What a Difference a Day Makes

I made it all the way to Los Angeles. Whoo hoo!! Only 133 miles to the border. man we'd been making great timing. Then a monkey got thrown into the gears. The van we sleep in broke down and the $1800 estimate left us in a panic. We repaired what needed to be done and in a matter of speaking, went on our merry way.

Our fund were totally depleted now and I had to decide whether or not to continue on foot with just a back-pack in tow. I wanted to think about it for a day or two. We headed for the last known area that we found a place to sleep safely and peacefully, Thousand Oaks, about 50 miles north of L.A., to decide what to do. My traveling companion is not feeling too comfortable with my going it alone and quite frankly, neither are my family and friends.

While bouncing ideas around as to how to complete this trip, the van brakes down a second time. This time, the transmission was acting up and we could not drive in anything but second gear. This estimate was a $4,000 transmission replacement.

While it being Patrick's vehicle, he decided that he would trust no one again with his vehicle and we nursed it all the way to the Bay area to go to his mechanic. Not something I would have chosen to do, but understandable considering the first repair job turned out to be an expensive misdiagnosis.

Because it is going to take a few days to repair, I am sleeping at a hotel, while Patrick is crashing on his mom's couch. The thought of taking a leisurely shower, perhaps even a bath is bliss. Being able to stretch out on a bed for the first time in 3 months is heaven. So why am I up at 3:30 in the morning?

The bed isn't too bad, but my back is throbbing anyway. I didn't have this problem in the van. Oh it ached constantly, but not to the severity it is at this moment. Due to a previous injury, I haven't been able to sleep lying down in years without laying back on several pillows supporting my back and extras propping up my legs.

The swelling in my feet seems to be at an all time high and since my legs are now higher than my heart thanks to bed, this shouldn't be the case. But I put a pair of socks on because my toes were chilly and within 15 minutes, they are cutting off the circulation. Well, those are very valid reasons for not sleeping, but they aren't the real reasons.

My wheels are turning and the squeaky wheels turning are keeping me awake. Somehow, I can't seem to turn off my brain. I am in a room by myself for the next 72 hours. No transportation, but plenty to eat. I have a can of tuna, a cucumber, jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread. Not a gourmet spread but I guess it will do for 3 days.

Bad back go away, I'll see you round some other day. Swollen feet, it's not the first. Do your best, it's not the worst.

I get 72 hours of uninterrupted private time to write, write, write!!!! Woo Hoo!!! Now I did ask God to give me a sign of some sort that we were to continue and trust that people will start generously contributing. I got my sign and we are going back to LA as soon as we can to compete this portion of the trip. I won't give up so close to the end of the journey. Wanna know what the sign was? That $4000 transimisson repair? It only cost us $97 in the grand scheme of things