I’m hoping to end my camping limbo today. Camper top I purchased in November arrived outside of Wilmington Friday afternoon. Too late for me to get it installed last week I tried to set an appointment for today to get it snapped on when I called Friday but they didn’t call me back even though the last thing said on their side of the phone call was “I’ll check on your camper and call you right back”

Left a passive aggressive message on their phone and now I’m sitting at a Starbucks 1.3 miles from the Outfitters with my finger’s crossed that I can do a walk-in service for today. I’m 4.5 hours from home, drove up yesterday afternoon I had plans to walk around town but town was drizzling and windy. Thunder didn’t help either spring can be loud in the early weeks. Most of the local fair was closed due to Easter so I walked across the street to Longhorns for dinner. Yep I know exactly what to expect from a national steakhouse chain before I get any eyebrow raising I cut my teeth in the industry in this exact type of concept. For about 16 years. Yes I do judge the shit out of these places when I go but it’s also for nostalgia purposes. Longhorn’s cuts are better than what I can buy at the grocery store these days and as long as the grill cook doesn’t press the shit out of my MR steak I’m easy to please. My food was fine not exceptional, service was decent once I actually got my silverware and longhorns longhorned like a longhorn should.

It’s an exhausted concept. It’s old, stale including the staff there’s no abundance of energy for sure. I can’t blame them if I was still working at my old company I’d probably sleep with a gun in my mouth. That was dark and unintended. Little hyperbole to start off my Monday

But still. Yeah no thanks.

Same furniture style, commercial table tops, food safe carpet, stacked stone walls literally the same as my old steakhouse on woodruff rd. Place was packed with Easterlings and fat little toddlers. Loud and abrasive, thankfully no one was sitting at the bar. Jesus wouldn’t approve. Manager with shirt half untucked from constantly reaching up and adjusting the tickets in the slider or spindle. I feel you bud. Your expo floor was a mess. You missed that 20 minute line sweep timer. Not one server with a smile on their face. I’m not blaming them on bit. I’m not judging either I lived this life, all sides of it for half of my life. I’m 6 years out. That dinner made me wish I was 20 years out.

Viva La Longhorns

I’m gambling on my hardheadedness to get my camper installed without an appointment today. I’ve got a little customer service ball drop on my side since I never got a call back and I’m hoping for a smooth transition. Best case scenario I have to wait a few hours I’m prepared for that. Worse case scenario I have to find someone to cover the deli while I drove 9 hours round trip again. Rather not do that. Why the rush? Well I depart for Utah on Saturday. This camper took a month longer than what I had originally planned. Not their fault but also not mine either. Not pointing fingers just want my camper on top so I can put all my shit that’s been sitting under my house back on my truck. It’ll be 6 months since my last camping trip. Some don’t see it as a big deal but it is for me. This is what I do for a living. I don’t work for a living. I work to pay bills. I camp to live and I haven’t since early November. Just imagine being a die hard football fan as most of you are down here and your sport being canceled for the season.

No bueno amigos.

New set up, new camping logistics. I have no clue if my awning will work without any fabrication and I can’t call my fab guy this short of notice. Kinda want some shade in the Utah desert where we will be returning. By we I mean my bud Shane who went out with me last year. He might be the only person more excited about this trip than me. We went last year at this time but we were pulling a trailer which made some offroad trails too tight. Making up for it this time. We are more acquainted with Utah for part two and more comfortable with banging out. These trips can put stress on friendships not in a bad way by any means. It’s exhausting, lot of driving and zero privacy. Can’t wait to see Shane’s naked butt again. You don’t sleep well the entire trip or I don’t and the rigorous life of having to setup and breakdown everything you do daily takes its toll. All that said I love every bit of it.

Our initial itinerary:

Leave Saturday AM

Drive straight to Moab and camp Sunday evening. Back up is Fruita, CO if we encounter any delays. Hanksville for day two for moonscape overlook, long dong silver (yep that’s its name) and camp in Goblin Valley

Leave for the Canyonlands and explore some offroads and cliffs. Head south to Bryce. We stayed in the Escalante area last year and may have to revisit Hole in the Rock road. It’s an 60 plus mile offroad that dead ends at lake Powell. Not sure if I want to tread on a washboard dirt road for three hours. I don’t carry an air compressor with me I don’t want to lessen the air in my tires. We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Bryce to Zion, Kabal and some hurricane cliffs. Then slowly edge back home. I’m excited, my compadre is excited.

Lotta driving. Hope to skip all the floods and tornadoes this go round.

Gotta get that camper on top first though. I’ll camp in a tent if I have to I don’t care at this point.

Time to pack up and use my charm. Wish me luck

Peace