Gettysburg

This past weekend, Scout and I hitched up Loretta and took her to Gettysburg.  Motivated by a desire to explore and by a red flashing black water light on our status monitor, I called around to various RV parks in the Gettysburg area.  I quickly found one that was open and available, but found that it, like many others it seems, close for the season in a few days.  I guess when you live in sunny San Diego, you forget there are seasons, let alone places that need to close because of them.  But, luckily, we made it just in time.

We checked in late Friday afternoon at the Gettysburg Campground, and Scout unhitched Loretta like an old pro.  She is so good at making sure we are connected and “emptied” and running smoothly.  I admire how handy she is. 

Meanwhile, I went to the campground office to get information on the area.  It just so happened that we had arrived on the eve of the 148^th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address!  The weekend was packed with events, from a reading of that famous speech at the Gettysburg Soldiers Memorial Cemetery, to a parade of re-enactors, to a luminary display on the grave of each soldier who died and was buried there.  To make it even more fun, Scout’s parents agreed to meet us there in the morning to take an auto tour of the battlegrounds, and to camp overnight with us in Loretta.  Fun, fun!

That first night, Scout and I headed into the adorable town alone, and settled down in the Pub and Restaurant, which sits right on the main roundabout.  While waiting for our table, we had spiked apple cider to get into the festive mood – not to mention to help warm us up, it was already in the 30s.  The restaurant was very nice, and we had a really relaxing evening.  We even caught up with a few “locals.”

With the arrival of Scout’s parents bright and early the next day, we headed over to the cemetery to listen to the speech.  Sometimes it seems like the effort it takes to do things like this is more work than the actual event is worth.  Although I felt a little like this while we were climbing the rolling hills of the cemetery, not really knowing where we were going, but following a voice speaking into a microphone somewhere in the distance, it was actually very nice once we got there. 

The Grave of Jennie Wade

(a civilian who was shot while baking bread for the soldiers)

The Gettysburg Address is less than 300 words, and it really is a simple speech.  Apparently, the man who spoke before Lincoln that day went on for 2 hours (which was common at the time), so when Lincoln stood and delivered such a simple sentiment, many people didn’t realize he was finished when he walked off the stage.  But because the speech was so short, it was published over and over again in the papers, making it widely accessible.  He simply said that the Civil War had tested the government and democracy that founded this country, and that those principles seem to have overcome the challenge put upon it.  He also said that the sacrifices made by both sides should be memorialized and remembered, but that most of all, it would be up to the people going forward to support democracy and to continue to work toward the progress that the country needed, so that the people who had sacrificed would not have done so in vain. His words came at the end of the Civil War, which judging by what I learned on the auto tour of the battleground, was an extremely hard fought war with so much bloodshed and loss.  Brothers fought on different sides.  Fathers fought with one army against sons with another.  Even Robert E. Lee, who had served in the US military for nearly 40 years prior, had to decide whether to continue to fight for his country, or to instead support the Confederate cause, whereby he would end up losing his job, his citizenship, and his home in the process.  Whatever side you supported, it was a terrible and bloody war.  I also learned that the most common treatment of any gun shot injury to a limb was amputation…regardless of whether the limb could have been saved with better medical care.  Losing a limb is something I am very afraid of…I can’t imagine what that must have been like for those soldiers, although I imagine that at that point, they were just happy to be alive.

 A Canonball Hole in a Barn Still Standing

Hey Fred, Wanna Get a Latte?

After our day of touring, we had dinner at the Dobbin House Tavern, which has been in business since 1776, and is called Pennsylvania’s oldest and most historic home.  We ate in the tavern, which was dark and cramped and very authentic….(I will talk about this statement in a bit…)  The highlight of the meal was the Kings Onion Soup, which was like French Onion Soup but included chunks of beef.  It was fantastic and hit the spot on a cold afternoon.

That night we headed back to Loretta, and snuggled in for a night of cards and dancing (yes, dancing!!!  Loretta has a radio, and Scout and her mom got a pretty good boogie going on.  I have a video to prove it, but I think I would find my computer smashed if I posted it. J)  Four adults and a dog slept quite comfortably, with the only issue being the one tiny bathroom…well, and the fact that we could hear each other talking.  At one point, I heard Scout’s mom whisper, “Scrap this!  You can forget about us getting a camper, Skip.  I’ll take my chances with the bed bugs at a motel!”  But by morning, everyone was happy again.  Sleeping in here does take some getting used to.  The bed is somewhere between a full and a queen size, and the mattress is especially made to fit the rounded edges of the trailer.  It’s easy to feel a bit cramped in here.  Plus, the mattress is not the most comfortable…it sits on a flat piece of plywood.  I think we will soon be investing in a memory foam topper, or something like that. 

