Thursday, October 6, 2016

New Stuff Brings New Issues


Ririe Reservoir, Idaho at sunset....right about the time the coyotes started to howl!
So, I have learned some fabulous life lessons on this big adventure across the U.S.  First, new things bring new issues.  Let's take the fact that my closet and most of our storage is in the back of a Titan truck.  To gain access to those things (clothes, electric blanket, toilet paper) requires that Ms. Flexible Yoga Joy climbs onto the hitch, up over the tailgate and the table (that rests up against the tailgate), and then pushes around and pulls on boxes and bins until I find the correct box or bin to then prop open so I can dig out that warm wool sweater or get some more dog food or grab a clean pair of socks for my husband.  Laying full body,  so all of my a little over 100 pounds on my right side, directly on my ribs to get the camper stove (I told myself when I heard that strange sound as I lay in this awkward position, "That's going to hurt.") led to nearly 4 weeks of pain.  Pain that made me wince when I took a breath, laughed, coughed, slept on the wrong side.  Ribs are on the mend but new things bring new issues.  Having a closet in a truck is a new thing and so I need to move in a different way with thoughtfulness.  Got it.   Yes, it's a bit of a mess back there...with ice makers and laundry soap propped up against lawn chairs!  Organizing and living small...that's a whole other post! 

Our on-the-road "closet and storage"
I love taking photos and am a very visual person.  With my iPhone full to capacity with photos/videos (and my struggle to save them somewhere, iCloud? DropBox?), and on recommendation from a friend/photographer I bought a really cool wifi capable camera, ELPH 190 IS (odd name but GREAT camera).  I love the quality of pictures and video but all of that beauty sits quietly on my new blue camera.  With a new camera comes a whole new download of drivers, manuals and complications to get the fancy wifi working (tricky when you are dry camping in a National forest overlooking a dam and your only wifi is a Verizon hotspot on your husband's iPhone).  This new toy, of course with it's own specific set of issues, and requires some focused time and energy so I can pull off photos to share and enjoy.  I have a giant memory card so for now will continue to click away!

My beautiful new camera!  Thanks for the recommendation, Larry.
So, I have come to expect anything new (which is nearly daily on this trip) will have it's challenge and I no longer just think, "Yeah, yippee, something new!"  I think, "OK, I am excited but what will go wrong or what will we need to adjust/fix/replace?"  Case in point, we finally got our new Sondors e-bikes (check this out for more info http://gosondors.com/) yesterday (so fun...fat tire and very yellow!).  My handy and bright great nephew helped assemble the first one with my McGyver-like husband.  "Hop on and give it a spin!" they happily directed me after it was all assembled.  As I took off on a maiden voyage (what fun!) round the cul-du-sac all I could hear was a scraping each time I peddled...brakes not fully adjusted and that will require a Thursday trip to the bike shop.  And, bike #2 is still boxed up.  And, then the question becomes, so how do we get the bikes to the RV park where we are staying  (next to the freeway with trucks downshifting and cars zooming by and under the airport flight path where we hear helicopters and jets day and night while the train rattles the trailer...whole different story!) I digress, anyway, the trailer park is some 10 minutes away and how do we transport the bikes when we are once again on the road?   They most certainly aren't going to fit in that very full truck cab :P  New things bring new issues.  Husband is on it with research into bike racks, locks, covers. 

Sondors e-bikes we are so excited for!  



So, I have learned one important principal in life on the adventure (actually I have learned many...future posts!); new things bring new issues and it's not "if" something will happen but "what" will happen or maybe "when."  Got it and won't forget it and, am happy to write, I now embrace it!  Good life lesson! 






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