Monday
The story of the 2008 Stage Fort Park event begins in Austin, TX, the day after the event at Windy Point. The saturated ground made the notion of backing out the DOG Truck on Sunday less than appealing. Not only were there several obstacles to avoid, but the movement was likely to leave furrows in the grass deep enough to plant corn. This meant another 6AM rise to travel back to the park where we successfully negotiated our way between the lake, several large trees, and up a slope that had been a stream complete with rapids just 12 hours earlier. Good thing we got the 4x4 truck. Thanks to Richard (Windy Point) and Joe (Optiquatics) for making faces and cringing every time we got close to hitting something. You could actually use the grimace as an indicator of how close you were getting to scraping along something! <g>

A few quick good-byes and we parted company with the new DOG Truck bound for MA and hopefully better weather. There were only a few brief moments of terror went the GPS failed to recognize a few new highway on ramps. With the first stop for fuel, the requisite amounts of SOBE Adrenalin energy drinks were stashed in the cooler to last a day or two. The driving continued until dark, with the sad realization that the XM radio turns of every time we rolled over a bottle cap or other similar bump in the road. Gotta get that fixed.

Tuesday
Up again at the crack of dawn for another thrilling day of driving. At least this truck can hold 70mph on the highway. Given our new truck is 50’ of rolling fun, refueling at truck stops is the best course of action and significantly less stressful than trying to negotiate in and out of typical gas stations. Of course the only downside is the conversion you have (in front of all the real truckers) with the cashier. It goes something like this:

Me: “Hi, I need authorization on pump 17 please.”
Cashier: “Credit card and drivers license please.”
Deep sigh and hand over personal AMEX card because the other personal card is maxed out with hot dogs and hamburgers, and airline tickets. Run out to pump gas, and remember that running really hurts after the Austin jack hammer incident, but it feels good to get feeling back in that leg. Yikes.
Me; “Hi again, I’d like to lose out pump #4 please.”
Cashier: “Company name?”
“DUI” and then the entire line stops and looks you up and down, someone in the back snickers and says that’s a hell of a name.
Cashier: “Truck number?”
“One”
Cashier: “Trailer number?”
“One…I guess.”
At this point all the real truckers begin to give me a little leeway and are really nice in offering suggestions, tips and tricks etc. to make my trip a little easier.

Wednesday
Oops, I forgot about the time zone, so technically I’m an hour behind already. Better drive a bit longer today. Where’d that Red Bull go?
With the sun having set about an hour ago, it became evident that finding a place to park that I could actually be sure wouldn’t leave me keyed in or otherwise stuck, would be a bit of a challenge. The good news is that I did find a place to park, and thanks to the backup and side cameras that we installed, I didn’t hit anything as I backed in. At that point I looked out the essentials I’d need overnight, since I had a ½ mile to walk back to the hotel…in the dark…along a deserted road…in a town I’d never heard of. Ahh, great a stray dog…at least I don’t have to walk alone. Growling dog….okay growl back at dog…not a good plan…time to hike across a field toward the hotel sign in the distance. Apologize to herd of deer as I startle them from the thorny bushes I’m tromping through.