
So much for my stealth relocation attempt! Debbie's post made me laugh out loud! That she recognized The Glampette coming towards her on the highway made my day. It also made me realize I can't get away with anything anymore :P
Debbie knew The Glampette from the Teardrops & Tiny Travel Trailer (tnttt.com) forum where I met my builder (and friend) Fred and from my blog. I didn't even realize I'd talked to Debbie before but it turns out I had and had even welcomed her to the tnttt forum in a meet and greet thread a few months ago as she and her husband were building their woody teardrop.
I wish we'd seen each other at a rest stop or gas station so we could have met in person and chatted. I'd have loved to have gotten a peek inside their home built teardrop trailer.
First break: Santa Cruz to Donner Pass
But back to leaving CA. . . It was another of those bittersweet moments. With so many sad things happening in my life the past six months I honestly couldn't wait to leave. Just the distance would help put closure on several painful chapters by not being constantly reminded of places where I'd experienced both sad times and happy times that now make me feel sad.
At the same time I regretted having to leave my friends. Several in particular dug deep and rallied for me the past six months helping me in ways above and beyond what I would have thought friends would offer to do for me through one of the most challenging periods of my life. How do I just walk, or move, away from them? I did because I know I will see them again. I know I'll be back for visits and am already looking forward to my first one either later this year or next spring.
A quick photo op at Donner Lake on Interstate 80
I crossed the Nevada state line at exactly 11:41 AM
Once you come through the Sierra Nevadas most of the drive looks the same. Dirt and sage brush. It was a mostly cloudy day with sprinklings of rain. I thought to myself it would have been a perfect travel day for Kitai. He wouldn't have gotten too hot from the sun coming through the window and shining down on him. Driving without my fuzzy co-pilot was definitely not how I'd envisioned this drive when I first decided to move away from CA during the winter. Even though he wasn't a person there was something very comforting knowing I wouldn't be all alone out on the road. I still miss him so much.
The latter part of the drive was harder than the first part. It got windy, like really windy, which requires both more downshifting and more gas. My goal was to make it to Idaho to visit my friend Rebecca Ferrell who just happened to be in the Boise Area at her friends' house with her RV "The Dreamer." The plan was to make it by 8:00 PM in time for a late (gourmet) dinner. I arrived sometime between 8:00 and 8:15.
Needless to say I felt like I was in a palace while joining Rebecca for dinner! The Dreamer is significantly larger than The Glampette. Rebecca even loaned me a roll out matt to put at my doorstep. We laughed because it's square footage was significantly larger than The Glampette itself. The next morning when it began raining I was very grateful for it since I didn't have to get my shoes muddy to walk back over to The Dreamer for breakfast. It was so nice to have good company and real food, not restaurant or fast food, after over 13 hours on the road the day before.
A huge thank you to Rebecca's friends Brent and Sandy for allowing me to stay in their driveway that evening. Their hospitality was very much appreciated.
The next morning I drove beneath more grey skies and rain for several hours as I traversed the highways from Idaho to Oregon and finally to Washington. I'll be staying here for a few weeks visiting my folks before heading out once again.
Despite missing my friends I can already tell the change is doing me good. I've been sleeping 8 hours a night, unheard of when I was in California, so the distance is already helping me to feel better.
To friends I didn't have time to see before I left I apologize. I was just so tired and still kind of overwhelmed. Trying to make the time to see everyone who matters to me would have taken weeks. But, I will let you know when I return for a visit and if our schedules can mesh I'd love to meet up then.
Stay tuned to find out where I'll go next :)
ETA: LOL This just in from Facebook:
Grand Rapids and ArtPrize here I come!
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