Taking The Long Way Round
Chapter Twelve
Like we had come to expect, the next morning came entirely too early and I sipped my coffee slowly and carefully, trying to brace against the rocking and rolling of the trailer as an energetic Atlas and Fenix bounced around in celebration of the new day.
It was early and the space was tight, but they were happy and watching their joy was contagious and I couldn’t help but smile over the rim of my coffee cup watching them play together.
That’s one of the tricks of keeping yourself somewhat sane while raising wild animals, er, I mean children, being able to focus on the little things, finding magic in the mundane especially in the middle of the rising chaos.
It isn’t always easy of course, but if you can break away from the pressure of that mental to do list even for a moment, it helps unload some of the stresses of adulting.
Being fully present in the moment and not thinking ten steps down the line, managing all those what-ifs has always been one of my biggest challenges. I like to know all the things, planning out every detail and making endless lists so I frequently try and frequently fail but the thing that matters the most is that I try and try and try again. I am only human after all.
While Fenix enjoyed his breakfast A La Mama, Nick took Crixus for his morning constitutional at the little dog park just across from our site.
After Crixus happily took care of business, Nick then loaded him up in the Pilot so we could attempt to get ready for the day without having to do the 95 pound dog hurdle inside the travel trailer.
Since we were in no big hurry, we decided to finally try out the tiny shower in Little Geo’s even smaller bathroom and immediately wished that we were allowed to use the onsite KOA RV Park bathrooms because anything would be better than the ridiculously cramped micro shower that was clearly designed with much smaller humans in mind.
Now, granted, I do stand a bit taller than the average woman at five feet nine inches, but the fact that I had to “shower” while on my knees with my neck bent at an odd angle so that the short, hand held shower head could properly reach all my hair was taking space saving amenities a bit too far.
I mean, seriously, why include a “shower” in your RV design if anyone larger than a small child can’t use it as it was intended?
Now, if you think me having to shower on my knees is funny, imagine Nick cramming all six feet one inches into that same miniscule shower stall and try not to laugh. I tried but ultimately failed that endeavor because the sight of him folded into that tight space was just too much for my self control.
Ultimately we were successful at operation get clean, but we did finish the whole ordeal feeling almost dirtier than before from the sheer amount of sweat we worked up trying complete our individual contortionist toilettes.
Atlas and Fenix had their turn next and we filled the microscopic bathtub so they could splash around while we cleaned the layers of desert dirt off their little bodies.
With the whole family cleaned up, and the grey water tank practically overflowing, I headed outside to pull the valve to drain the tank while Nick started the process of getting Little Geo ready to hitch up.
Everything is more complicated with little kids underfoot so we planned to strap the boys into their car seats so we could focus on the more technical process of getting the Pilot backed into the proper position but as soon as we opened the car door we found a big red surprise waiting for us.
Our rather guilty looking German Shepherd was sitting upright, wedged into the tight space between the boy’s car seats, ready to go.
Crixus had apparently grown tired of waiting for us to complete our ridiculous showers and had crawled forward to try and hurry the process along. He was clearly more than ready to hit the road and we couldn’t help but laugh at the hilarious expression on his doggy face.
Message received.
With Crixus back in his rightful seating position and the boys loaded and strapped in, we turned our focus to getting Little Geo locked down inside.
All the cabinet doors and drawers were closed and double checked, all showering essentials were stowed and travel ready, toys were picked up and no loose items were on the counter or table tops.
We were still very inexperienced but each time we hitched and unhitched the trailer it got a little easier, we made better time and had less issues that we ultimately had to figure out and resolve on our own while trying to keep our marriage intact.
It’s hard trying to communicate terms you barely understand in your own head let alone trying to voice them out loud so another person can hear you and understand what you’re trying to say.
They say that nothing will test the strength of a marriage quite like backing or hitching up a travel trailer and I find there is a lot of truth in that statement. But on the flip side, if you look at it as a challenge and not a threat, mastering the art of communication in high stress situations will most certainly level your marriage up and as a couple, you'll be so much better for it in the long run.
Easier said than done though.
It’s really not as straightforward as you might think, and if you don’t have any experience towing before becoming a travel trailer owner, it certainly turns the stress level up as you try to navigate the many intricacies of RV life.
The dealership we bought Little Geo from had been a little sneaky when they sold us the hitch for the Pilot to haul the Geo Pro travel trailer and we ended up paying a few hundred dollars more than promised for an upscale weight distribution hitch that was heavy in both weight and expense.
