In less than a week, I will be getting in a vehicle with four of JC's family members to drive across Michigan to board a plane to Las Vegas. That is just the beginning of our cross country adventure. From Vegas, the five of us will be picked up by his father for the 100 mile trek to the parental home which will soon be left behind. Left to foreclosure or some other means, but a distant past for his parents as they venture back to the life and family they left behind in Michigan 15 years ago.
I have no idea what this trip will have in store. It will be a test of wills. It will be stressful. It will be hot, sticky, clammy, cold. We will be short fused, caustic, sarcastic and irritable. I hope that there will be happy moments, funny moments, memories shared and memories made.
Promises of packing done have been made. Offers of one day of packing have been made before hitting the road for the cross country caravan adventure, some 2000 miles away. There will be four vehicles, eight potential drivers. The vehicles include a U-haul with trailer, RV with trailer and two other smaller vehicles - van/truck or car assortments. JC and I will have the U-haul.
Last night JC shared with me that his sister will be getting a hotel the night before we leave. She will be reuniting with an old classmate friend she hasn't seen in almost 20 years. She will be coming back to the house the following morning to leave. Needless to say, I was pissed! For the first time he supported his sister stating that she is an adult and what she does is her business and only affects her. WHAT?
Was he serious? Did he truly believe that? That his sister's partying and staying out late, potentially being hungover wouldn't affect all of us? Does he not get what caravanning across the country means? That what she does and her actions impact and affect us all? Despite me saying that to him, it fell on deaf ears. He is completely oblivious.
Maybe it's my growing up and cross country vacation experiences that leave me knowledgeable about this upcoming trip. Maybe it's my need to be realistic and grounded; to not live in the fog of myself and only myself. JC has set his goals on getting home by the night of the third day. That's all he's focusing on. Not the reality that car problems, missed exits, closed roads, bathroom breaks, meal stops, age and fatigue all affect the trip and his ability to get home.
Initially I had thought that the adventure was 2200 miles and averaging 60 mph would take approximately 36 hours. That we would need to drive 12 hours per day to get home in the late evening of Day 3, as the 12 hours wouldn't include food, gas, resting or any other unforeseen delay. Fortunately, I was wrong. Today, when I yahoo mapped out their specific location, it appears that the trip is 1968 miles and 28.5 hours, of course that doesn't include the convoy of large vehicles driving less than the average speed limit, but still, much improved from my initially thought drive time.
I'm in the dark as to the departure time. I would like for it to be early in the morning to take advantage of the first day, which should be the longest while we still have energy! Then again, we can't leave until his sister arrives. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, maybe she is an early riser and doesn't drink. Having only met her once, unfortunately I know one is false and the other is likely not true either.
I can only hope that little Guardian Angel's are watching over us on this trek that we all make it safe and sound and in one piece! To new adventures...
No comments:
Post a Comment