After a few weeks of urban camping, we are getting a bit more civilized and actually have counter tops. We had rigged up some plywood on the island but it was not really the same. Luce seemed to want to get in on the celebration so with a little help, he made it up there. We are not all the way there yet as there is no faucet on the kitchen sink but we are getting there slowly but surely.
After a week in a hotel it was time we moved into our house. We are not even close to being unpacked as you can imagine but it is good to be in our house. Luce is NOT allowed on the sofa but an exception was made in this case. The slip covers are still in a box somewhere so we will deal with his fur. Lastly, yes… alcohol may have been a factor in this decision.
Day 4 took us from Little Rock Arkansas to our new home town of Athens Georgia. We both woke up at about 5:00AM and said, lets get an early start. By that point, we were like a well oiled machine and were fully packed and loaded by 6:00AM when we started off. We made the usual morning stop at Starbucks for coffee and food for breakfast and lunch so the only thing we would need to stop for is gas. We made it to the Mississippi River by about 9:00AM. Here is our good luck Monkey that rode the whole trip right there on the dashboard as we went over the bridge.
When we finally made it to the Georgia border, we pulled over to record the moment. Unfortunately, there was a guard rail so we could not get Luce out of the car and onto the grass safely. He was right next to us, just out of view.
Since the house was still under re-construction, we had to stay at a hotel in Athens for the first week. Fortunately, Luce is a pro at hotels and knows just what to do.
That said, he did not want to be left alone and the hotel restaurant was dog friendly.
Day 3 took us from Amarillo Texas to Little Rock Arkansas on Easter Sunday. We left before sunrise and traffic was super light so we made very good time. We got to see the sunrise as we drove east across the Texas Pan Handle.
When we arrived at the hotel in Little Rock, Stacey almost had a dust-up with the hotel desk clerk who told her that they had a 50lb limit for dogs. She had to sweet talk them a bit and it since Luce is a big teddy bear and she let them know he would never be left alone and we would be leaving early, they let it slide. Across the street was a field so Luce got to stretch his legs a bit.
After we got back from dinner, which was great and was our first experience with true southern hospitality, Luce settled in for the night. Although, it looks like he was thinking, “When are we getting there”.
Day 2 took us from Flagstaff Arizona to Amarillo Texas. We had to switch up the back seat a little. My work backpack did not fit very well in the top carrier since it does not squish at all. So, I swapped it for Luce’s favorite bag, my old green duffle bag. Clearly, my backpack is not a comfortable as the duffle but as usual, Luce made due and found a spot to rest on.
Here is when we left New Mexico and on into Texas.
When we got to Amarillo, we tried to go the Big Texan for dinner but we did not think to call ahead for reservations and the wait was over an hour so we ended up at a sports bar close to our hotel.
It was late in the day when we left Scotts Valley so we only planned to get to Paso Robles. We didn’t think to get any pictures there since we got in late and left early on April 15th. Yes, we left California for good on tax day, which seemed apropos. Our first full day of travel ended in Flagstaff Arizona. I had only been to Flagstaff one other time which was in 1992 when my Dad and I drove to California when I moved there. Luce is a great traveler and just settled in across the whole back seat of the car. I had my old green gym duffle bag back there with him but that was more of a security blanket for him. He seems to like to lay his head on it. Here we are at the La Quinta in Flagstaff.
Well, the day finally came after so many months of preparation. We started the packing process back in November once we closed on our new house in Georgia. It took a large amount of energy and several pallet loads of boxes but we got it all done. Half the house went into a POD from PODS.com and the other half was stored in the garage during the selling process. We found the very best mover to take all our worldly possession across the country which is Brian Bates who operates BSB Transport. Brian is the very best and helped us every step of the way through the process. He talked Stacey “off the ledge” on several occasions. Most importantly, Luce liked Brian a lot. Brian’s co-pilot is his German Shepard who provides company on those long trips and also security.
Here is Brian’s Truck leaving. This was a tough moment at the time, but as they say, “when one door closes, another opens”. This was the beginning of our journey to our new life.
While my stuff was being loaded at the office, Luce had to wait in the car. At this point, the car is ready to roll. I was able to get new mounts for the Yakima cross bars from our SUV that shipped out a month ago for the car. Then, I was able to score a used car rooftop car carrier. This will be our transportation across the country.
Before we could leave California, I needed to clear out the rest of my stuff from the office. I work for a great company that supported me working very remotely from the Silicon Valley. It had been a very long time since I “brought my doggie to work” but I figured it was OK on my last trip to the Fremont office. Here we are out front and Luce was really liking the nice cool grass.
Well after a week on the market, the old homestead sold. We had moved out while it was on sale and since everything was packed, did not move back in after it sold. This was pretty confusing to poor Luce as I an sure he wondered why we were “back home” but not really. Here are our last family pictures in California.
As you can see, Luce did not seem all that interested. Luce did his best “big bad wolf” impression for the camera which caught Paddy and I by surprise.
