What Are You Gonna do When Your "Plans" Hit a Wall?

Been here before... I expect to be here again... and Here is where I am right now.

Before you decide to sell out everything and  hit the road RV Boondocking full time... you need to think about something; What are you gonna do, not if... but When...

When we pulled out of Glass Creek up near Mammoth lakes on Wednesday, our tentative plan was to move mostly north to Gardnerville; resupply at the New Walmart there and then continue North past Susanville.

Heidi was inside securing our supplies. I was sitting outside studying the map when that lil' voice of mine started whispering. Something wasn't right... but I wasn't hearing clear... I only knew I was uneasy.

I've learned over the last five decades to NOT ignore that lil' voice, so the only thing I could do different was turn west. I don't know that it mattered but it all fits together in my way of "looking" at things.

It was coming down out of the mountains that we started to hear a steady, tinny, rattle from the front end, that stopped at the lightest touch of the brake.

So...  the next morning, yesterday morning, after making sure it was OK with the Casino to unhook, I detached from the fiver and rolled the truck over to Les Schwab to have it checked out... thinking it was just a simple broken clip that was letting something rattle about...

Don't I wish... the rattle turned out to be a failed caliper that kept one side of the brake against the rotor... which ATE the rotor. That sound concealed the disintegration of the opposite wheel bearing and distracted from a tie rod going bad... ooooooffffff...

The consequence of it all coming down together was a repair bill of $1500 smackers... Which to be honest... was about 1498 more than we truly had... We scrambled it up... by, like I said yesterday, robbing Peter to pay Paul. An increasingly dicey balancing trick... cuz when you "borrow" from that which produces your meager income... the "production" can be expected to decline...

Yeah... that lil' store we still own back in Colorado, that is half or so of our sustenance got squeezed... 

arrrrrggggggghhhhhh...

The upshot really is... what are you gonna do when such things happen? Like I've said before, this deal wouldn't be an issue for a financially blessed wanderer... but... there are things that even those lucky buggers are gonna stumble across that'll take the wind outa their sails...

So the question remains; What Are You Going to Do? When the Bovine processed vegetable matter is horizontally accelerated by direct contact with the atmosphere agitation device... What are you gonna do?

Are you going to throw it in and quit? are you going to give up your dreams...whatever that dream is? or... are you gonna dig in and PUSH?

Back on the ranches it's been said; That man, or that horse "Has sand." For those unknowing of the term, it means; They possess the "grit" to keep on going. No matter what, they keep on going. They refuse to quit.

Maybe it's arrogant of me, maybe it's blowing my own horn to make the claim; BK Gore has sand. If it is, so be it ~ I'm arrogant ~ I'll accept the criticism. But, I believe in my life I've pushed ahead enough times that I can claim it's an accurate assertion... arrogant or not.

And now... one more time... I got to choose; and that's the real deal. When that "Stuff" is hitting the fan you're left with but two choices;

Bow your head and surrender to the winds of fate... or ... Cowboy Up!

This Ol' Buster picks number two. Always has, always will. I choose to grab that no good scythe swingin' "Reaper" along with his distant cousin Murphy and shake their stinkin' hides until their bones rattle. I'll convert their sorry behinds to chew toys.

Most I guess when confronted by the disappearance of more than what they could claim to actually have had would pull in their horns and curtail their planned summer circle. They'd tuck their tails and limp for "home".

Me? awwww... you already know the answer to that don't you?

Not a miserable damned chance! I'm goin' and seein' what my heart had itself set on showin' my eyes... and I'm taking herself with me!

Those that wish to sleep careful and "secure"... do that! I don't criticize or malign your choices, I truly don't. But that don't float my boat. I speak only for myself.

Though you might have believed you perceived otherwise, I don't presume to tell you how to live. I really only speak of how I must, and what I cannot endure. Some will identify the same feelings in their own hearts... some will think otherwise.

My way to me is clear. I simply cannot tolerate another moment of my life being consumed by allowing,what others see as "reasonable security", and I perceive as soul eating fable... to be permitted to command my future.

I know not what others may choose... But I shall follow my own path. (stealing a lil' founding father's thunder there!)

If the wind should blow against me, and I fully expect that it will, I'll lower my head and drive on. Either it will turn off from me... or I will split it clean in two!

If the wind wants to blow against my ambitions I say... Bring It On! because we're not turning back... We set our sail for the northwest coast... and that's where this cowboy caravan is goin'.

The sun is shining and the road is open. I love it so. A few broken parts, or a lot of broken parts won't pull me off it. Today we're poorer... but hope is strong and life stretches out in front of us. Of one thing you can be sure, when it comes along... I'll be there for every day of it. ;)

Just a Battle of Wind ;) ...some will claim I'm well armed! :)
Brian