While I generally prefer to start on the road early in the morning, today I had a meeting to attend that started at noon.  Traveling in a rented Volkswagen Passat, I set out toward Joplin, Missouri, my first night’s stop on my trip.

I find that the car is not charging my cell phone, I am not particularly worried.  I have my GPS and most of my trip today is highway.  At some point I will need the assurance that my phone will charge so I change out cords, it still doesn’t work. I buy a new car phone charger, it still doesn’t work.  I couple riding a Harley double check my charger, it is fine. It just won’t charge in the car.  By this time, I’m resigned that my phone won’t be charging in the car.

Driving southwest on I-44 from St. Louis, I make it barely past Cuba, Mo before I need a change of scenery. I take F north; then a left (west) on Dunham Road. Dunham is a hard-packed rutted dirt road. Unfortunately, that’s about as scenic as that stretch tended to be.  There were no old barns or silos, but there were a couple of interesting fence posts. Barbed wire and weathered wood. I come to an intersection, skewed enough that I wasn’t sure what direction I needed to go.  That is when I discovered that the GPS was no longer working. I put the address into the Google Drive on my phone.  I turn left onto CR1210, traveling southwest. It was along this stretch of road, that I find the only thing worth backing up for, a clearing beyond a clearing. I love how the light plays in the far clearing as if it has this great secret and invites you to come in and see.

Then I hit Missouri B, take a left and follow it until I intersect with I-44 once again.  Knowing that my GPS may be broken and the Google Drive app will probably suck up my phone’s resources like a thirsty man at a desert oasis, I will not be able to adventure off road again today.

Driving on 44, I reach down to adjust my seat forward, hit the wrong button and find that there is power lumbar support in this car,  I begin to think that lumbar support may just cover a great many sins until I realize that I’ve got a great many more miles to cover and my phone will not last that long.  I called my husband and told him that if the phone got to 15% power, I’d turn it off until I got the the exit for the hotel.  I wanted him to know that I might be unreachable. I did have to turn if off: 14%.  For an hour and a half, I was indeed on my own, my own thoughts, my own adventure.

I pull off the road at exit 8, I have 11% power. How does one lose 3% when the power is off I wonder,  Thankfully, the hotel is close,  But by the mile and and half, three turn route, I am down to 4% power.  I try desperately to find the confirmation email my husband sent because despite the fact I know the address, I don’t remember the hotel name.  My phone goes dead.  I pull into the first hotel and walk in the lobby.  It’s the right one.

I am grateful that I arrived safe and sound.  Now to make a plan for tomorrow…