O K, I’m feeling like a space shuttle astronaut. I’m going through my never-ending checkoff list.
Let’s see, let me start with what I’m loading into my truck. First we start off with the “must have” items: 9 mm Ruger pistol with extra clips under driver seat, 12 gauge riot shot gun with 8 shot magazine loaded with 00 buckshot and a couple extra boxes of ammo laying on back seat for easy access, fireman axe in driver side door mount, stun gun in console, tazer under driver seat, US SEAL Ultimate Killing Knife strapped to steering column, machete behind passenger seat, poison darts secured to driver’s visor, crossbow in the back. Yep, that looks like about it. We are off to travel the friendly highways of the U S A! Man, I almost broke out singing the old Woody Guthrie “this land is your land, this land is my land”!
Next to be loaded in is all the high tech gadgetry. We will be taking 2 iPads, 2iPhones, a Nextel phone, 2 laptop computers, a printer, 2 walkie talkies, and two Star Trek “beam me up, Scottie” transporter phones.
Well of course I need to take some fishing equipment for Montana, hiking clothes to walk to the bottom of Grand Canyon and back out (yeah right!), some slicked-up western wear for Buck Owens’ place in Bakersfield, my lucky hat in case we do a little gambling in Elko,NV, my spray on tan cans for when we hit southern California beaches, my tux for the big bash in San Francisco, my “Bear-Be Gone” spray for Yellowstone. Let’s see, what else? If anyone has some must items you think I need to take feel free to blog in and let me know before I zip up the trunk.
Ted Purcell 
Ted, You forgot the Snake Away ! ( just in case you come across a snake or two in West Texas, New Mexico and …… !
Susan
Thanks for the post! I now have a gallon plastic bucket of Snake Away in the back! Boy, that stuff smells like mothballs!
Sounds like you have everything under control. I hope you have room for Charlotte things. You know how women take a lot of clothes and misc. You two .have a safe and fun filled trip.
Hey Cynthia,
Yeah, I had a set of overload shocks placed on the rear of the truck to handle the additional weight. So far that means two steamer trunks, two big expandable suitcases, 6 smaller “carry-ons”, a full makeup salon, a 25 pair shoe rack, every pill listed in the PDR, two jewlery cases, and no telling how much painting supplies. I have packed a small shaving kit, and a change of underwear.
(We decided to to go with the pack it instead of the pitch it mode.)
Do you remember how you used to roll your eyes at me when Charlotte and I went to conferences? Edwin would bring me with ALL my bags to your house and you would try to fit all of my stuff in the back of the Yukon with all of Charlotte’s stuff…and we would only be going to Austin for three days!!! You and Edwin would grumble about all we were taking, and you’d always looked at me and ask, “Elizabeth, do you REALLY need all this??” and then you’d do that Ted grin and shake your head and carefully arrange the jigsaw puzzle of our luggage!! Charlotte and I always had everything we needed with us…and enough for several other people, too!!! Those were the days!!! What great times!!!
I am so excited about y’all’s trip and hope you have the BEST time!!
Hey Elizabeth
Yeah I do remember those trips to Austin. It seems like I remember the bill to get those bags up to ya’lls room and down again was about the same as the cost of the room!
I know a couple of times I thought it would have been better just to pull a small U-Haul trailer. But the thought of you and Charlotte driving in Austin traffic pulling a U-Haul behind that Yukon always gave me enough incentive to make everything fit somehow. I wish I would have had this truck back then so you guys could have really had more space for more luggage. I know it really cramped your style to be limited to one large suit case per day. But we appreciate the sacrifice you made for the kids!