Yep, I'm Alive

Sort of

The last update on the Trip to California had our intrepid truckers camped out at Primm, NV. The next day took us across I15 to Barstow, then on CA58 to Shafter, which is northwest of Bakersfield. Most of that journey was across a whole lot 'o nuttin' - one of the highlights was going by the Zzyzx exit. Once at Shafter, the tanks were unloaded and set on their sides. The new owners didn't have their containment field ready. We also had to "deck" trailers. Two of "our" guys weren't company, and their owner tries to find backhauls when he can for his trucks. He found some trailers to haul back. I've mentioned before how our trailers are very single purpose - so there really isn't much freight he can haul with them. Better to drop the trailers and find someone needing a trailer hauled.

But, that leaves us with two trailers in California with no way home. Unless we deck 'em. That means putting one on top of the other and fastening it tight with belts, chains and boomers. After that was done, we pointed 'em east towards the house.

It was back to Barstow and then on I40. We ran in the dark from Barstow to Needles, but I'm pretty sure that was also a whole lot of nothing. We landed in Kingman, AZ for the night.

My impressions of the California I saw - lots of different crops - carrots and the like, plus lots of fruit trees. The overwhelming impression, though, was how dirty the highways are. Supposedly, the state crews' budgets have been cut for trash pickup. Trust me, it shows. I'd hate to have to pull off on a shoulder - I'd expect a flat tire. Apparently, adopt a highway programs have failed as well. It is a shame, because it is some nice country.

I'd never been in Arizona before, either, so that was new. The landscape west of Flagstaff was a bit of an eerie volcanic desert wasteland - lots of igneous rock formations cluttering the landscape with typical desert vegetation scattered between - looking for all the world like a race of giant cattle had come through leaving their droppings. Somehow, I doubt there is much tillage goin' on 'round there.

We made it to Tucumcari, NM before we petered out. The next morning found us headed northwest on US54. Once we were in Texas, I was back in familiar territory. That morning was the start of the third day of pain from a suspected kidney stone.

I've had the bastards before - in fact, I was in the hospital getting zapped when my EKG readings went haywire and I ended up with a quad bypass. I still have a kidney stent in a ureter that hasn't been dealt with. So, I've been procrastinating.

I hate going to hospitals. This crap isn't in my budget, even with insurance. Dollars to donuts, I'm gonna be in for a series of procedures to clean me out. But, I can't live with a stuck stone, either. It's really made me pretty sick, short of breath, and very tired. I'm in some pain, but it's nothing like the first stone I had. Of course, Friday morning in New Mexico kinda made it difficult to get an appointment with my doctor in Dodge City, so I'll be seeing them Monday. I could call the urologist (a new one in Dodge - I'm less than enthused with the one I'd been seeing in Garden City), but I'd bet a phone call from my doctor would get me in far sooner than just me announcing I have a stone and to see me immediately if not before. Referrals and all.

So, the trip was good, but I'm more than a bit grumpy at the moment.