Getting Ready to Leave on our Adventure
Part of July and most of August we spent any time off on getting ready to go. The Saint had the Jeep fully serviced, got new tires, and bought a Thule. We also had to make sure all the pets had sufficient food for us to be gone over 3 weeks. The Saint paid all the bills ahead, I cleaned the house, crossed things off the list as they were accomplished, and made more lists.
I even had a list of my lists. There was the Car list, the Meds list, the Clothes lists, the Toys and Amusements list, and more.
We knew the roads would be bad, and the State of Alaska Transportation site recommends that anyone driving the Dalton Highway to the Arctic Circle should have two spare tires and extra gas, food, blankets and mosquito repellent. Since we thought we might want to do this, that meant finding room for even more stuff.
August 11 finally arrived. I was so happy when work was over for the day! My plan had been to get drunk, but I was so tired I had one drink, and was asleep by 9:30 PM that night.
Our plan was to leave Tuesday the 15th, after The Saint's appointment with his massage therapist.
Saturday, Sunday and Monday were a frenzy of cleaning for me; I have to clean my house spotless when we go on long vacations. We also went shopping Saturday and I got a ton of new clothes, since I needed all new jeans. It was great. The Saint had other shopping to do, and also needed to do a few things at his work before he left for a month.
Monday I had packing on my mind, and laundry. I remember I got a little peeved at The Saint because he didn't help me clean at all - but then again, that's MY thing, not his. We packed our bags, and picked up a few last minute things, and I went over all the lists and the lists of lists....and we had it all.
Tuesday, and it was time to go. The bags were packed, the cooler was full of ice, and The Saint was at his appointment. I did all the last minute things (unplugging lamps, and mopping floors) which I finished, and then I waited for him to come home, so we could load everything into the car, and off we'd go. I was itching to leave, and finally he calls.
"I'm about a mile away from home." He sounds a little stressed out.
"Okay."
"The Jeep is broken."
I am silent for a second, before I can say, "What do you mean the Jeeps broken?"
"It's messed up. I think it's the transmission. (He explains what it's doing to me) I am going to see if I can coast down the hill to the Jeep dealer...."
"%#$@!&*!"
To be continued......
