Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Baby Containment: A Necessary Evil.

I learned pretty quick that first day a loose toddler is a dangerous thing. The only thing he was really interested in was pulling the cigarette lighter out (they still make those?), putting it in his mouth, grabbing at the swinging keys and pulling on the gear shift. All things that are cute maybe when you're parked, but they become dangerously unnerving when you're actually driving. So, I let my inner engineering spirit loose and we ended up with this:



Which is the table lowered and covered in cushions with Colt's car seat belted to the cab-over ladder I found stashed in the RV. Pretty neat, huh?  Things were going really well until 20 minutes in to it what I can only term "catastrophic failure of the engineering design" happened and he and the contraption both went ass over tea kettle on to the ground. He was pretty shook up, but the only real damage was a skinned up left nostril, which scabbed over really well and makes him look like a real bad-ass. It also went pretty well with the steering wheel imprint on his forehead from the day before. The scab is nearly gone and you can't even really tell it was ever there.

Good news though: I was able to beef-up my design and we have had 12 consecutive crash-free days. Score.

Week Two of Roadtrip America is Winding Down.

Thank God. Perhaps two weeks of motorhome camping with a toddler and a 90 pound dog that constantly sheds is NOT for everyone? I'm just saying.

First, let me just clarify things having not posted since the fateful "OMG, I forgot my pills" post: We were able to stop that Sunday in Bend and (oh so thankfully) find a pharmacy that was able to call Haggen in Ferndale, have them fax down  my prescription, fill it for me and send us on our way in less than 30 minutes. Because we all remember the trip to Mexico which landed us in the delivery exactly 9 months later? We were also able to pick up all the important things we forgot. Like lawn chairs, popcorn and diapers.

We are currently stopped in some po-dunk town in the north eastern pan handle of Idaho. We were headed to Coeur d'Alene, but 10 miles into Idaho on I-90 the baby started the beginnings of an all-out meltdown (who doesn't like to spend 5 hours non-stop in a motorhome??) and my OCD got the best of me. I forced Todd off the highway in some even smaller town who's only export was obviously gravel, and at the first sight of a wide spot in the road screamed "Pull over!! I need out of this f***ing motorhome. There's shit everywhere!!" So, we all imagined I'd handle this trip well, right? Because I'm adaptable. And easy going. And not at all the neurotic person that wakes up early just so I can vacuum before work, right? Right.

So, before the prison cell on wheels had even come to a stop I busted out the side door with Griz right behind me. As far as I was concerned, the baby could fend for himself. After a brisk 50 yard walk or so I returned refreshed; feeling better than I had all day.
But, not before I muttered (under my breath, of course...) that, "If all I had to do was drive all day and stop for gas I'd be fine too." Because I'm not at all at fault here, right? For planning this trip? Luckily while we were stopped we were able to track down that pesky propane odor which, you guessed it, turned out to be propane! Fun, huh?

If I haven't said it before a hundred times, I will say it again: Thank God Todd is so patient. I would have left my ass that first night by the sign showing the dog jumping off the cliff. Really. He thinks things are funny and never gets stressed out. Which came in handy when I stormed off from our campsite in Cody carrying my blown out stroller wheel, walking to WalMart for a second time because "surely someone there can fix it." And, when I returned an hour later with blisters and a still blown out wheel, he grabbed it and had it fixed in 20 minutes. And didn't even say "I told you so."

Anyway, the walk did me good. So did the top to bottom motorhome cleanup I did roadside in that po-dunk town. I picked up the toys, did the dishes, cleaned up the cage we built for the baby (more on that later), swept the floor, organized the overhead cab, put away some clothes and voila! we were back on the road. Only this time I was driving. And I pulled over at the first exit I saw that had somewhere to stay. It's an RV park near the highway (I can hear the cars as I type), but the showers are free (and showers when you're camping are rare and altogether amazing), our neighbors are alright, and we have full hookups - including WiFi, which is the first time we've had that this entire trip!

So, all is well. The trip has actually been a lot of fun! I have a ton of pictures to download and even more stories to tell (who doesn't want to hear about me performing a 10 point turn in the 30 foot motorhome when I accidentally went down a dead end street?). I'll post when I get a chance. If all goes well we'll hit Washington tomorrow morning, camp somewhere near the Cascades tomorrow night and then be home Friday sometime. Sweet.