Smiling Faces

Anyway, that last day, we did a little shopping and had breakfast at a nearby diner.  I was glad to have visited Gettysburg on such a special weekend…I will forever remember it, and think that it’s commonplace for people to be dressed in period clothing from the 1800’s.  The modern-day dressers where literally outnumbered throughout the town, so you can imagine how fantastic it was to experience it. 

This brings me back to my previous comment about the tavern being “authentic”…now, of course it is authentic, and that’s because it really has been around since the 1700s!  It’s not decorated to look old and staged in the time of the Civil War…it was actually serving drinks during the Civil War.  I am in my 30s and from America – I don’t know if my age plays into this, but I think that being from America certainly does – but I have a theory about authenticity that I call my “Disney Theory.”  I will explain…the first time that I left the country was when I was 25.  I went to Europe for a month to travel around and see the sights.  When I got there, I saw original cobblestone streets that were laid by the Romans, churches built during the Renaissance, castles built during King Henry VIII’s reign…and while I was exploring these places, I couldn’t help but think that the people who built them did a really great job at making them look old and original.  Now, that’s a ridiculous thought, of course, because they are old and original!  But before that, I had only ever seen reproductions.  Cinderella’s Castle is built to mimic Neuschwanstein in Bavaria…and they did a pretty good job building it, but it certainly isn’t as incredible as the real thing…but up until that first trip to Europe, I only had reproductions to use as my foundation.  Disney had created Europe for me…Epcot had made me feel like I had been around the world and back again.  So, it was hard for me to really appreciate something original and authentic.  I wonder if other people have ever had this thought…or if it makes sense to anyone else.

 The Gettysburg Hotel

 The House of Bender

Angel atop the Pennsylvania Memorial Monument

Anyway, we are in Pennsylvania for another couple of weeks, and we hope to head over to the Shoe House, which is where the story of the old woman and the shoe comes from.  Up next is Thanksgiving, where we will be having a turkey, a duck and a ham (have I mentioned my expanding waistline?!), and this weekend is Scout’s 10 year high school reunion.  Stay tuned!

York County, Pennsylvania

Scout and I arrived at her parent’s house in York County, Pennsylvania a day before we thought we would arrive.  Mainly that is because we drove nearly all night on that final day.  Her dad had been stressing for over a week already because he was certain that we would have to back Loretta into their driveway instead of pull her in directly – primarily because there is a stone wall on one side and a telephone pole on the other.  When we arrived, I ran into the house to let them know we were there, and Scout stayed in the truck across the street, waiting for her father to come outside and help her back it in.  When I came out of the house, however, she was already ramping the neighbor’s yard, just missing the wall and pulling the trailer right on into the driveway.  That’s Scout for you.  She has cajones. 

                                              The back of Scout's parent's house. 

                                                  Loretta parked next to the Pole Barn

We arrived a bit worse for wear.  It had been a few days since we had last showered, we were still minus a window, and we noticed that a panel that held in insulation under Loretta was falling down.  Scout’s dad takes everything in stride, though, and he and Scout’s brother had things fixed for us in no time. 

Her dad also helped us unlatch the hitch and free the SUV.  We had only had the one instruction on how the hitch worked from the man at the RV dealership in Irvine, CA, and we hadn’t dared mess with it until now.  So, we unhitched, pulled out the tire blocks to help Loretta stay put, and we set up the awning.  It was our new home away from home!

It was great to see Scout’s family again.  Her parents were as lovely as ever – they are such happy, wonderful people.  And I met Scout’s brother for the first time, and his girlfriend, who are also both really nice. 

Morning Chat Time in Loretta

My mother is my favorite person on the planet, but I don’t have many memories of her making me snacks and breakfast in bed.  Scout’s parents have been so hospitable.  They adore her and are always fussing around her to make sure she is happy, fed, and comfortable.  It’s very cute.  I don’t know how they have so much energy, but I know that I certainly have loved the cheese steak sandwiches, the BLT&Es (in bed, no less), the banana bread, etc, etc, etc.  Even Scout’s brother and his girlfriend made an amazing shrimp fettuccine alfredo.  (Would you be surprised to find out that some of my pants are getting tight?)

Isn't This Idyllic?  Girl Time in the Kitchen.

