I wrote this about a year ago. I found it on my phone while trying to occupy myself while off roading on Sunday. Coincidence, I think not.
There is something about an old man in a full body slicker that makes getting up at stupid o’clock on one of the only days I get to sleep in worth it. It’s raining today as we sit at the trail head of Evan’s Creek for our day of off roading. James wakes up early for such events, like a young child wakes up early on Christmas morning, with a bounce in his step and eyes full of excitement. By the time we pack the jeep, drive to meet the other jeeps, stop at the last gas station before civilization stops and nature begins, buy forest day passes , meet again at the trail head to air down the tires we have waited two and a half hours.
We finally get started on our first trail, miss our turn, turn around, find the start of the right trail and finally we kick it into four wheel drive. Then we stop again. James tells me one of the rigs in the front of the group is “Open, open with bald tires” and can’t make it up the trail, holding everyone else up. No, “open, open” isn’t in reference to those horrible Mervyn’s commercials we all grew to hate. It has something to do with whether you are “locked” or “open”. I will spare you the details and sum it up as “locked” is good, “open” is bad in the world of off roading.
So, now I have been awake since 6:00. I am currently missing the fifth Seahawks game of the season. I have yet been able to watch a single game this season. Today would have been my first opportunity to do so. Why do I do all of this you may ask? I do it because of the excited smile the boyfriend makes as he looks at me like a two year old receiving his first gold star for peeing in the potty and says “Did you see my jeep did what his couldn’t, babe?” While I am thinking, “With as much money as you put into this thing it should be able to cook and clean for me” but instead I nod and smile and say “Yes, babe. You’re purple jeep is amazing.”
