Run Sheet
01/07/06
On the road.
0700
I took a laptop from work so that
I can write while on the trip.
I left home today at 0400. It was dark, and I was driving East. I'm currently in a little town caled Princeton. I've been on the road for three hours. I removed the back seat before I left and my dogs are secured behind me in their travel kennel. I'm rolling in my jeep with the top removed, it has been pretty goddamn cold because it's a bit cloudy and we're travelling up the mountains. I have the top down because I guess I'm missing the things I did a few years ago. I've put a hell of a lot of miles on the road on motorcycles, and I'm missing that. I figgered if I had the top off the jeep I might get a small taste of a long-distance bike trip again. It's working to a cetain extent, I'm hearing and feeling a lot of the same stuff, but it can't be the same in a car, even a Jeep. :)
The dogs are doing well, I have to remember to stop every few hours and let them out for a drink, they'll dehydrate pretty quick in the constant wind.
0900
I'm still less than halfway to Kimberley, been on the road for five hours now. I'm in a teeny little place called Rock Creek getting gas. It never ceases to amaze me just how many different cultures there are across this province and how many different local customs there are even a few hundred miles from where I am. For example, where I live public smoking is all but unheard of. There are no restaurants with smoking sections, and the only places you'll find people smoking in public id outdoors or in a bar. In the interior of the province, where I am now, it seems that every person and his dog have a butt hanging out of their mouths, the restaurants have larger smoking sections than non-moking sections (I just had breakfast *gag*)
"Yew want the NON-smoking section??" said the waitress, "That'll be the three tables in the back, by the bathrooms"
Noon
Stopped for gas in Creston. I've
been doing the nod for the last hour trying not to fasll asleep at the
wheel. Here in the mountains there are no radio stations to speak of and
I've heard all my music tapes enough so that I know them all by heart.
I stopped here to get a Mocha. I figger I'll be good and awake now :) The
weather is still cloudy, but warm The dogs are doing well. They're confused
and wonder just where the hell we're going, but they seem to be enjoying
themselves. I looked at my Jeep for the first time today whenI was coming
back from getting my Mocha. It looks mildly ridiculous. The back is full
of a large dog Kennel with a large and a small dog face peering out of
the door, and my knapsack full of clothes in the front seat, a small cooler
full of bottled water and ice on the floor and a fishing rod and tackle
box stuffed in the little available space. There is no room for anything
else other than the driver, and little enough for him.
1600
Gas again, I'm not sure what town
I'm in, and I don't care. I'm sick of driving. Twelve hours now. It's taken
me longer than I anticipated because I've had to stop and let the dogs
out from time to time. I'm firmly in the fruit belt of the province so
I bought a big box of cherries to eat while driving. Gotta love that. Not
long now though, another 1 1/2 or 2 hours should get me there.
1745
Made it. Was greeted by Max and
Eli, haven't seen them for a week so it was a pretty warm hello. Eli ran
up and hugged me enough to break my neck, Max, moving firmly into adolescence
can't run up and hug like he used to, he ran up and punched me (affectionately).
Mary is firmly in the arms of her
grandma whom she adores and who adores her too. She's a nice old lady,
and we get along pretty well. We'll be staying here tonight and be on the
road for Alberta tomorrow.