We headed out of Jackson yesterday around 5:00 am with the intention of making it all the way to the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California in one day (16 hours). Yes, we did make it in one push…not without consequences. The past 72 hours has turned out to be incredibly wild. I sort of feel as if I have been taking crazy pills. The fact that we made it here to California in one piece is truly amazing. Aside from the usual stress of trying to leave for a week here is a list of the additional forces against us:

• A random dog shows up in our garage the morning we are heading out. How it got there we have no clue! Remember?...crazy pills! He is old, shaky and scared. I take him to the humane society. If he is not claimed in the next week I will have myself a third dog. I am a sucker for animals and this old guy just needs a little love.
• We hit a huge snowstorm between Elko and Winnemucca Nevada. Thought we were going to be taken out by a semi. Our Astro Van drives like a bread box and guzzles the gas. We decided we are selling it when we get back. Sorry Chevy…
• Can’t find a gas station that carries unleaded. What is that? I know we are going to see the end of the oil age in my life time…but why now?
• The next station did not accept cards at the pump and there is no attendant…Hmmmm
• This is a good one…The Rocket Box exploding all over Highway 80 outside of Reno was the icing on the really nasty cake. We pull over and look back at our collapsible chairs, tarps, and Coleman Propane stove sitting in the middle of the highway. As I proclaim, “Sweet, looks like everything made it”...a semi comes by and just annihilates the stove. What do you do? You start to laugh your ass off.
  

  The carnage.

• Coping with the sadness of losing Doug Coombs just intensified the whole thing. It also put into perspective that the stress and irritation with road tripping was nothing compared to the sadness of Doug’s family and friends. We were able to laugh about our misfortunes and just keep on plugging through.

This morning we woke up in a beach house in Monterey and started the day with a walk on the beach and massive coffee drinking. I am ready to hit the Sea Otter Festival in force.

Please keep track of the Living Adventure section to read my daily rambles from Monterey California. Hopefully we will be treated to some normal, ordinary living for awhile.

Yes…we have sun today…and yes…AC/DC’s Back in Black was blasting today at the Laguna Seca Racetrack upon arrival. Life is good.