Checking In Or Checking Out
Checking in to the Hampton Inn was the easy part. Before the walk began I had registered Jack the dog as a service dog in training which enabled me to take her with me everywhere. Of course, as of now, the only humans she can serve would be like assisting lumberjacks as they cut down, chop up and carry out wood. But it is my intention to train her to help in rehab facilities. Someday. Anyway, checking into the hotel was a snap.
Getting my load of gear up to the second floor was a different story. First I had to load everything on one of those hotel cart thingies. Remember, I have a dog leashed around my waist the whole time. I unload all my stuff and head back down to grab Reggie the Rig. Here's how that works:
GIANT PAIN IN ...........!
So I'm sitting in the room assessing the situation. I begin guesstimating the weight of everything. After three separate calculation with 3 different persons, I deducted that the weight of everything was ridiculously high.
THAT'S STINKING CRAZY!!!
Ok, so I must reduce my load...by a lot.
And...I really must find a different, lighter, and more easily maneuverable rig.
Both these things are musts. But I cannot do it from a hotel room.
So I gotta go home. And reconfigure.
But this was not easy. I has spent nearly a year planning for this trip. The whole world knows about it. I'm not quitting, just reconfiguring. But it FEELS like quitting. I nearly immediately went into a tailspin. I called my mentor Dorothy and some other friends who love me and were very supportive.
Still...
I'm awash with sadness and confusion
My eyes swell and swim with tears
I don't know which end is up
I feel completely lost.
What is my next step?
My ears are so full of my own wailing
I couldn't hear instruction.
My dog, Jack, runs with complete abandon
complete joy
complete bliss.
Were I like her,
But I'm a human
Tangled in my own misery.
Getting my load of gear up to the second floor was a different story. First I had to load everything on one of those hotel cart thingies. Remember, I have a dog leashed around my waist the whole time. I unload all my stuff and head back down to grab Reggie the Rig. Here's how that works:
- Collapse the stroller to push it through hotel door because it is too wide for a normal doorway
- Unfold it and roll it to elevator
- Collapse it to shove it onto elevator
- Pull it out of elevator on second floor
- Unfold it to roll it too room
- Collapse it and drag it into room
GIANT PAIN IN ...........!
So I'm sitting in the room assessing the situation. I begin guesstimating the weight of everything. After three separate calculation with 3 different persons, I deducted that the weight of everything was ridiculously high.
- The rig itself weighs between 55-60 lbs
- My stuff 120-130 lbs
- 4 gal of water - 33 lbs
- Jack the dog (when she rides) - 30 lbs
THAT'S STINKING CRAZY!!!
Ok, so I must reduce my load...by a lot.
And...I really must find a different, lighter, and more easily maneuverable rig.
Both these things are musts. But I cannot do it from a hotel room.
So I gotta go home. And reconfigure.
But this was not easy. I has spent nearly a year planning for this trip. The whole world knows about it. I'm not quitting, just reconfiguring. But it FEELS like quitting. I nearly immediately went into a tailspin. I called my mentor Dorothy and some other friends who love me and were very supportive.
Still...
I'm awash with sadness and confusion
My eyes swell and swim with tears
I don't know which end is up
I feel completely lost.
What is my next step?
My ears are so full of my own wailing
I couldn't hear instruction.
My dog, Jack, runs with complete abandon
complete joy
complete bliss.
Were I like her,
But I'm a human
Tangled in my own misery.
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