Ramblin’ Road: Thoughts on preparing to hit the road

by Phyllis McCrossin

It’s a beautiful fall day, but I’ve been chased inside by the multitude of flies that seem to be so prevalent this season. I’ve become quite adept with the flyswatter. The hapless intruders don’t stand a chance.

From my vantage point by the kitchen table I can see the Kal Haven Trail. The trees along the trail are still green – until you look closely and you can see a slight yellow tinge to them. While driving to Glenn today to get our mail there was an occasional tree that simply could not hold out any longer and has already changed to a brilliant orange.

The RV section of the campground was near capacity this weekend. But that includes a handful of RVs that are housing a work crew for the I-196 highway project. They come in Sunday night or Monday morning, spend the week at the campground and leave Thursday night for their real homes. The empty RVs stay here.

This weekend, besides those staying in their RVs, there were a few hardy tenters. I’m not certain how long they will continue to venture out. We had a frost Saturday morning so they must have been cold. Or not.

We have not yet turned on our furnace. When I poke my head out from under the covers on frosty mornings, there is something to be said for being able to snuggle back under the comforter and know if it gets REALLY cold I can pull out a sleeping bag. One would think those who stay in a tent are of the same mind. Except, I also know I have a really nice furnace I can turn on when the chill becomes unbearable.

Things simply seem to be winding down. We are in the home stretch for getting ready to hit the road. I think I ask King almost daily when his last golf scramble is, as our departure date depends on the last golf outing. I know he knows when it is. He won’t tell me until I quit asking.

And I won’t quit asking so we are at an impasse. This is one I cannot win, but I’m too stubborn to give in. He and our sons are playing in a scramble today so I’m hoping they will have a few more dates and I can ask one of the boys for an idea of how much longer. When sons get to a certain age they can’t say no to Mom. We’ve been married 44 years so I obviously have a few work-arounds.

I’ve already enlisted our sons to work on King for new tires. I’ve mentioned the need for tires in another column. Yesterday a friend was visiting. We have a canopy outside the trailer where we sit when we “entertain.” The friend helped me find the manufacture date on the tires. They were made in 2003. King pretends he thinks it’s not a problem. Again, after 44 years I can tell when he is wavering.

I’ve also mapped out our route. For the past four years I have been saying I want to visit the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, Kansas. It has often been on our list of stops. For one reason or another (snowstorms, the need to be in California in three days, an ice storm, etc. etc. etc.) our route has always changed.

Though Kansas is kind of considered the middle of the country, believe it or not it’s not exactly on the way to California. I’m hoping this year we can make it. I also want to see the World’s Largest Belt Buckle, the Kaskaskia Dragon, the Welcome Alien in Roswell, NM and a few other places many consider tourist traps.

I’m a sucker for Americana and National Parks. The two can be compatible if you know how to do it right. Being a retired journalist I’d also love to go to the Ernie Pyle Museum in Dana, Indiana but I don’t think it will be open. Ernie Pyle was a World War II war correspondent. My favorite journalism professor used to read excerpts from his columns to our class.

I spent an afternoon mapping our route, knowing full well we won’t follow it. In fact, we have yet to follow any route. I am not exaggerating when our say our trip always changes – most of the time before we reach Chicago.

It’s just our fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants way.