That’s not totally true in the sense I have a work trip to do later in the month and I’m planning probably Veterans Day Weekend to head out to Stoney Pond State Forest or maybe Long Pond State Forest but it’s the last week long trip I’m planning for him.
Of course, it wasn’t a confidence boost to be at Walmart today and seeing another GMT 800 💥 a broke control arm or upper ball joint and the wheel broken off. Hopefully that’s not foreshadowing anything, as I had Red checked out a few months ago and it’s getting inspected in December, but it’s another reminder that I should be glad I’m trying to have a planned retirement for my truck. People say, but that’s a waste of money, but it’s been a good 14 years. I still can’t believe I bought that truck 14 years ago. I really want to be retired from my job in another 14 years, and I want a reliable vehicle to do a least a little more travel before I settle down. 🏡 I’m not saying I have to give up everything to own a home and land, but when you got goats and other livestock too feed, you’re much less able to travel – literally disappear into the wilderness of a week.
Traffic was heavy driving home this evening, Walmart was crowded. 🛒 Got to the check out line and realized I didn’t get Cider Vinger. Walmart should have that in the morning. The bank I normally go to remains closed, that’s the one that has the video lottery terminal or whatever they call the machine that prints out $1 and $5. I guess I have enough cash, but if I want to get weed tomorrow I should get another $20. Maybe before work when I go to get my propane tank filled. And cider vinger to mix in my water 🍏 for that bitter taste I love.
I’m actually ready to go. 🛠️ Even packed the gear puller and extra spokes, and got an extra tire and lantern manttles 🏮 should any of those things go bad. I have the kayak on the roof o my truck. Hell of it is, we are now watching a Nor-Easter roar up the coast 🌀 though it looks like it won’t be cold enough for snow 🌨️ up north and might mostly hug the coast. After being so freaking dry, it actually looks the week will be cold, cloudy. damp and maybe even wet. Whatever, I’m not so far away that if it is totally miserable I can’t come back home. At least the fire danger 🔥 is low enough that on the cold chilly nights I can have a small fire at night and don’t have to worry about sparks from camp stove or a lantern starting a fire. I won’t have any fires though unless it’s very dark out so I can keep an eye on fire brands at least when it’s not raining out. I’ll have the propane tank filled in the morning so I don’t run out if end up using it a lot.
While life has been busy, it’s been a quiet week at work. 🤫 People are like – you’re already taking another week long vacation? Didn’t you just take one the second half of the August? Yes, but this is the second trip of the year, and usually I take my summer vacation in late July, not August, and because of work obligations, I didn’t take any time off during most of July or August. There is some slow burning fuses happening at work, 💣 one of our legacy systems, but there is nothing to fix at it right now, and the technicians know about it, and it can either wait until I’m back from vacation or others can address it.
And I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with contact lens of glasses 👓 anymore up at camp. No worries about dirty hands and infected eyes, no reaching around for glasses when things go bang at night, no fogged over glasses first thing in the morning. Just crystal clear vision, day and night. I’ll bring my sunglasses and probably wear them while riding just to be safe, though some days I’ve ridden without the protective glasses as my eyes 👀 have pretty much healed, two weeks out since the surgery.