A 'Do-Over' Day?

Tuesday was the kind of day that you’d like to be able to request a ‘do-over.’ 

The morning began nice enough with Janice whispering, “Happy Anniversary,” as I slumbered. If it was March 9, why did my $14.95 Timex say March 6? Busted! Walking into the kitchen, the ever thoughtful Janice had a sweet card for me. I really think this is the first one I've missed--in 36 years, even though we spoke about it last week. Is that ‘short term’, ‘mid- term’ or what?

With a grey cloud lurking over my head, I began to prepare for the road, noticing oil/grease stains on one of the RV wheel rims—possible evidence of a leaking seal. By the time we got to Quartzite shortly after noon, I was still thinking about it. After gassing up (for $1.89), we had a quick lunch in the same parking lot as last year, then headed out of town.  Just as we approached the on-ramp to I-10, I advised Janice we were returning to Quartzite to see a mechanic. Two and a half hours later, we left town with a new rear wheel seal, installed meticulously by David the mechanic. In actual work time, it took him less than an hour, but his attention was easily diverted by the need to take personal phone calls and shoot the breeze with garage-monkeys. Fortunately, we were only charged for the hour, but our schedule was shot. 

We headed towards Wickenburg, arriving there after 4:30. While traversing from one parking lot to another in search of taco shells and tomatoes, the rig bottomed out snapping one of the legs on the tow bar. As I looked in the rear view TV, I viewed the Honda swinging out to the side instead of dutifully following directly behind.  We pulled in the Safeway parking lot and managed to avoid sideswiping a row of parked cars. Closer inspection of the pavement at the location revealed dozens of gouges in the pavement where past unlucky folks bottomed out. So many, that it was also evident that this pavement had been entirely replaced on another occasion. The mayor of Wickenburg will be receiving a letter from me in the future!

We would go no further for the night, and managed to grab the last space at the Horspitality RV Park, so named for the aroma of horse manure that wafts from nearby corrals and stalls. I backed the rig into a narrow space, guided by Janice in the rear, and a neighbor-geezer in the front, who waved directions to me like he used to work on an aircraft carrier. The only problem: A large palm tree directly in line with our internet satellite. There was no room to maneuver. We would miss “24” again. This park was one of the few in North America without cable TV! 

So, tomorrow will begin with Janice driving the Honda apart from me as we head for Cave Creek Regional Park north of Phoenix where, hopefully there will be a nice campsite awaiting us and a few days of R&R. This missive will be launched into the Ethernet if technology allows. Annika remains ever cheerful despite our troubles.   

(Yesterday we enjoyed a 10-mile bike ride to and around the Borrego Springs village, after which I visited the Borrego Resort, squeezing in 17 holes of golf in 3 hours. How does this place pay the bills? Only saw one other three-some, whom I leap-frogged, thereby missing a hole.)