Keep your eyes on the road, hands upon the wheel–A South West RT-The End!Bonus Tracks

So the last 52 hours have been basically insane. Not really 52 hours, though....

Let the camera zoom in on Alison in her arm chair, passed out with her half eaten dinner on a TV tray sitting in front of the chair. Across the bottom of the screen appear the words, "24 hours earlier".

Now the camera pans across the front of the Disneyland Hotel. Alison and Fran emerge smartly dressed. It is obvious they have just enjoyed a great and filling meal because of the happy expressions on their faces and the take out box in Alison's hand. They hand the ticket to the Valet and soon he pulls up in a 1973 Mercury Cougar Convertible. Fran tips the valet and they enter the car.

As the car speeds away, the camera cuts to a scene inside the car.

"When do we get the SUV back from the shop?" Alison asks.

Cue the ominous music as Fran replies, "I didn't hear anything from him today, I'll have to call him first thing in the morning. Oh SH....."

"What?????"

"The temperature gauge just shot up!"

"Can we make it home? Maybe we should just take surface streets...."

After several stops to let the engine cool down, driving the entire way with the heater on full blast (in 70 degree weather), the pair made it home. It was well after midnight.

The next morning with a 9:30 Chiropractor appointment and unsure of the vehicle situation, the camera zooms in on Alison waking up Fran. "What are we going to do about the cars?"

“Let’s see if the Ranchero will start.”

Crickets chirp as the camera pans in on a Yellow 1959 Ranchero with White and Chrome trim, with a battery tender charging the battery. I think you can guess what happens here.

“Let’s go to the new house and get the white Cougar” says Fran.

Cut to a shot of the pair driving down the road in a sporty white 1970 Mercury Cougar Convertible. “Can you call Randy and ask if he can take the Gold Cougar in addition to the SUV?” asks Fran.

“He says, bring it in! The SUV needs $800 in service to be safe for the trip.” :eek:

About a half hour later, Gold Cougar delivered to the shop the pair and trusty sidekick Darcy head off to the gas station to put some juice in belly of the white Cougar. As they approach the pump, the car stalls. “Must be lower on gas than I thought, I’ll have Randy check if the fuel gauge is working properly next time it’s in for service.” Says Fran.

The car is missing the rear view mirror and Fran states that they’ll stop and pick one up at the auto parts store around the corner. Tank adequately filled, the three Muskateers are again on their way. Waiting at the next stoplight, the car stalls again. In the intersection waiting to turn left, another stall. It’s clear the stop at the auto parts store for a new rear view mirror is no longer in the cards.

In fact, it’s only through Fran’s eloquent use of shifting the car into neutral and revving the engine while approaching stop signs that the three make it back to the house. Only to find that the handicapped spot in front of the house is occupied by a bimbo without a plaque who didn’t have the common sense to double park. Obviously someone new to Long Beach because everyone does that, DUH!

By this point the audio needs to be censored with Fran’s commentary. The other two riding in the car haven’t uttered a word even though there have been sightings of multiple punch buggies and other prizes in juvenile car games. Finally the car is parked in a spot across the street. Fran gets out of the car and immediately calls the police to report the offending car in the blue spot. But before she can get the license plate to the dispatcher, the bimbo comes bouncing out of the cat house (no pun intended) next door, giggling and half-heartedly apologizing for taking the spot from the crippled woman.

Now keep in mind the entire purpose of this day was that Edwin (playing the part of himself, the Gardener) and his sidekick were to help move the remaining plants from House Old to House New so that the hired friend would only have to water potted plants in one location and not two. A reservation was made for 11:30AM to pick up a 17 ft U-haul truck to move the plants, and by this time it was almost noon. The reservation was shifted, but still there was no way to pick up the truck.

Fran was sure the Ranchero was the key. She attached the battery jumper and restorer and tried again. No success.

AAA was called, they attached a battery jumper. No success. It was the starter.

“Randy?” Fran asked, “can I have the AAA guy bring you the Ranchero, he says it needs a new starter.” At this point he has three cars!

As the truck is winching the Ranchero onto the flatbed, Edwin arrives and gives Alison a ride to the U-haul place. I’m done with the cut in fade outs and cue the ominous music thing, it’s just so overwhelming that even though it feels like I watched it through someone else’s eyes I need to get back to first person telling of the story.

We pick up the G-D truck and man, you would think a 17 ft truck could fit all the plants that we would have in our yard of an apartment building. They BARELY fit, and it was one he!! Of a chore to do it. Then we had to drive over to the new house and fit them all in the backyard. I’ll show a shot of it before we leave on the trip, but OMG, we have a lot of plants in pots! There was one fern that actually broke off from it’s roots and Edwin planted that amongst all the other ferns in the front yard. We hope it survives. It will be my favorite fern as I have nursed this thing through years of leaves dying and bringing it back to life. It’s hard to believe that now it’s one of a dozen ferns that I have, but it will always have that special spot in my heart, but I digress.

