7:42 am - Tuesday - October 15th - Honey Lake Rest Area, Janesville, CA - 39° F, humidity 68%, wind 2 mph out of the west.....crystal clear, blue, sunny skies today with a forecast high of 79° F. On this date in 2016 TLE and I were having dinner with long time friend Don Neff at Christy Hill in Tahoe City, CA.....
....it was a very stormy Fall evening, and one could not tell the difference between Lake Tahoe and a stormy Atlantic Ocean. One of our all time favorite fine dining restaurants, to which we have returned several times since.
Well, Monday was the 6th day we have been putting things away, and there was just enough time to get it all done before hauling anchor. Our goal was to leave around 2 pm as we didn't want to arrive too early at the Honey Lake Rest Area where we have overnighted on our way south the past two years. I didn't take any pictures Monday as I was too busy putting the final touches on the trailer organizing. There was a point where I didn't think it would all fit, but in the end I found a place for everything.
Finally, around 1 pm, we were ready to unhook ourselves from the LPG&RVR utilities, and move the coach out of site #55, where it sat in one place for 6 months and 4 days this year. Whenever we sit that long I always wonder, and it is only natural, if she will work as she should. That is why we only drive 80+ miles the first day when leaving LPG&RVR. If anything arises that needs attention I can take care of it at the Rest Area, which I have done the past two years when the trailer turn/stop lights were not working. This year they worked, and there were no other issues.
Once I had pulled the Newell forward about 80 feet I folded up the large artificial turf piece, and dragged it into the trailer, followed by the insertion of our 2001 VW Beetle, where it will reside until Saturday, or Sunday when we arrive at our winter destination. And then we were off...well at least a few hundred feet over to the Clubhouse where we said our final 'until next times'.
As we crossed the bridge at the park exit it was 2:40 pm....a little later than we hoped, but still fine. Our Garmin Trucker GPS unit advised our ETA at Honey Lake Rest Area would be around 4:20 pm....perfect!
In about 2 miles we were at US-395....our Mother Road....we turned left (southbound) and began our climb to Sage Hen Summit, which sits at exactly 5,555' above sea level. The Newell performed flawlessly on the 10 mile climb, and then it was down hill to cross the Madeline Plains for the last time in 2024. US-395 is pretty much straight as an arrow through the Madeline Plains, and you can see for miles.
We hit a couple of construction zones along the way, but we were in no hurry. The road was straight, and smooth (new pavement), and there was a slight tail wind. The big Detroit Diesel 6v92TA engine just purred as we floated down the highway. I looked at TLE and said "It's good to be moving again", and she replied "Yeah", as she always does. It it good to be moving again. I am rarely ever happier than when I am behind the wheel of our home on wheels with the cruise control set at 60 mph, my driver side window open so I can hear the 6v92 purring like a kitten.
Our drive south to the Honey Lake Rest Area was completely uneventful, and we arrived just before 4:30 pm, found a spot in the truck parking area, parked, turned off the Detroit, and just sat there for a few minutes enjoying the view, knowing that there will be no more early morning awakenings for six months. We'll stay in bed until the sun lights up the curtains in our bedroom every single day......
....after checking the trailer interior to make sure everything had stayed in its place I pulled a Dr. Pepper out of the Norcold basement fridge, sat down in my recliner, and just enjoyed the view....
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