                                             Scout's Neice "Testing" the Banana Bread

Besides the food, which really has been delicious and overly abundant (oh, did I mention the peanut butter cups and the Turkey Hill ice cream sundaes?), we have spent a lot of time with Scout’s friends.  She has an awesome group of friends whom she has known since high school.  It has been great seeing everyone (some of whom I am only meeting for the first time), and what I love most about it is how much everyone loves Scout.  They are all true friends, and she is so lucky to have them. 

The towns around here are just beautiful.  There are acres and acres of farm land, with quintessential red barns and tall feed silos.  The fields are full of grazing horses, cattle and corn.  Small creeks cut through the land as it slopes and meanders into the distance.  It’s just gorgeous.  The pictures below, believe it or not, are just behind the Pole Barn at the back of the yard.  It's been tough waking up to this view every morning, I tell you...

The Road To Scout's Parents

When you do come upon a town area, the buildings are mainly old, stately brick façade buildings, which have so much character.  The towns here were greatly impacted by the civil war, and still have a very historic presence.  We passed Gettysburg while we were driving to the house, and I can’t wait to go back and explore all of the little shops and old restaurants.  But closer by, towns such as Wrightsville, Columbia, and Lancaster have as much charm. 

The Susquehanna River

Quaint Streets in York

Wright's Ferry Mansion, Columbia, Pennsylvania

The Wrightsville Bridge

(This bridge was burned down during the Civil War, where the Union troops burned the bridge to save Lancaster from the Confederates.)

Restaurant Named After the Namesake of Wrightsville

                                               The Limestone Kilns in Wrightsville

One of our favorite past times is antique shopping, and there have been some great shops around here.  There seems to be a theme in many of these shops, where you find a lot of farm-type antiques – older, heavy wooden furniture pieces, military trinkets, antique pistols, barbershop straight blades, old train sets, and lots and lots of stained glass panels.  We were lucky enough to find 2 pieces of art that we liked enough to buy – although, ironically, the images are of a carnival ferris wheel that reminded us of fun times we had at the Santa Monica pier in California.  (Have we both become California girls at heart already?) 

One day, we all drove down to a place called BB’s Grocery Outlet.  It is a discount grocery store that is run by members of the local Amish community.  I was so surprised when we arrived – it felt like I was in a foreign country!  The Amish speak a language called Pennsylvania Dutch.  It sounds a lot like German, which I speak a bit of, and I was constantly straining my ear to see if I could understand them.  It’s really hard though.  Not only do they speak their own dialect, but people from Pennsylvania have an accent that is very unique.  It’s not just the Amish, but even Scout’s family sometimes says things that I don’t understand.   For example, most people here don’t use the verb “to be”, but rather go directly into the past tense.  So, instead of saying, ‘That needs to be washed,’ they would say ‘That needs washed.”  Another thing I have noticed is that people say ‘left go’ instead of ‘let go’ or they will even say ‘leave it go.’  It’s very interesting.  Most of the time, I can figure out what people are saying, but it’s definitely fun experiencing this new vocabulary.

Anyway, back to the Amish.  What I have learned so far is that they don’t use electricity or automobiles.  They ride in horse-drawn buggies, and it is not uncommon to see one driving across an overpass while you are on the highway.  Some stores (like BB’s Grocery Outlet) even have parking spots for the buggies, with a post to tie the horse to while they shop.  They are a very close knit community, and although they do not like to have their pictures taken, and they shun modern advancements, they can drink and smoke, and seem to have a lot of fun.  Just tonight, we went to a place called Root’s Country Market (pronounced like ‘ruuts’), where Amish people were working at the vegetable stands.  Little girls in prairie-esque dresses and white bonnets (and some in Sketchers and Nikes) and young boys in black suits and straw hats were wandering around the market, looking at the cakes and candies, while their parents ran the booths or made food.  Some of it seems a bit paradoxical to me, for example, if they don’t use electricity, why do they work at a place that uses lights and a cash register, but for the most part I try not to over-analyze and just enjoy the experience.  It’s a culture I have never seen before, and so far, I really like it.  Scout was just saying tonight how much she admires the simplicity of their lives – and even though their method of simplistic still makes us look like yuppie techies in our fancy Airstream, we are also trying to live a bit more simply.

