Packed and ready to go!

It’s almost here! 
After 18 months of planning, our departure on this epic journey of discovery is now just days away. Some of our group have had their bags packed and placed in their Birds for days. And those of you who know me also know that packing early is not my style, but by golly, this time I am! My bag will be in the car tonight -- but I'll still be throwing things together at the last minute, I'm sure.     The laundry list of things to buy keeps getting longer: Do we have all the laundry stuff for washing our clothes along the way (check); how about the Delo 400 motor oil and the Dot 5 brake fluid (check, check); what about our spending cash (oops, gotta do that tomorrow); did we get the sun shield for the windshield (check) and the sunscreen for us (check); what about all the juices, colas, yogurts, fruit, etc. for the cooler (OK, need more); did we pay all the bills ahead of time (well, some) and cancel the paper and mail (yikes, haven’t done that yet) – and so it goes. On and on.     We had a T-Bird club event this past weekend, and nine of the 10 Route 66 road warriors showed up for it, with some coming just for our final group meeting. (I stayed home to work on the KD magazine -- always a deadline! Sigh.) Gordon reports that the 66ers discussed road etiquette and more importantly, our need to be forgiving of one another when whomever is leading makes a mistake and sends us down a dead-end road, or we have to backtrack to find an attraction we missed. That’s all part of the fun – and challenge – of trying to find the existing bits and pieces of the long bygone America.     So the serious stuff is coming up fast – giving out emergency contact numbers to neighbors and family, arranging for house sitters and pet feeders, drawing up lists of the details they’ll need to know so that they don’t over-water the plants and under- water the cats, etc. etc.     It’s hard to believe this is actually going to happen – for so long, it’s been a distant dream, something in the future -- but now it is fast becoming a reality. Gordon is fielding several phone calls and e-mails a day from T-Birders around the nation, wanting to know when we’ll be in Chicago, Tulsa, Springfield, San Bernardino, Arizona. Several groups have said they want to meet us and host us to a lunch, or dinner, or cocktails or escort us for a distance, just to be a part of this adventure.     We’re frantic right now, and loving every minute of it. Well, almost every minute. I’ll send you another blog when we hit the road, after it has really finally hit me that we’re actually underway!-- Judy (and Gordon too)