February 15th, 2015
Riverside, CA

In order to save money while working at Fort Irwin, today I purchased a 19’ travel trailer. I go back to pick it up tomorrow and, either tomorrow or Wednesday, will haul it up to Fort Irwin. The hotel up there is $99/night. The campground is $15. I spend 150 night per year there. Financially, it’s a no-brainer.

Except that I hate hauling trailers. Really hate it. I’ve only done it about three times in my life, and never had to back a trailer. I’m confident I will suck at that.

The last time was about 15 years ago. Immediately after Baker-to-Vegas, Paul Carlin and I drove into L.A. to pick up 40 donated old PC computers. They would be used in the Bay Area for emergency services. So I was renting a U-Haul, already dreading the 8-hour drive back to Concord hauling a trailer, and there were the standard 2-3 Mexican dudes hanging out at U-Haul, hoping for work. Even though we had no work, one guy, who sounded exactly like Cheech Marin, was chatty. It was already near dusk and when he found out we were headed over The Grapevine that night, he got chattier.

Vato Dude: “The Grapevine? Are ju kidding, man? With that weather? Man, they’s talkin’ hail and sleet and snow and fog and wind and…”

Me: [rattled enough to confront a guy who could have kicked my ass six ways to Sunday] “Shut the f**k up!!!”

Vato: “Oh, sorry man.”

And it was just as bad as he made it sound.  Worse now in my 15 year old memories of the event.

So today I bought an electric trailer brake controller for my Taco, which was remarkably easy to install. But that doesn’t lessen my dread.  I still have to get this trailer to Fort Irwin this week.

Nothing good can come from hauling a trailer. Just doom and calamity. Calamity and doom. This may be my final blog post.