Notes from Goats: Unexpected Camping, Part III

I just sat down to write this after a new training session with Chance. After watching me put his toys away while saying, "Crate", he sauntered over with curiosity. With treats at hand, he focused on me with dinosaur head tilts. Finally, he picked up a toy and threw it towards the crate. We will get there. When I have kids, I expect to do the same thing. Sit by the toy box and reward with treats until it becomes second nature. I will start early to make sure the neuron connections are plentiful. You know, like 10-12 months or whenever they start walking. That's when kids start walking, right?

So, I now realize that I could write the same blog just posted by Stacia with different highlights and interpretations (she is slow to post, wait for it). However, I will focus on the road trip home. The sad ending when you putter home, quietly annoyed that you have to go back to responsibilities, but also exhausted with an innate need for the familiar, for the routine.

Depending on who you ask, we left early or we left late. After walking our crazy puppy, we finally were on the road by 8am with google maps flashing ETA 11:30 pm on the dash. We knew that wouldn't occur, but were optimistically hoping for a midnight arrival while calculating a driving speed over the legal limit, but under the pulling over threshold. And, I must say that we got into a nice rhythm. Two to three hour driving intervals with running breaks for everybody, especially Chance and Stacia. Chance had a knack for sleeping beautifully while I was driving, sometimes in Stacia's lap and then waking up with attention seeking excitement while Stacia was driving. Needless to say, I didn't get much work done and when I opened my computer later I had a bunch of random letters typed across my screen. We will tackle Chance's typing skills next month, I think. In general, however, he did very good for a dog constantly on the move.

We listened to most of the audiobook, "Bossypants" by Tina Fey and broad selection of musical genres. We also had some productive debates...mostly centered on Chance's nutrition (but sometimes slipping into broader social issues). Finally, we got to THAT point on a long road trip home. The inevitable moment when things get serious. It is late. It is dark. Eyelids are heavy. Teeth are layered with sugar. Hair is plastered with natural grease to your forehead. And your clothes are stretched out and soft from quick naps and food spills. So, we followed the prepared plan for this dire situation. Coffee. Check. 90's pop music. Check. Dark chocolate. Check. Forced dance moves. Check.

Everything was working as planned. We were going to make it back that night! It felt like we were home already when we crossed the Vermont boarder! Then, we broke the 2 hour mark and the flurries turned to thick frozen snow streamers. Nobody else was on the road. Not passenger cars, not snow plows. They were waiting until tomorrow. We were in the Green Mountains struggling up and down steep inclines and tight corners. I was driving slow. We made 15 miles in an hour and felt good about it. Stacia declared nervously that I had quit dancing and singing. I confirmed her suspicions. The roads were hell. I was focusing. After some debate, we decided to stop at the next motel/inn for the night and finish in the morning. For safety purposes, for time purposes. For all purposes really.

It took some time to find an place to stop. We made the decision as we left Bennington and didn't have a stopping place until Willmington. While geographically these two towns are not far apart, they are in Vermont where travel is slower than the rest of the world due to the natural scenic mountain roads. Add a winter storm to the mix and it seemed to take FOR-EV-ER (sandlot, anyone?). Anyways, we stopped when we could. The Vintage Motel in Willmington. Unfortunately, when I knocked on the office door nobody answered. I drove around the building twice to Stacia's dismay, getting a lay-of-the-land and contemplating the next move. Stacia wanted to just park. Finally, I agreed. We were emergency car camping, literally in the back of the car.

Stacia went into (unnecessary) survival mode (I think for the thrill of it). She jumped out into the sleet with the camping stove to boil water. Water panic is a real thing for Stacia. I let her do her thing while calmly stating that we could get some water down the road when we woke in the morning. Regardless, I love this side of her and it made the moment that much more memorable. While Stacia was going "Into the Wild", I arranged the backseat for two sleeping bags and a dog bed. We chatted for a while before Stacia abruptly declared it was time to be quiet. I fell asleep with my legs crossed over Stacia's sleeping bag, my arms's around Chance, and my eye's peering into a warm hotel room with it lights on, empty of human presence and taunting us with comforts.

And what is the worst thing to happen on a cold night when you are sleeping comfortably in your sleeping bag? Nature calls. Yes, that damn extra emergency water was forcing me awake, making me shiver, and requiring energy build-up to expose myself outside...in the sleet and snow. I strategized unable to locate my shoes, hat, or jacket. Finally, I did the hobbit waddle up to the front passenger seat, opened the door, held onto the 'oh shit handle' (do these things have another name?) and jolted my bum out into the cold. It was impeccable form and actually quite comfortable. As I slid back into my sleeping bag, I thanked my parents for teaching me to pee on the side of the midwest farm roads. You never know what and when those little childhood lessons will mean so much to you. Ask Stacia, I literally thanked them out loud. At that moment- a comfort pee meant the world.

In the morning we woke up to foggy windows full of condensation and Chance growling outward. Finally, I made out a large red jacket and the form of a woman. I panicked! "What should we do, Stacia?!" I was thinking of things to say...."We come in peace!", "We tried to pay!", "Care for some cold coffee and frozen chocolate?". Taking Stacia's lead, we said nothing. She left and we drove away towards home. As we drove, we saw five to ten other small motels/inns that might have been open at 1:30 am the night before. Were we silly for camping in the parking lot of the one inn that was closed? Naw. I think that was just the way we would have wanted it anyway.

We stopped at the co-op to get loads of breakfast foods. Bacon and Kumboucha for me. A meat bone for Chance. And kale and orange juice for Stacia.Kumboucha is my new favorite thing, but difficult for me to pronounce. At one point, Stacia was tired of my mispronunciation and spoke very loudly and slowly, "Just remember the KUM", in a nice quiet, uppity restaurant. I must say, after the looks we got, I have since remembered.

We finally got home. Stacia took the dog to the lake. I made breakfast. We ate a lot of food quietly. Then, we went on a cleaning rampage. Stacia even gave me a haircut because a wash wasn't powerful enough (sorry Scissored by Michaela!).

Back to routine,
K xo

Some favorite trip pictures from my camera: