Dashboard Diaries ~ Day 1

10/8 ~ 11:15 am … put the last of my luggage in my Tahoe, grabbed my Tervis cup and topped it off with water and loaded up with Barney to hit the road to Weatherford!  I was a little anxious taking off … my Mom was gone on a trip with her sisters, so it was just my Dad and I at home when I left.   This was a long trip, a long ways from home and I will be gone for a long time.  I prayed that I wouldn’t be fearful of “something happening” while I was on the road – moreso with my family than anything with drive/travel; I had to go forward in faith …

3:00 pm ~ arrived in Weatherford at Terra Leather warehouse, transferred luggage and dropped my car off for safe keeping until week of Thanksgiving.  This is the rig I’m driving ~ 4 door Dually Ford with a big Ranch Hand bumper and a 24′ cargo trailer packed pretty full of cowhides and other merch for the booth from our weeks at Antiques Week.

4:15 pm ~ pulled out of the warehouse in the truck with the trailer in tow … we are off!  B is pretty excited. 

6:00 pm ~ arrived in Fate, Texas (Nothing like crossing DFW on I-20 to 6:35 N to I-130 right at 5pm traffic) to pick up saddle stands and a few extras inventory items for the booth; back on the road by 7:00 pm

8:50 pm ~ arrived to Mt. Pleasant Quality Inn … home for the night.  Unloaded my luggage right by my room and was headed to park the trailer and walk Barney! 

Trailer parking episode # 1.  I called the hotel on my way in to ensure they had oversize parking that I would be able to access which the lady quickly answered with a confident yes!  She didn’t however mention that it would take 2 sharp turns to reach the parking!   In the photo below, I came down the entrance/driveway on the left side of the picture, and was about halfway into the turn when I realized I was close to taking a bite out of the front of that shiny red Ford 4-door pickup.  Every vehicle in the parking lot was a work truck or 4-door pickup which took up all the parking space!! Had to back the trailer up to get out of the turn, which after a few minutes a kind hotel guest realized I was by myself and helped to guide me — nevermind that I was blocking the driveway and he couldn’t get to his room. 🙂  By the time I was straightened out another guy was outside and he helped on the front end so I could pull as far forward as possible and I made the turn!  Immediately past the red truck on the bottom right of this photo was the right turn into the parking  lot.  Only took about 15 minutes, most frustrating thing was the vehicle back up alert letting me know I was close to something, which was in fact the trailer hooked on the back of the truck.  Once I figured out how to silence that thing I was pretty calm and just figured take my time and it will work out.  Photo below is taken after I got parked, the lot was up on a hill behind where I’m standing to take the picture. 




9:30 ~ back outside with Barney, never could get that little dog to TT!   Did some work on the computer, final prep for Speakers Committee Rookie Showcase meeting I was missing, shower and read for a bit.

Midnight ~ finally fell asleep …

to be continued ….