Richard W. Price

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Bumps in the Road

The truck is about 99% ready to be loaded on a car hauler for the trip out west.

Just a couple more details - one being that my wife has to get her clothes packed and loaded (hint, hint, Julia!) - and we'll be ready to go.

The hauler was supposed to be here tomorrow or Thursday, but yesterday they called me up with some questions.

"How big is your truck?"

"Is it lifted?"

"Does it have any racks on it?"

"Does it have aftermarket bumpers, tire carriers, winches, or anything else?"

TBH, I thought those questions would have been better asked four months ago when I made the reservation, but I answered anyway.

"Yes, yes, and yes. Umm, do we have a problem?"

I tried not to worry.

I wasn't even going to say anything.

But after about 20 minutes, I texted my truck friends' group.

"OMG! You guys. . ."

And then I started thinking about the complications.

--> We need the truck to get from San Francisco to Portland

--> I've sold my current camper to a guy who's in Portland and has already paid a deposit & planned to meet me

--> I have a set install time for the new camper

--> I have concert tickets for the day after the installation at a venue about 15 hours away

--> Etc, etc.

By the time I got back to the office, I was full-on freaking out and had a hard time concentrating on the rest of the day's work. At supper, I jokingly said that I might be leaving a few days early so I could drive the truck out.

Then, last night, I couldn't sleep.

I woke up at midnight, 2 AM, and 3:30 AM.

When I finally got up, I was anxious.

Immediately I worried about how the truck was getting to California.

But then, walking into my office, I had an epiphany.

I'm looking at this all wrong!

So what if the hauler can't pick my truck up? And so what if I can't find another on short notice?

Big freakin' deal.

Do you know what I can do?

Drive my ass to California!

People do it.

All the time.

Seriously, what's the point of jumping through all these hoops getting my work life set up so that I can work from anywhere if I can't do something like take off a few days early because a car hauler disrupted my plans?

Why am I freaking out and losing sleep over this?

It's dumb that they waited until the last minute to ask me these questions.

But even dumber that I was so worried about it.

In the grand scheme of life, in the big picture, who cares?

I've always wanted to drive across the country.

This might be my opportunity to do it twice in one month.

And now I'm wondering just how fast I can get from NC to California.