IM01 – Heading Out

Tuesday afternoon I visited a nearby park and set up my well-used Nemo Morpho 2P tent to assess its integrity. I found every seam sealed joint in the tent failing. These weren’t seams per se but rather all the attach points of the structural air tubes with the tent walls. I considered using seal seam glue or silicone glue to do a wholesale repair, but time was running thin, with the repair outcome uncertain.

Wednesday afternoon I went out to REI and picked up a roomy REI Half-Dome Plus tent. Only about $200 once a discount was applied.

Hurried packing Wednesday evening. I’ve been through this routine enough times that I know how to go through my checklist, grab what’s needed, and then quit worrying about it.

I met Phil early, at 6:30AM Thursday. He was completely packed and ready to go, so we were soon headed north, first up by Saguaro Lake, then through Payson and Holbrook. Phil was real talkative, discussing family events and work projects, which I enjoyed.

East on I40. I usually try to avoid interstates when driving alone, but we had miles to go. Lunch in Albuquerque at a TA travel plaza, where I had a bowl of soup and a salad. We sat at the bar often reserved for truckers, but it was empty this time of day.

We spent the evening in Tucumcari New Mexico, where we found the Americana Motel on old Route 66. Takeout KFC for dinner, accompanied by the Republican National Convention featuring Peter Theil and Mike Pence. A good start to our adventure.