One thing I wasn’t prepared for tonight was the animal auction.  I knew that an animal auction happened at Root’s, but for some reason I romanticized it in my head.  Scout asked me, did you think there would be a lot of chickens and pigs running around free and happy?  When I answer honestly, I suppose I did.  What I saw, however, was lots of birds cramped into cages, a gerbil taking its last breath, and a lot of people mulling around and bidding very low prices while a man spoke loudly into a microphone.  I sometimes worry that I have the radio too loud in the car for the dog’s ears – they have hearing that is a lot more intense than a human’s – but here, these animals were not really ‘animals’ per se, and definitely not pets, but things to be bought and sold.  A lot of my time in Pennsylvania so far has been spent thinking about the disposable nature of the animal, and how I, like so many people I imagine, have lived without really wondering how the food I eat gets to my table.  I know the horror stories of the abattoirs, but I am not aware of the regular goings on of farmers, and the plight of the animal who  is not inhumanely killed based on those horrific standards, but who is killed nonetheless.  Last night, we went deer spotting – which is where you shine a very bright light out into fields to see the deer grazing there, and we got into a discussion regarding the upcoming hunting season.  Scout said that she would kill a deer, and I turned to her and adamantly said, ‘no, you wouldn’t.  I couldn’t imagine you doing that!’  She replied, ‘I would kill a deer and then I would eat it.’ So, I wonder –where do I think my food comes from?  I guess that is the hot button question for me these days.  If I couldn’t kill it myself, do I have any business eating it?  So right then and there, I decided to be a vegetarian.  Which lasted all the way through breakfast and lunch today, and failed when I had a chicken cheesesteak at the farmer’s market.  I guess I don’t care about chickens much after all…

Anyway, we are having a terrific time here in Pennsylvania.  It's wonderful spending time with family and friends, experiencing the fall weather and getting glimpses of winter, really living in Loretta, being successful at working remotely, exploring new towns, and just living the dream. 

Happy Girls

Maiden Voyage Part 2

I am writing this post while sitting in the trailer, which is parked in Scout’s parent’s driveway. 

                                                Mid-day Mimosas

Last Friday night, we pushed our way through the cities and just kept driving until, as they say, we couldn’t drive no more…We barely stopped, but we did pull into a casino parking lot for a little while to let Bella run around. There was a horse in a trailer parked in the parking lot.  It seemed curious to leave your horse outside while you went in to gamble, but whatever...the horse was friendly and gave me someone to talk to while Scout and Bella ran around.

We made it from just outside Memphis all the way into Northern Virginia, where we finally stopped in one last Walmart parking lot around 4 hours away from Scout’s hometown in Pennsylvania. I really wanted to stop in Memphis.  There was even an RV park around the corner from Graceland, but we were eager to get to Pennsylvania so we didn't stop.  The last part of the trip was one big blur...we were tired of driving and just wanted to get to Scout's parent's house, so we plowed through.  It took nearly an entired day to drive through Tennessee - that is a long state!  The last part of the trip also seemed to be through more 'civilization' - the highways were busier, there were more neightborhoods and stores, etc.  So, it was less scenic and more perfunctory by that time.  But we did get some quick pictures when we stopped a few times for breaks.  The weather was beautiful, and the fall leaves made us excited to be heading toward the east coast. 

I feel like the memories we have made since we got here are more exciting than the stories from the road on that last part of our journey, so I may just skip ahead, but I wanted to share a few things.

One very important thing is that we finally named the Airstream.  I am an aficionado when it comes to giving good nicknames (which is why Scout is called Scout, and I am called Bear…Bear is not something anyone in “real life” calls me and I didn’t come up with it, but I think it makes for a pretty good Blog name.)  Anyway, giving a nickname isn’t something you do lightly.  It takes thought and careful observation so that you know when you give it, it will stick.  Scout got her nickname because she reminds me of the girl, Scout, in To Kill a Mockingbird.  She is fiercely loyal, resourceful, creative, mischievous and an all-around great person to have with you in good times and bad. So, this nickname fit her.  Her real first name also starts with an S, so it was an easy transition.  Naming a trailer should be a bit easier, but we wanted it to be a name that really fit the Airstream, would come to mind easily, and would be reminiscent of our adventure.  We listened to country music from the beginning of Oklahoma well into Virginia, and as we were driving through Tennessee, we saw a big sign that said Loretta Lyn Welcomes Us!  And thus, a nickname was born.  Our Airstream is now named Loretta.

