Take off – January 9th

Okay, here we go again, it is time to physically take off again.

On November twenty ninth, I wrote the first take-off list. I worked, I took off and here I am today living in a campground outside of Mathis, Texas. The thought of abandoning my home and hometown seemed the craziest thing in the world at the moment.  Yet, from that very first moment I absolutely believed and still do, that I am fighting for my life.

I won’t say now how, yet I feel sure that if I stayed in Jackson, I would die.  Maybe before Christmas, certainly before spring.  I did not really know if I would be able to do it, especially with the condition I was in at the time, yet, the take off list worked, with a few follow up lists as well.

By the end, I did escape with my life; it took twenty five days for me to gather and pack my belongings, start the engine and leave.

As of right now, I have just over forty four hours to do it again, I am due to leave this campground by noon on Wednesday.  Lets make a list and let this trick will work again.

• Install inverter hookups in car

Doing this today, stopped at auto zone to check my scan codes and picked up the hardware needed.

• Empty & clean car

Things pack better into a clean car, won’t take as long this time.

• Repack and separate clothes bags.

Two bags for clothes needed at hand now, I’m going to repack one for longterm, the other for what I need this week.

• Breakdown & pack radio gear

Will be off HF for a few days, no big deal, and have the car radios that will keep me on the air & putting out packets.

• Breakdown & pack solar gear

I carried these inside the vehicle as luggage before.. this time I’m thinking of a permanent exterior install with Duck Tape.. we’ll see.

• Breakdown & pack Kitchen gear

This will be sorted as well, I brought everything I could have needed, yet a lot didn’t get used.. we’ll see how space goes.

• Breakdown & pack Chair/Table/Awning

Love this combo, it’s my living room in the woods, just not TV, which has been great, I do not miss it at all.  However, especially the chair is very big (The Roadtrip Rocker) very comfortable though.. considering also carrying this externally.  It comes in a canvas bag, so I think with a bit of paracord, I should be able to get the chair and maybe a few other items on top of the truck behind the rear window.. again, we’ll see.

• Breakdown & pack Tent.

Easy to do on this one, and about the only thing I can’t do in advance, will hopefully be the only thing left to do Wednesday morning.

• Plan Destination

Well, I know for sure my next stop is a State Campground in New Mexico.. yet, as I am about to get on the road, I should figure out which one.  Hoping to find one that has:  water only camping, good AT&T service, thirty minutes or less from a Walmart/busy city, a wooded climate (no barren deserts for me.) Ideally, I’d like to find a spot that is very walkable.. a local grocer store within two to three miles would be great.

• Plan Route

GPS could do this for me, though I have been told of a few highways to avoid, so I’ll double check my Google Maps before I commit.

 

Okay, not much time to get this done in.  Posts may be a bit shorter from now til I arrive at ah.. wherever I arrive next!

Time to get busy.