Short story: cold night, twenty five degrees sleeping in my mummy bag on a sheltered picnic table, ready to drive out to Carlsbad, happy I finally got the GoPro set and ready. I wanted to have time lapse of my journey in case anything happened. Yet from Michigan, except for one other short clip, today it was ready. And today, after twenty five hundred miles… tada!
Damage is cosmetic except for a tiny hole in the windshield wiper fluid supply line, it got pinched. Have a bungy cord and duck tape holding it solid for now, drives the same up to fifty five, so far. Leaving here will be eighty (yeah, that’s the legal limit) in any direction.
After… I can provide my proof of insurance and registration, neither (which I do have) could be located. The Officer gave me appearances for both (rather than tickets,) so than when located by then, they can be fully waived- a break on the insurance, as that is usually an automatic fine, unless the officer chooses to allow you this time to appear and present your proof. For the registration, that could be more serious, yet I checked and I do have my twenty three tag, so I’m good, once I get the proof faxed from Michigan.
The other driver was a nice guy too. I first asked him if I missed a stopped sign as I turned to look behind me. He quickly said no, I had the stop sign. I told him I lived in my car and the damage, it looked obvious from my angle, wheel slanted and pushed in, and told him I now lived in my car in a road. He said he was sorry, just trying to cross and one of the drivers gave him the ‘come along’ as he gestured with his hand.
So you didn’t see me coming? No he said. Did you see that I wasn’t coming when you went? I asked. He looked at me silently, eyes sullen. No. I couldn’t see that you were not was coming, he replied, then added: I’m sorry. All I could do was nod my shoulders and say that I understood.
Stuck here for now. Good phone service, good grocery store one point two miles away, free rv slots with free electricity, good little park with an awesome outdoor gym. Car is fine, some self taping screws would be good. Oh yeah, I have those, the drill, inverter ready to go.. on the list, after I find my insurance card.
And really, stuck is an interesting word. Other than the cold, which I am prepared to combat in a number of ways, this place is almost perfect. Not pretty like a state park, it looks industrial, penitentiary even. People don’t talk here, the other occupants of the park. Yet, it’s free for as long as I can dodge a three day limit, else the only hotel in town is seventy five a night.
Welcome back to jal.
It’s time to publish the jailhouse letters I think.… (good thought, yet interrupting with..) I hate to admit that I was having thoughts of not leaving before I left. For all the reasons as above, yet I was leaving on day two. And I hadn’t even done the lap or gym yet.
Okay. Tomorrow is a new day and I get to decide what I will do with my time in Jal.
Time to rest.