Third Time’s A Charm Part 2

Counting down the days.  Can’t believe I’m going to leave all this.

As Monday grows nearer, so does my unrest about leaving Florida.  I know all too well, once I leave, there is no one to step in and pick up where I left off.  Jeff stops by to talk about what we need to do to pull the trailer out.  He mentions that rain is on the way, and I start watching forecasts non-stop.  It’s on the way here, and with that, Delay #1 presents itself.  Besides rain coming here any minute now, storms, big violent storms are being predicted north.  North meaning the Florida Panhandle and up.  High winds and heavy rain.  Not things I am willing to pull my trailer in.  We watch the forecasts carefully.  I have plans in the Panhandle.  Oh no.  The rain would be following me for the next 5 days.  It isn’t going to make sense to leave Monday.

Delay #1–Wait out the storms.

So I wait.  Hey I tried to leave, but……….guess I’ll stay awhile.  Paula and I go biking.

Things have a way of working out, don’t they?  Wednesday looks much better for travel.  Jeff arrives to pull the Toy Hauler out from its cozy woods location, and lines it up for me to have an easy pull out to the road.  We small talk, and he says he’ll be back to help once I’m ready to hook up.  Now I’m getting a bit anxious.  After all, once I get about 3 hours north, my friend Paula and I will embark on an adventure in the Panhandle.  I scramble to take care of last minute chores and details and so does she.  I can’t stop thinking about how things will be once I leave.  I keep a steady watch for the Executive Director.  Each time I see her, it’s harder to look her in the eyes.   I can barely stand how I feel about leaving.  She has become like a sister to me.  I can’t stand to leave her to manage it all alone again.  But she knows I can’t stay.  On top of everything else, now her sister is sick and in the hospital, and with that, Delay #2 presents itself.

Delay #2—Being there

There is no one to “mind the store” Thursday so she can visit her sister in the hospital   There’s no way I would leave her in the lurch when she needs to be with her family.  God knows if I had family I’d want someone to be there for me.  I talk with Paula.  She is fine with us leaving later. It’s agreed, I’ll stay a few days more to help manage things so Laney can spend time with her sister, then we’ll leave.  Perfect opportunity for one last Wednesday night drum circle.

Friday, 7 a.m. comes bright and early, with staff on site.  Paula and I look at each other.  It’s time!  Jeff arrives, checks and airs up the tires. We discover I’ve been pulling around the Toy Hauler with the wrong tire pressure in my truck tires.  He is a genius cowboy ranch guy and I am totally indebted to him!  He leaves to take care of some projects.  No problem, I can crank up the Toy Hauler and hook up.  Paula and her son have arrived with the kayaks and our bikes loaded on her truck.  Her son is helping get things tied in and ready to go.  I back the truck carefully to the trailer hitch and begin to turn the crank………and with that, Delay #3 presents itself.

Delay #3—The Hitch Crank is Stripped

Wow, we all stand there in a state of shock.  How can the crank be stripped already?  This trailer is way too new.  Well?  Chalk up another one up for PR’s Trailer Trauma Saga?  I call Jeff.  He arrives within minutes, and carefully examines the situation.  Yup, it’s stripped alright. So we have two choices.  Jeff can lift the trailer up on jacks to get it on the hitch, but then how would I get it off the truck if I need to on the journey home?  Or, I find a new hitch and he installs it.  One thing that has been constant during my stay this winter is the “can do it” attitude everyone has here.  Paula and I race into Sarasota to the nearest RV Dealer, and to my relief, Campbell’s RV carries the exact parts I need.  After making one last stop to Detwiler’s Market, we speed back to camp. Paula brings the new part to Jeff and her son while I make a quick trip up to the Welcome Center to drop off treats for the animals and say final good byes to everyone.  Within an hour, we should be ready to go.  Okay, an hour and a half?  Umm, so in two hours.  Well?  Lots of chickens to see.   And everyone else.

I head back to camp, where Paula is waiting.  Finally.  After trying and trying to leave, the third times a charm.  It’s just us now.  No distractions.  Nothing to stop us now.  Third times a charm.  Just load up the dogs and we are ready to go.  I start the truck.  I start the truck. Hmmmm, let me rephrase that to “I try to start the truck.”

I try. To. Start. The. Truck.

The truck won’t start.

Paula and I look at each other.

“NOOOOOoooooooooooooooo!”

I’m not sure what’s going on.  Did I leave something on when I went up to the Welcome Center?  Staying calm.  Staying calm. Jeff is gone.  It’s just me and Paula down here now.

“Jumper cables!” I cry out.  “Maybe it’s just the battery!”  In an instant I have my cables pulled out, Paula is aligning her truck next to mine and we begin trying to charge my truck.  We are a great team.

5 minutes.  Turn the key.

Nothing.

Another 5 minutes.

Nothing.

“It’s a sign Paula, I’m not supposed to leave.” We both sigh.

Another 5 minutes.

Whurrrrhh…blahhh.

Nothing.

Another 8 minutes…..turn the key…..

We are women, hear us roar!  Hear my truck roar, that is. It started!  We look at each other.

Let’s go!

It’s still Friday and we’ll reach our Panhandle destination before dark if we hurry.  A quick trailer light check and we are rolling away from my cherished winter home, heading north to Mayo Florida with Paula close behind.

On the road again, to another new adventure!

 

Thank you for reading my post.  Was it inspiring?  Scary?  Funny?  Unbelievable?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!  All comments are greatly appreciated.  Life is an adventure—and it begins today!  Why wait for an invitation to live an amazing life full of great experiences? There are lots of inspirational stories under my blog category, “PRs Amazing Outdoor Adventure Update”.  If you like what you see, please let me know by “liking” my website. You can even join my tribe to automatically receive new postings ‘hot off the press’. 

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