It was massive and heavy duty and attaching the weight distribution/anti sway bars to Little Geo added a few extra steps that for some reason we could never remember the order of but man did that sucker get the job done.
Once those bars were locked onto both sides of the trailer tongue they weren’t going anywhere and they meant serious business!
Finally locked and loaded, marriage still intact, we pulled away from the concrete pad that had been home for the night and drove back towards the dreaded, absolutely endless I15 North.
We were Idaho bound!
According to google maps, the drive to the state border would take us close to three hours travel trailer time and we planned to drive an additional three hours until we reached Twin Falls where we would spend the night in a Walmart parking lot.
We were passing through Tremonton when the I15 added a third lane, followed quickly with a fourth and then the roadway suddenly divided, two sets of lanes splitting off in two different directions in a literal fork in the road.
Keeping to the left, we continued onwards as the freeway became the I84 and we began driving westward.
Just like the days before, the road went on and on and it seemed like maybe we were taking the long way round when at long last, with a chorus of cheers, we finally crossed that invisible state line which officially marked our sixth state.
Fenix was too little to understand but Atlas was ecstatic and he bounced gleefully in his car seat counting the states off on his fingers one by one.
Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Utah, and finally, Idaho!
We felt so accomplished, like we were really going places despite our limitations. It was thrilling and it gave us a burst of energy so we could complete the next stretch of driving before finally reaching Twin Falls.
The views were no less breathtaking with the snow capped mountain peaks and the seemingly endless grass prairies. We kept our eyes on the passing landscape with the hopes of seeing some wildlife but only ever saw grazing livestock in the sprawling pasture land.
The roadway was clear, wide, well marked and mostly traffic free which was a huge relief after driving through the highly populated and very long section of I15 leaving Salt Lake City.
According to Campendium there was a small possibility that the Walmart in Twin Falls allowed overnight camping but it wasn’t guaranteed.
After the long drive we pulled into the parking lot feeling hopeful but immediately saw signs everywhere saying that overnight parking was prohibited.
Great. So much for that plan. Now what?
But all was not lost because armed with Google Maps, we happily discovered that were was a Dutch Bros nearby. The prospect of coffee improved our outlook significantly and we left the forbidden Walmart parking lot feeling a whole lot better.
With coffee, all things are possible.
We found a good place to park our little home on wheels and Nick and Atlas headed over to the walk up window on foot while I stayed behind to put Fenix down for a nap.
That’s the perfect example of the pros and cons of a travel trailer.
On the one hand, it’s inconvenient because we were too big for drive thru lanes. But on the other hand, it’s ultra convenient because all I have to do is lower the steps, unlock the door and it’s home sweet home.
Inconvenience made it all too clear that it had won this round when Nick and Atlas returned empty handed just a few minutes later. As a precaution to the ranging pandemic, this particular Dutch Bros didn’t have a walk up window option and was currently drive thru only.
So much for coffee.
Thanks again Covid-19.
Keeping the shades drawn, silently grieving for the lack of life giving caffeine, I crawled into the double master bed with Fenix to nurse him, hoping that after he finished I could get him to take a much needed nap while we figured out our next plan.
It seemed that our free camping options were limited in immediate area of Twin Falls but if we drove another couple of hours travel trailer time we’d reach the city of Mountain Home and Campendium assured us that the Walmart there was overnight camping friendly.
It can be exhausting wondering where each day will take you, but there is something about the freedom that feels liberating too. It’s a delicate balance, enjoying the spontaneity while fearing the unknown.
And it was unknown. Every day began and ended different than the one before but I really thought we were getting much better at thinking on our feet.
In some ways, the first few unknown days were easier, partly because we were numb from the devastating blow of our cancelled Grand Adventure, but also partly because it was so new and exciting and we were desperate for something to hold onto.
The last couple of hours had felt like the road was endless, the sights out the window were less spectacular and the drive felt mind numbingly boring.
It didn’t help that “home” for the night would be in a very uninspiring Walmart parking lot but we also knew that we were tired and it was difficult to find magic when all you wanted to do was close your eyes and wake up to a new tomorrow.
In the end, Fenix took a short nap as he was frequently prone to do and we loaded up once more and headed back towards the I84 continuing west bound.
The next hour passed without much excitement and we pulled into the Walmart parking lot at last, circling around looking for the best place to park, before settling on the west side of the building.