                                                   See Loretta sparkle in the distance

I also wanted to talk about gas prices.  I always wondered why gas prices can fluctuate so dramatically depending upon where you are.  I once heard that it had to do with how far the gas had to be shipped…California being so far across the US that naturally, the prices would be higher.  That just isn’t true, however.  The highest gas we paid on our trip was in California though – at $4.39 a gallon, and the lowest price was $3.11 a gallon, which we paid many times across the country.  It seems like gas prices are pretty stable, at least along Route 40 and up into Route 81.  Now that we are in Pennsylvania, gas is less than $3.50 a gallon, which seems pretty reasonable to me.  I had hoped that we would hit a pump that was less than $3.00 a gallon, but that didn’t happen…anyway, if you have learned nothing from this paragraph, hopefully you have learned that I have a bit of an old man inside me, constantly commenting on gas prices and complaining at the pump. Oh, even more interesting is that approximately 27% of what you pay for gas goes towards marketing and advertising.  Why in the world does a gas company need to market itself?  Everyone needs gas, and I would venture to guess that most people are not loyal to a gas company, but rather look for the best price or whatever is available when the tank is dangerously near empty. (that’s me being the old man again…)

The other thing I wanted to mention is how safe I felt in the Walmart parking lots.  Apparently, all Walmarts are supposed to let RVers stay overnight, but town legislature and other shopping areas place restrictions on it, and so some Walmarts have to turn folks away.  The Walmarts we stopped at, however, were well lit, had video surveillance, and safety patrol that circled the parking lot throughout the night.  I really appreciated that, and I’m thankful for it.

It’s been one week now since we arrived in Pennsylvania.  We are making lots of memories here already that I also want to capture.  I’m surprised how busy we have been, and it has kept me from being able to update the blog.  I am going to post this and then get started working on the next post.  Stay tuned for farms, deer spotting, and The Amish…

Maiden Voyage Part 1

I am writing this blog from the passenger seat of our Expedition.  I can do this because modern day technology is amazing.  Scout is driving.  We are in the middle of Arkansas (which is an absolutely beautiful state - I feel like my horizons are broader already...) on our way to Pennsylvania.  The plan is to spend the month of November visiting Scout's family in PA, and then we will head south to visit mine before heading back to California. 

We have been driving for 4 days now.  We got started late in the day on Monday because we had to head up to Los Angeles to pick up the Airstream and get the grand tour.  I took notes while Scout actively listened, and of course she remembers more of what the man said than I do…you would think that after graduate school, I would realize that my note taking doesn’t really help me learn…but whatever.  At least the notes are there in case Scout hits her head and forgets everything (she already knocked it pretty good once on the doorway to the Airstream, so it is a possibility).

There was so much to learn before we set off, but the folks at Southwest Coaches were really patient and thorough.  We had a terrific experience buying the Airstream from them…from helping us find the perfect trailer, to price, to service and finally to delivery…they were awesome.  (Thanks, Bo, Helen and Duane!)

Now, pulling out of the lot was stressful…it was the first time I had ever towed anything, much less a 25 foot travel trailer.  But it really wasn’t that bad after I got the hang of it.  I did pull the truck pretty close to a toll booth without realizing that the Airstream is wider than the Expedition and came dangerously close to bashing right into it, but I was able to correct it in time.  The only other issue we had was that we lost a window pane.  We feel terrible for the person/car or whatever that bore the brunt of that window falling out and smashing on the highway behind us.  We were blissfully unaware until we made our first stop and saw the remnants of the glass on the window hinges. Scout is incredibly resourceful though, and she immediately knew that we should head to Lowes and have a piece of plexiglass cut to size and tape it up until we can get to a service/dealer.  I’m thankful for the plexiglass because it was incredibly cold the first 2 nights that we stopped.

The first night, we made it to Kingman, Arizona.  We have been falling about 2 hours behind our daily goals, mainly because we have been driving between 55 and 65 MPH the whole trip, but also because we are taking our time, enjoying the sights, and making sure we have stopped for yummy dinners each night.  Oh, and we don’t seem to wake up much before 10 each morning…(to our credit, towing is tiring, and we are losing an hour the further we go east…it may have been 10:30 in Oklahoma when we woke up this morning, but that’s just 8:30 California time, and we are California girls afterall…)  Anyway, the first and second night we slept in Walmart parking lots.  Did you know that was allowed?  I didn’t until we started researching this whole plan.  Apparently, you can park overnight in almost every Walmart parking lot, especially Super Walmarts that are open 24 hours – those have security cameras and patrol that keep an eye out for the trailers parked there.  I felt pretty safe that first night and slept really well.  Scout and I were pretty giddy for a while, and kept talking about how excited we were, and how we couldn’t believe we had actually done it!  Adventure begun! 

