Monday, June 25
Today we made the last leg of the journey back to Artesia. We started early in Lubbock…not because we wanted to start early, but because our “camping site” in the Wal-Mart parking lot wasn’t the quietest place we’ve ever stayed…seems that things start hopping pretty early around there.
I left at 9:00 am to go re-register the car and get new tags for the big trailer and the new motorcycle cargo trailer. Luckily, I was third in line, so it took me only a half hour to get everything done. With several license tag offices located all around the city, Lubbock
County has done a very good job of making the process as painless as possible (as long as you have all the documentation in order).
Barbara: Jay Bird and I were so busy with our morning activities that the thought of the camera never entered my mind! First, we made our traditional walk over to Krispy Kreme to get our morning breakfast…Jaycie did inform me as we walked back that doughnuts are not really a healthy breakfast; but since we were walking, we would be burning the calories off! Thank you, Jaycie, for the health lesson! Once breakfast was completed, we got involved in a hot game of Life on the computer…I did win that game with 3 million dollars in my account…whoa! Wish that were real! Then, while Jaycie played for all three of us, I began washing the dishes which is where Jim re-entered the picture.
Jim: Back at Big V I found Jaycie playing The Game of Life on one of the computers while Barbara was washing dishes and getting things ready to head out again.
Shortly before 10:00, Jimmy Clint and Cathey came by to pick up Jaycie and reclaim Jimmy’s car (he had loaned me his car so I wouldn’t have to take our Vibe off the trailer and then load it back and get it tied down again).
After the kids left, we finished straightening Big V and getting things packed away so they wouldn’t fly or fall all over the place when we turned or hit bumps along the way. Finally, it was back into the traffic flow for the ride to Artesia.
The Pecos Valley looked pretty and green as we topped 12-mile hill east of the city. It felt like we were finally getting home; but first, a stop to top off the propane tank, since we plan to be parked for at least five weeks and don’t want to have to break everything down and drive across town to get our “cooking gas.”
Then, it was on to Jean’s place to get the car and cargo trailer off the big trailer, move and unhook the trailer, and then get Big V back on the pad and set up. Once we were “settled in,” we went back in to town to see Mother and let her know we were back in place…this evening – dinner with Jean and a quick trip to Wal-Mart for some “necessaries” before finally calling it a day.
So here we are - home again after 6,225 miles (3,398 in Big V and 2,287 in the Vibe), 38 days of travel through 14 states, and countless memories of places visited and times shared with family and friends.
Happy to be home in Artesia,
Jim & Barbara
“Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a part of experience.”
…Francis Bacon, Sr. (1561 – 1626)
