Reflecting on past travels, road tripping has been a mainstay for us and the safest and most comfortable way to travel. We started out our travel journey with road trips because at that point, we didn’t have the funds available to do it any other way and we road trip really well together. Switch is a fantastic pilot and, as co-pilot, I take my job very seriously. I enjoy dispensing drinks and snacks, reading out loud, picking podcasts or playlists perfect for the moment, helping watch for road hazards, while also staring out the window for hours watching the landscape change. Periodically, things do go wrong, but mostly we find a workaround and get on with it. Considering our past experience, we thought that in the midst of a global pandemic, this was the best way to guarantee an enjoyable anniversary, because we’re a few days away from a big one – 30 years. Eeeee!

This trip, however, has been inordinately fraught with many challenges – we’ve had so many that I’ve been looking for some larger message – which is extreme and very unlikely for me to be mulling. I know it is just a string of coincidences, but sheesh! Here’s a list of the roadblocks (see? I’m even throwing out puns, yikes) we’ve encountered, just so I can document for posterity and get it off my chest:

Day 0 – Category 2 hurricane (eye passes just to the north of Pescadero) taking out power for a solid 1.5 days, delays our departure by 1 day

Day 3 – minor medical emergency, must be taken care of in Mexico due to lack of American health insurance, delayed 1 day

Day 4 – squeaking on one of the trailer wheels – thought it was an old, non-critical brake issue – turns out it was first indication of catastrophic failure of the bearings and axle-less suspension. Leave trailer in Bishop at a shop and head into the Bay Area to visit friends while we wait for parts. $$

Day 4 – this is also the day we hear about some major friend drama which leads to much sadness and many tough conversations for the next several days while we visit people.

Weekend – spend three nights in the East Bay visiting the bestest of friends but sleeping accommodations are challenging with a stressed out cat, so not much sleep is acquired.

Day 8 – find out the trailer needs a different part to complete the repairs, part is ordered, part also doesn’t fit, so have to purchase new wheels & tires for the trailer to get it mobile. $$

Day 9 – 16 – lovely visits with friends interspersed with sadness and tough conversations

Day 17 – trailer is ready, so we cut our friend visits a bit short and head out to Winters to stay another night before driving to Bishop. All in all, we’re still “on schedule” we just missed several friend visit opportunities.

Day 18 – we’re finally on the road again! But wait, what is that smell and high-pitched whining coming from the wheel area of the car as we’re heading into Death Valley? We stay one night, but worried about the car, we head into Las Vegas the next day to get it checked out. Stay in hotel. $

Day 19 – 20 – three mechanics later, we have a diagnosis: leaking differential (needs seals replaced) and a leak near the transfer case that is probably not gear fluid, but could be power steering fluid and needs custom seals to replace. And it is Friday, so we order parts and book a cheap, but not free three nights at a 5 star resort hotel $$ while we wait for the FJ to get fixed $$$ #tableflip

Day 21 – 23 – luckily, our parts arrived and we got on the road early enough to make it to the house that we’ll be staying at for the next few days – just in time for our anniversary. I was thanking the imaginary sky friend that we did not have to spend that day in Vegas.

Day 25 – out to Zion to do a couple easy hikes, did not anticipate how long we’d be waiting in traffic on the way back (2.5 hours) for AN ACTIVE SHOOTER situation to be resolved in rockville #facepalm

I hate to jinx anything, but I think our luck has finally turned. We had a delightful canyoneering trip out in some canyon fingers near the west side of Zion. We leave today and continue on our adventure, but we have no plans for the next several days. Woo!

I will leave you with a few photos from the trip. Here’s hoping we get to continue that tomorrow!