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Taking back our garage, then off to the desert
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Anonymous user Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments Cheryl and I are getting pretty well settled into our house after the move this summer. We’ve acquired way too much “shtuff” living in the same old house for 26 years. We gave some of that “shtuff” to charity, family and friends who wanted it, and a portion now resides at the Bena landfill. The rest still occupies our garage, much like the formerSoviet Unionoccupied countries behind the Iron Curtain. We’ve been working on further “shtuff” reductions and now my Honda as well as Cheryl’s Polaris have a spot in the garage. Our next goal is to make room for Cheryl’s Impala to fit in without having to drive over camping gear or boxes of children’s books. Having saved up home improvement store gift cards from my birthday, I recently spent my loot on some storage cabinets for the garage. Many of these types of cabinets used to be made out of a wood-based product called particle board. Over the last few years this material has morphed into what is now commonly referred to as engineered wood. Engineered wood is essentially compressed sawdust, wood chips and other items that make it heavier than a slab of concrete. I swear the five boxes of my storage cabinets weighed as much as several 100-foot-tall pine trees. The veins in my neck were bulging as I strained to unload the forest of trees compressed into the boxes in the bed of my truck. We spent several hours assembling them, with the end result being they look nice and appear to be functional in our trek to “take back” our garage. We’ve also designed and built some of our own storage solutions with 2-x-4s and engineered wood that make use of the area of the roof rafters. We’re excited to begin to liberate the garage from the occupation. It looks like we’re headed to the desert for New Year's. I realize that much of the joy of off-roading comes in different forms to different people. Although I can have an ecstatic experience while camping and riding my dirt bike with family and friends, I also gain a lot of joy from the planning of the trip –– the anticipation of getting away and all that goes with it. Checking the weather reports, loading our gear, checking our off-road equipment, and coordinating with fellow campers is all part of the fun. As I write this issue’s column, there are reports of two separate storm systems heading our way and due in our location while we plan on camping in the desert. Camping and riding in the desert in the winter can be a bit of a gamble. Sometimes rain storms that pass through Bakersfield stop right at theSierra Nevada, leaving our campsite unscathed. So an off-roader like me struggles with the potential inconvenience of exposing family and friends to winter weather anomalies, balanced against the possibility of “primo” riding conditions that aren’t at all like Bakersfield. But sometimes it’s worse. It looks like this trip is a go: T-minus 24 hours to lift-off. Another fun part of off-roading and camping is the rehashing of the whole experience through stories and pictures. Many times, visitors to our family business will inquire about some of the many snapshots that adorn our office. “What a beautiful spot, where is this picture taken?” or “How far away from Bakersfield is this spot?” are common questions. I propose this toast for the New Year to you and your family: Here’s to a New Year and another chance for us to do it right. Happy Trails! E-mail Dick at rdtusmc@msn.com

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