Well, I just arrived back from Arizona Fine Art Expo, about 4 weeks later than planned. I left January 3rd, expecting to be back the last week of March, but it was a longer trip than normal. Soon into the show, everyone realized we probably started a week early in the tourist season in Scottsdale. So, after consulting the artists, show management decided to extend the show one week. No problem, already setup and space on the Ranch next door paid up.
So you can imagine, being away from my little boy an extra week, I was really ready to get back home at the end of the show. Broke down on Monday and got up at ~4:40am on Tuesday, helped my friend John take another load to his storage, loaded-out to my trailer, then left the show about 1:40p on Tuesday afternoon, hoping to get down the road far enough to drive the rest of the way on Wednesday.
About an hour in, my ‘crazy’ GPS was telling me I-10 was shut down and I needed to re-route back up North of Phoenix. Silly GPS I thought, It will clear and I’ll be on my way. Well, in 6-7 hours I listened to an entire audio book but only moved a couple of miles. 🙁 Finally got back on the Interstate and started driving around 8:30 pm. I recognized I was tired but my trailer was packed and all the hotels were full cause of the shut-down. So pulled over for Diesel and DEF – always so careful to take care and do proper maintenance on my baby.. Less than a quarter mile down the road, it became apparent, in my exhaustion, I had made a mistake. So I spent the night in about 40 degrees alongside of I-10 and a group gathered around me through the night. The motor-home behind me got roadside assistance in the morning, but I had to be towed 90-miles back to Tuscon. Had enough clarity, despite lack of sleep, to pay to have my trailer towed back to Loves. Then I was stranded in Tuscon for 16 days waiting for the fuel system to be replaced.
I picked up my truck last Thursday night and made it to Abilene in time for my Dad’s memorial on Sat & Mon then back to Austin, about 4 weeks later than initially planed. So In addition to repair costs, lodging etc. I’m also behind on work etc. since my Wacom Mobil Studio Pro tablet burned up on me a few days before Expo ended, have only had my cell phone to work on.
Thanks to the friends and family who ‘had my back’ and helped me get back home! 🙂