So after we finish unloading all the plants, cleaning out the truck we have to bring it back, but first, since it’s our only vehicle, I have to take Fran to the rental car place so we have a car for the weekend. We are literally one block from the Avis car place and the phone rings. It’s Randy, all three of our cars are ready!!!!!

We cancel the rental car, head to the shop and I drop Fran off. At home Darcy has been cleaning our house while we have been driving around. I put gas in the U-haul, and meet her back at the U-haul drop off, she picks me up and we get the second car. I get the Ranchero and go home. I throw a chicken in the oven and the three of us get back in the 21st century car. Fran picks up the Gold Cougar and goes home. I take Darcy home. By the time I get back the chicken is almost cooked. We make dinner and I practically pass out in my chair before I can finish my dinner.

Can I say, “I NEED A VACATION?????”
 
This was YESTERDAY?????? O.M.G.!!!!! :hug:


You need a vacation. At least now you have the choice of cars to go on this road trip. ;)
 
This was YESTERDAY?????? O.M.G.!!!!! :hug:


You need a vacation. At least now you have the choice of cars to go on this road trip. ;)

Well we have only one choice, we are not taking any of the classic cars on a 1500 mile road trip especially one as long as this and requiring a scooter! That's why the SUV got $800 worth of work on it, plus we are getting two new tires next week. It got new sparkplugs and a bunch of other stuff I don't remember, but was necessary.

Yes and I can't believe that I actually made the chicken dinner after al this, but I was determined. Here is the link if you want to see it.

Chicken Dinner

I can't believe that so many of our cars (that we thought actually worked) didn't work yesterday. We have three others that we KNOW need work, but we thought that these would actually start up and work it's a little disenheartening.

We did get some packing done today, so we're getting closer to being ready And no we are not waiting until the last day to get it all done!
 
Good for you! Hope you get your packing done ahead of time; and loaded in the SUV.

That was a great chicken dinner. I might try bacon on my breasts next time too.


:scratchin That sure looks and sounds weird, doesn't it??? :rotfl:



(And for anyone else wondering, I mean my chicken breast on the bone. I cooked chicken this weekend too. Besides, bacon is perfect with anything. :lmao:)
 


What an absolute nightmare day. You definitely have deserved a vacation after this. I am glad that you still managed to get all the plants moved and that the cars are now all fixed.

Corinna
 
I felt like I was reading a film noir script, that was fabulous! So sorry for that crazy day though, wow. And you had the energy to cook.

I hope your fern makes it :)
 
OMG, what a day! You definitely had the Murphy's Law day of old cars! Glad you got them all running and the plants moved.

That chicken looks awesome! I just made a new friend that cures and smokes his own bacon to sell at the Farmer's Market. Too bad he's married cuz I just might proposition him just for the bacon! :rotfl:

I dropped my Mustang off at the shop yesterday to get the rust in the floorpan fixed and the dash put back together. One more phase until its finally done and ready to drive!

Jill in CO
 


Yikes! What a day! :faint: Here's to smoother days leading up to your vacation.
 
Good for you! Hope you get your packing done ahead of time; and loaded in the SUV.

That was a great chicken dinner. I might try bacon on my breasts next time too.


:scratchin That sure looks and sounds weird, doesn't it??? :rotfl:



(And for anyone else wondering, I mean my chicken breast on the bone. I cooked chicken this weekend too. Besides, bacon is perfect with anything. :lmao:)

I'm working on it! That does sound odd. I know what you mean, but wouldn't this be a great time for the TF to be dropping by! :rotfl2:

What an absolute nightmare day. You definitely have deserved a vacation after this. I am glad that you still managed to get all the plants moved and that the cars are now all fixed.

Corinna

I'm not saying we have these days often, but I can't say we haven't had them before. It's like the whole thing plays out right in front of you and you just keep rolling with the punches, it's not until it's over and you look back saying, "Whaaaaa????" :confused3

I felt like I was reading a film noir script, that was fabulous! So sorry for that crazy day though, wow. And you had the energy to cook.

I hope your fern makes it :)

Cool! That was my intent until it was after midnight, I was tired and just wanted to get the post up there. I'm not really sure I had the energy to cook, I just used the momentum from the day. If I hadn't started the chicken before I took Darcy home, I'm sure we would have been ordering take out. Thank goodness it was easy enough to just lay some bacon across the top after sprinkling it with pepper and stick it in the oven.

I know, that fern has been my pride and joy for years. I can't believe that the new house has a fern grotto that puts my little fern to shame. I plan to spend some evenings there with a glass of wine eventually. The fern is in the front yard where we actually have half a dozen ferns, and it is still the smallest! It's like the little fern that could!

OMG, what a day! You definitely had the Murphy's Law day of old cars! Glad you got them all running and the plants moved.

That chicken looks awesome! I just made a new friend that cures and smokes his own bacon to sell at the Farmer's Market. Too bad he's married cuz I just might proposition him just for the bacon! :rotfl:

I dropped my Mustang off at the shop yesterday to get the rust in the floorpan fixed and the dash put back together. One more phase until its finally done and ready to drive!