The second night wasn’t so easy.  We pulled into another Walmart, but this time we had made it to Edgewood, New Mexico.  It was so windy, we actually thought there might be a tornado.  The whooshing sound around the trailer was terrifying to me, and we were swaying back and forth pretty badly.  Plus, it was absolutely freezing out and we hadn’t yet figured out how to turn on the heat.  You really need to be plugged into an electric source to properly run the heat in the trailer, and we were “boondocking,” which is parking without utilities, basically.  So, we were pretty bundled under 2 duvets, and thankful for Bella who maintains a nice 100+ temperature and who really likes to snuggle, and Bella and Scout fell nicely asleep.  I, on the other hand, stayed awake until nearly 4 am, jumping at every bang and whoosh that startled me.  I finally decided I could fall asleep when I saw that despite what sounded and felt like very ominous wind, the thin trees that lined the parking lot were still standing.  If those small trees could make it, we would make it, too.  And we did.

Day 3 was even colder throughout Texas and into Oklahoma.  I saw so many cattle farms, and despite how sad I felt for those cows, I got excited when we pulled into a very cool restaurant called The Big Texan, which has a 72 oz steak-eating contest.  Not only were the waiters/waitresses wearing cowboy boots and hats, but so were many of the patrons.  We were somewhere authentically Texan, and we ordered steaks like a good Texan should.  And it was delish.  (Sorry again, sweet cows.  I wish I didn’t like eating you so much, but I do, so I will just say I am thankful for you and the nutrition you provide.) 

Last night we slept in our first RV park – a KOA park in Elk City/Clinton, Oklahoma.  Scout jumped right to and plugged us into the electric station, cranked up the heat, and connected our water.  We showered for the first time in our trailer this morning, and although it’s a tight squeeze, the hot water lasted and it was nice to be clean again. 

Today we drove through Oklahoma, which was a really pretty state with good road conditions and friendly people.  Arkansas is much prettier than I ever imagined, with plenty of trees and lakes, and soon enough we will be in Tennessee, which is a state that I have always wanted to visit.  Someday, Scout and I are going to live in Nashville for a month, and I will practice a few country songs before we get there, and I will, I will, I will sing in a country bar…even if it’s just karaoke.  It’s on my bucket list, and I will do it.  I will. (You can hold me to it.)

Before I sign off, I want to get back to technology – before we left, we got a Verizon MIFI to take with us.  Our cell phones are mobile hot spots, but we have T-Mobile, which doesn’t have great coverage across the country, and seems to not be very reliable.  So far, I’m pretty impressed with the MIFI.  It seems to nearly always find a signal (mid-Nevada excepted), and the signal stays strong when we are stationary, and is even pretty stable while we are driving…like now.  It’s amazing.  This kind of lifestyle wouldn’t have been possible for us even 5 years ago….but I have managed to work a 30 hour week already from the road and parked in the trailer.  I think that is pretty amazing.  We also bought a power inverter that plugs into the 12V outlet, then it has this base that has a regular 110V plug, so I can charge my computer while in the car.  That is freaking awesome.  I had no idea this kind of technology existed, but I’m thankful.  It is what is going to keep us working and surviving while we are on this adventure.

It will take us another 2 to 3 days to get to Scout’s parent’s house.  Stay tuned for Maiden Voyage Part 2! 

P.S.  Everyone poops.  If you don’t want to read bathroom stories, stop reading now.  If so, I imagine there will be plenty of great bathroom stories from this trip – and plenty of good Walmart stories as well.  Here’s a gem:  Tuesday morning, we headed into the Kingman Walmart and I went to the bathroom.  I went into the middle stall.  To my left was a woman who was apparently having a pretty rough time because she kept saying, “Oh God…Dear God….Oh my God….” With each pause accentuated by loud toilet noises.  In come 2 other women with several small children.  The first woman says, “Shit, all the stalls are full.  Don’t you kids piss yerselves…stand here and hold it.  Don’t you piss on the floor. Shit, it stinks in here.  Damn, don’t they have spray in this Walmart.  It reeks!”  Meanwhile, the woman to my left is continuing her commune with God…I exit my stall, and head to the sink to wash my hands.  The third woman is counting a handful of cash, and says, “How much money did I say it cost?  $260?  That only leaves me with $40 for the rest of the month, and I ain’t even bought my smokes yet! Shit!”  Shit is right. Welcome to Walmart.