The Vagabond Girl – My 43,000 km trip in a 14 Foot Trailer with a dog named Baloo

In July 2012 I set out on a trip. I drove my Dad’s old diesel pickup and towed a small 14′ trailer. My dog Baloo sat in the co-pilot seat and acted as navigator. He never disagreed with any of my ideas. Nor did he argue when I changed direction, got lost, or was late with his dinner. In short, he was the ideal travel companion.

What follows are excerpts from my trip. A trip that I started with trepidation and truthfully, downright fear. Would I make it over the Rockies? Would I be turning for home in one week, or two? Would I be able to figure out all the “thingamabobs”, and how they hooked up together?

12:00 Saturday July 7,2012
I am at Fairy Lake Park feeling good – how could you not feel good camping at a lake with this name and enjoying the warm sunshine? This is my first real campsite. I have just cleaned out my trailer and my truck, sorting all those things that I own into manageable locations. It has taken me all morning, and I found it surprisingly enjoyable. It’s 12 noon and most of the time I have been so relaxed that only specially loud noises such as the generator starting in the next site, and the big motorcycle passing by have caught my attention.

There is a steady muted background noise of trucks starting and leaving, dogs barking, and children playing or crying, and well fed birds talking as well. Just like people, some birds have been gifted with melodious voices that are beautiful to listen to while others squawk and complain loudly, making me want to throw a missile at them when they perch close to me. Now I want to throw a rock at the diesel truck in the next site, its loud roar is spoiling this moment – and they are also running a gas fired generator. It’s been going for at least 1/2 an hour. Did they know that I was writing about how content I was?

So far I have been writing about my trip by hand, as the computer  has such a limited charge. The battery is almost dead. It’s frustrating that I can’t just plug it in and have it ready whenever I wish to type. And my cell phone says it has no service. These technological glitches are unbelievable – didn’t they talk to the astronauts parked at the international space shuttle? Can’t they photograph me in my lounge chair from space and zoom in on my wrinkles? And yet I can’t phone out or use my computer. A dastardly situation, how can I cope? I need to stay in touch with people, I need to catch up with the news, I need to talk to my family, and I need to figure out where I am going next with the help of the internet. I feel like throwing this computer at the noisy neighbour next door, how dare he irritate me in this way. Shut up I would like to shout, each syllable stretched out to its limit.

Am I getting stressed out? At a campsite where I can walk into the lake 12 feet from my cement picnic table? Yes, a resounding yes. There is no peace here like I expected. Because people want to bring all their toys and to use them, their microwaves, their blow up boats, their modern whatevers, but one thing they all have in common is they need power, and hence the engine noises and generators. Perhaps my dream of quiet peaceful camping by pristine lakes is not attainable?