It felt good to finally roll to a stop and as the Pilot settled on its tires it felt like we all heaved a collective sigh of relief.
No more driving.
Hoping this store would have more to offer on its shelves, we headed inside for a resupply before going back to Little Geo for a quick dinner.
The day had been long and we were exhausted and we happily crawled into bed for some much needed rest as soon as the moon took its turn in the sky.
We fell asleep quickly, slept dreamlessly and all too soon the call of the one year old cried out in the morning light, waking us from our slumber to a frosty morning chill that lingered in the air.
Seeing our breath puff out in little clouds was a bit shocking to see inside the trailer but the artic air that bit at our exposed skin didn’t offer false impressions.
Something was wrong. it was too cold. We shouldn’t have been able to see our breath with all five of us crammed inside the tiny trailer. It should have been toasty warm. We should have heard the hum of the propane heater as it blew hot air, heating the small space around us.
Instead we were met with silence. Maybe we had run out of propane? That was an easy fix since we had two tanks on board but it would require going outside to check.
We crawled out of bed, shivering in the cold air and dressed quickly.
An artic wind nearly took me as I stepped out the door with Crixus and I hunched over, bracing against the wind as I walked around outside, encouraging him to water a few trees before loading him into the Pilot.
And to think we had thought the days before were cold, those temperatures had nothing on this! THIS was COLD.
Crixus joyfully bounded into his spot in the car and I grabbed his bowl and started pouring water from a bottle into it so he could get a drink. Except, nothing happened.
Admittedly, I’ve never been a morning person, but I had thought the frozen temperatures had forced me into a state of alertness that I couldn’t usually achieve on my own, until now.
My brain struggled to comprehend the icy slush that was oozing slowly out of the bottle, freezing before it hit the bottom of the metal bowl. What was happening? I shook the bottle and myself mentally, peering closer, trying to understand what was happening.
It was really cold out so I thought the water must have frozen inside the bottle, but as I shook it, the liquid inside moved freely like it should.
Now I was even more confused. It was too early for these kinds of mysteries.
I blinked heavily several times and attempted to pour the water again, this time realizing that there was nothing wrong with my brain or eyesight, the bottle or even the water.
It was just that cold out.
Each time I tipped the bottle, the water would begin to pour out but ice would form before it even had a chance to reach the dog bowl. I watched in fascination as a perfect slush slowly oozed from the mouth of the bottle, transforming in slow motion before my eyes.
I’d heard of it being so cold that water froze in mid air but I had never experienced it first hand. But this phenomenon playing out before me was something else entirely. I had definitely never heard of unfrozen, perfectly liquid water turning to slush mid pour before and my sleep deprived brain couldn’t handle it.
Feeling a little like a child, I squeezed the bottle over and over watching the transformation with wide eyes, laughing as Crixus tried to catch the semi solid water with his tongue.
Crixus wasn’t picky and he licked at the ice water mixture in his bowl greedily, taking in as much as he could, thick lines of slobber dripping from the sides of his mouth and down his chin as the ice melted over his hot tongue.
When he finished, I added food to the bottom of his bowl and closed the door to the Pilot, leaving him inside to finish eating before hitting the button to lower the tongue jack on Little Geo.
Nothing.
I hit the button again and was met with the same response.
Silence.
Considering that the freezing water had puzzled me so, I chalked it up to my sleep deprived brain playing tricks on me once again and tried the up button instead. Same thing.
Nothing.
Now I was starting to get worried. Why wasn’t it working? I stepped back inside Little Geo to tell Nick about what I had just experienced while checking on the status of the battery bank and found the little screen suspiciously blank.
Nothing.
We were literally dead in the water. There was no power, no juice, not even a read out. I faintly recalled someone saying that freezing temperatures can drain batteries but I honestly hadn’t given it much thought since we had solar on the roof and were going to be in sunny California for the bulk of our trip.
Or so we had planned anyway.
But here we were, parked in the shadow of the massive Walmart building, completely shielded from the sun, smack dab in the middle of Idaho, perhaps the last place on earth we saw ourselves when we set out for California three weeks before, about to be stranded.
Now we were both starting to panic. If the two batteries on Little Geo were dead, what about the car battery?
Crossing our fingers and toes, we bundled up the kids and stepped out into the frosty morning once more, braving the icy wind as it tore at our clothes.
Would the Pilot even start?
There was only one way find out.
