Whoa, Ranger! WHOA!

My trusty steed got me safely across the country and the crack across the windshield (I think it's one of those temperature-change cracks, only because I've seen one form on my old Buick's windshield) only advanced about three inches. After a late start (slept in, my secret to long-range driving), I made it past D/FW the first night and past Knoxville, the second. These were my targets after I decided not to stop at Dyess AFB in Abilene TX at what would have been a good end of the day for non-extreme driving. Extreme it was. After Knoxville, I couldn't muster a good nap at the rest area there, despite having eked out only an hour of snoozing the night before on Sulphur Springs TX and a few hours later in southern Arkansas. I continued into southern VA, fueled by Mountain Dew and many good tunes on the 6-disc MP3 player.

While there, I discovered what a good little survival capsule I'd turned the bed of my truck into for this trip. My chicken sandwiches were still refrigerated by the icepacks I'd put in the cooler. The carpet remnants I'd spread over the truck liner saved my knees while maneuvering back there. I was enjoying a meal of chicken sandwich, Pringles, and bottled water when the heavy rain forced me to close the tailgate and camper shell lid. I had my Goretex TN Titans coat for warmth and a plush Tigger doll for my niece's Xmas present as a pillow. And a Ruger SP-101 tucked somewhere as the ultimate in masculine protection.

Before I start slaving away on the sidewalk project, I get to bounce down to MD this weekend to visit some friends. Then you can really start to expect me to bitch about some aches and pains.