My West Coast Trip - by the Numbers

I was gone for 26 days and drove more than 7,600 miles in my truck (another 400 miles or so on my bike) on this west coast trip. I went thru 12 different states – seven of them twice or more – and burned more than 600 gallons of diesel fuel. I prefer not to think about how many dollars that represents. I delivered 13 different loads on my travels and generated a fairly decent income considering I sometimes took a load for less than I might normally consider only because it moved me in the direction I wanted to go. I saw 12 different family members and met many more friends along the way. I have added more than 260 new pictures in my album.

Overall I would rate this trip as FANTASTIC. Every stop was memorable. I was welcomed so graciously by all my family that put me up along the way. It was almost like they enjoyed seeing me! I have seen all of these people within the last 3 or 4 years – except for my cousin Sherita, a bit longer for her – but it was still as if I hadn’t seen them in 20. And it was such a good feeling for me. The only negative thing I can say is, I did not get as much motorcycle time as I wanted.

The weather was cold and rainy in several places I was hoping to ride. Three days in LA and the bike never came off the trailer because of the rain. Another four days in Boise and I only rode a couple of hours one afternoon because it was so cool (mid 50s) and very windy.

I am planning a return visit to California with my youngest son in mid-July. My older sister’s husband has a son (grandson?) getting married and there will be even more family on my sisters side – including her – who I have not seen for a long time. The fact my almost 20 y/o son wants to do something with his dad is reason enough by itself in my book, tho!

I have not been able to update my blog since I broke my internet air card a few days ago. This poorly designed device plugs into the USB port on the side of my laptop and sticks out about 3 inches. It bumps into EVERYTHING. A particularly bumpy road across IA caused my laptop to inch its way off the back of my center console landing in the passenger seat – on its side. The air card got bent at a 90 degree angle and works no more.

My oldest son suggested I get a different style card that plugs into the PCIA (?) port rather than the USB port. It will not only work faster but only sticks out less than an inch. Because it fits inside the laptop almost 2”, it should be a much more durable situation. That and the $50 price – versus $250 from AT&T – make it acceptable.

I have been in Belleville since Thursday, as has my mother coincidentally. She has a contract on the last piece of rental property here and is in town to wrap up some loose ends. Today being Mother’s Day allows me to entertain her for brunch, which we are leaving for in just a few minutes.

I will be making a qwik trip to Elkhart, IN early Monday morning for a friend. It’s about 400 miles each way so I will leave here by 5 am and hopefully return before dark. He has a small cargo trailer going up and an even smaller one coming back and was having trouble finding a way to make the exchange in a timely manner. I happen to be standing in his office when he was trying to work out the logistics and volunteered to help since I had nothing else planned.

Tuesday my truck is scheduled for some preventative maintenance stuff so I plan to start looking for something to take me to FL by mid-week. I need a vacation.