Post date: Mar 19, 2015 2:01:52 AM
I discovered that not only am I getting antsy to get this building project started, but my builder is ready for winter to end and work to begin. The house plans are complete, and the landscape master plan needs to be reviewed. Time to return to Taos.
There will be two moves to Taos:
This is the first move. I spent Tuesday with a friend packing the van to the ceiling, leaving only enough room for the cat to crawl through a hole to the litter box.
I had been making a list of all the things I wanted to take on this trip - taking notes for weeks. I would pull out my iPhone and add to the list. There were still a few things I forgot until after I thought the van was packed. That meant that my pillows and jackets, coffee-making tools, breakfast material, cat food, and lunch snacks for the trip were tossed in on top. Not only that, but they were not very secure, so that a shake-down cruise actually resulted in some things shaking down closer to the floor. And the breakfast bowls rattled until I got to Boise. And I left the step-stool behind as simply too impractical to load on top at 5:30 am. But I was able to leave by 5:45 am.
The cat proved relatively docile, when it came time to put her into the carry-box. And she only cried every 2 seconds until we got to Ellensburg (2 hours, 100 miles). Then she curled up under my right foot (I was driving, remember) and cried only occasionally. After the 4th hour she shifted to the left side of the driver's footwell, and seemed much more content - and I was much less fearful of needing to jam on the brake suddenly. By noon she had crawled up onto my lap (a first for this cat) and snuggled. Much nicer.
By 1PM she crawled back and crouched on the vacuum cleaner, which is right next to the opening of the litter box. I was not sure whether or not she used the litter box, but she either held it in or used it. I couldn't smell anything, so kept hoping for the best. Every once in a while I would hear a little squeak from behind the console where the tunnel led to the litter box, and occasionally I would put my hand down there and feel a cat head. So I assumed she was doing well.
Given how uncomfortable Hope seemed when we started this trip, I was apprehensive about opening the door, lest she jump out, run away, and cause me hours of agony trying to coax her back into the car. But she only tried once, and I was ready to push her away, and she never was near the door when I got back in (or out later).
_________
The first day of driving I (or we, if we count the cat) got a bit past Boise, Idaho, about 550 miles. Arrived for the night about 5pm, after losing and hour going into Mountain Time zone. There is nearly a straight shot from Seattle to Salt Lake City via Interstate 84. I was surprised, however, that there is nearly a straight set of roads from Salt Lake to Taos, over various state and federal highways. If my experience is like the drive from Denver to Taos, those back roads will be free of traffic, straight, smooth, and without highway patrols. Some little towns raise their budget off the backs of visiting drivers, so I'll be careful there.
Second day we got to Monticello, Utah (between Moab and Cortez, Colorado). Another 12 hours and about 600 miles. Cat doing great. She has stopped curling up under my feet, mostly, and usually crouches on the upright vacuum cleaner (which is behind the seats) or sits in the litter box. Even crawled into her cat carrier twice. (I usually have to struggle to get her into the carrier.) She seems very comfortable in the motel rooms. Moab was the first town with stoplights. The rest is mostly open road, if not Interstate, but still high speed limits.
Vast country, this. And amazing geology. I visited nearly all the parks and monuments in the Four Corners area (Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado) but it has been a long while ago for many. I'll be closer in Taos, so I can revisit them.
Third day got me to Taos at about 1:30. I tried to stop for lunch, but the area around Tierra Amarillo and Tres Piedras is a bit short on restaurants. I unloaded most of the car (except for my tools) and tried to find placed to put everything. (I still have boxes around.)
Set up the printer, but couldn't get it working. It took me nearly an hour to realized that I had connected to the neighbor's WiFi (where I had stayed in November) with nearly the same name (d___ those Qwest technicians), so naturally my computer couldn't see it. The Ethernet wiring in this house is not documented, so I'll have to trace all six of the connections to find out where they terminate. [The power wiring is well labeled, however.]
When I made up the bed, I realized that I had brought double-bed sheets, but the bed is a queen. Groan. I'll need a CARE package sent from Seattle anyway. (The spare car key will do me no good in Seattle, and I might need it here, for instance.)
I changed the New York Times delivery. Now I wonder when it will start, and what time of day to expect it.
Cat seems very comfortable in this new (for her) house. Yea!