Jill in CO

You of all people understand the Old Cars woes. We had to get the rust fixed on the non convertible Cougar. I hope that the cars stay running! We need to make sure and drive them more. The White Cougar is going to the shop on Monday to figure out the stalling thing.

We need the Ranchero to be in good shape because we are driving that to SLO for the Annual Car Club meet in July.

Yikes! What a day! :faint: Here's to smoother days leading up to your vacation.

Thanks! I hope they are smoother, but they will still be hectic!
 
OK, we're 5 days out and things are looking better.

The turkey is in the oven, it's an 18 pounder so after we eat our portion for dinner tonight, there should be at least 13 days of turkey left for Olga.

I've also begun packing. We are doing something new for this trip and I'm not sure how it will work. Since only the Casino hotels will have bellmen, we are packing our stuff in smaller suitcases and planning on taking one for nights 1-2, another for nights 3-5, and a final one for nights 6-9. There is one suitcase with our bathroom bags and other daily necessities that we will take in every night. So in theory, we should only have to take in two small suitcases each night. Not the giant suitcases that we normally take on a trip.

The problem is that Fran can't figure out which clothes she plans to wear on which day. How hard is it? Wear a T-shirt, pack 8 of them and wear one each day, but no, she wants to pack a mix of polos, long sleeve Ts and other stuff, she doesn't know if she wants to wear them in MV or Bryce. :headache:

The other twist is that both MV and Bryce will be colder than I had anticipated. While these place can be very hot in the Summer, it's still only Spring. MV has highs estimated in the mid 70s, which should be quite pleasant and perhaps I can get away with tank tops in the day, but nighttime temperatures are down in the 40s which is pretty cold for us Southern Californians!

Bryce Canyon on the other hand is looking at highs in the mid 60s and lows in the low 40s and high 30s. That's January weather for us So Cal folk! I think I'll need my long sleeve shirts! Today the high was only 47 degrees! Tomorrow the low is estimated at 21! :scared1:

Of course Laughlin and Vegas are playing out just as I had planned hot, hot, hot! I'm glad some things are predictable! So here's the list now....It's a little more manageable

Done:
Accomodations
Tours of Monument Valley
Tour Plan of Bryce Canyon
Google Directions Printed
100,000 mile check up and tune up for the car
Thaw and cook a turkey for Olga
Cook a chicken for the WFD thread crowd
Move all the plants from House Old to House New

In Process
Creating a Packing List clothing
Creating a Packing List cooking & supplies
Actually pack for Alison
Write a letter to all the tenants letting them know we might be out of cell service for a while.

Still to do
Clean out the car
Get maps from AAA
Actually pack for Fran
Shred Turkey into Olga size pieces
Buy more “special” cat food
Brief the cattaker on the changes to Olgas food and meds
Meet with the walk in tub people for measuring
Load up the car with suitcases and stuff


Now of course this doesn't take into account the things we have to do for normal daily life, like go to the Chiropractor, finish cleaning the carpets at the new house, feed the cats twice daily and whatever else we have going on like go to band, but we're making progress! A week from now I should have seen a gorgeous sunset in Navaho country and getting ready for dinner, if I'm not already eating it!
 
I like your packing plan. Smaller suitcases are easier to manage that two large ones. We did something similar for our last trip and it worked out great for us. I hope it works for you as well.

I hope Fran figures it out with her clothes.


With those temps, it might be worth throwing a light jacket or a coat in the back of the car. If you don't use it, that's fine but at least you have it available if you need it.


You seem to have everything in hand and under control. Well done. :thumbsup2
 
Oh Alison you need a hug..

Sorry your day was so hectic, but I am glad you are back to the 21st Century!
 
You are making progress! This is going to be such a cool trip! Gotta love the crazy spring temp differences in the desert.

Jill in CO
 
A week from now I should have seen a gorgeous sunset in Navaho country and getting ready for dinner, if I'm not already eating it!

You've made quite a bit of progress and the smaller suitcases sound like a great plan.


Angela, maybe we need a combined PTR.. That way we don't miss anything :lmao:

I'm not sure when I'll be able to pull off this trip with work so up in the air. I'm thinking you'll enjoying this trip before us. Then it would turn into another TR like Kimmar's.:rotfl2:
 
Seems like Mary Jo moved you, Alison. Maybe she can help with the house move as well. pirate:
 
My goodness, I can't believe the car issues! :scared1: This sounds like the script from a National Lampoon movie. What a day!

Good news: it's almost time for a vacation! :woohoo:
 
You've made quite a bit of progress and the smaller suitcases sound like a great plan.




I'm not sure when I'll be able to pull off this trip with work so up in the air. I'm thinking you'll enjoying this trip before us. Then it would turn into another TR like Kimmar's.:rotfl2:

I am hoping to do this trip next fall... But by the looks of this one and PIOs I need to start planning right now, plus I got three more trips between then and now... :faint:
 

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