We were going to depart from Hartland by 7:00 pm on June 4th and head to Grandma and Grandpa’s house to pick up my nephew Trevor. From there we’d commence on our cross country trip…A call to my mom, “I’m not going to be packed by 7:00, so instead we’ll leave at 4:00 AM.” I came home from church at 11:00 pm after making last minute preparations for the summer religious education program. At midnight I’ve barely begun packing...,
We’ve been in the midst of a total house renovation since last November. Our contractor was scheduled to have it finished two months ago, but in the front room, it’s still down to the stud walls. I look around and see all of our possessions in boxes which over the months, boxes and furniture have been shuffled from room to room as the focus of the renovations move around the house. The unfinished disorder epitomizes what I’m feeling. At 1:30 am I am physically spent and can no longer forge ahead with the packing process so I head to bed.
I look at all of the stuff crammed into the van in disarray. Twenty-four hours earlier I had a long “to-do” and packing list, which along the way had become buried in piles of things. No time to look for them… We finally pulled out of our driveway at 6:30 AM on June 5th for a 33 hour drive to Westcliffe, Colorado. I hoped that I managed to pack most of the crucial gear. I felt somewhat comforted that I had a fall-back plan to have Bryce bring any missing items with him when he joins us on the trip on June 17th.
We arrived in Williamstown at 9:00 am. Grandma had the kitchen table set for breakfast with Dunkin Donuts and fruit since 5:00 am. Trevor had his gear piled in the driveway, waiting for our arrival. I made a mental note to myself that in the future to be more specific when I say, “pack lightly.” I pared Trevor down from three to one pillow, but did stuff in a dilapidated tent he borrowed from his dad.
In order to fit ourselves along with all of our stuff into the van, we ended up having to pull all of the gear out of the van and pack it with a more orderly cramming. As we embarked on our journey, I felt a bit more in control and comforted as I gazed at the organized van chaos…
About Me
- Jill
- Vermont, United States
- Last September during a routine mammogram screening, an abnormality was picked up. Following a number of tests, I was diagnosed with early breast cancer and treated with a lumpectomy. Instead of letting fear of cancer engulf me, I have decided to embrace my cancer by trying to live life to the fullest. As part of my healing process, I have decided to reach out and reconnect with my friends and family, get back into shape, and heighten breast cancer awareness. In 1979, I rode across the country on my bicycle with my friend, Carol Glaser. The hospitality we received on our trip filled my soul. I have decided to do a bike trip again this summer from Westcliffe, Colorado, which I once called home, to my current home in Hartland, Vermont. I would love to have family and friends join me on segments of the trip and look forward to making new friends along the way.
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