This is Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle.  There are some days when we may know where we are headed, but we have no idea the way we will get there…even if we think we do.  And thus, another Adventure Of A Lifetime begins again for us.  And for you too!

Take to the highway won’t you lend me your name
Your way and my way seem to be one and the same

Seems like we have done this before.  And I guess we have…about 3 other times to be exact.  But even though we keep going to the same destinations, there is always a different road to get there.  Some may not understand why we seem to be on a never-ending journey. But isn’t life a never ending journey too? At least we wish it to be.

Mama don’t understand it
She wants to know where I’ve been
I’d have to be some kind of natural born fool
To want to pass that way again
But you know I could feel it
On a country road

So this weekend, we headed out again, yes, back to that Florida place.

But this time, we choose another way.  Because as long as we are doing this, we might as well keep an open mind and open hearts.Not one of us has had anything work out exactly the way we wanted to.  But those things that don’t work out sometimes lead us to better places.

Like when I was taken to the shelter, it sure didn’t seem like a place I wanted to be. However, not only was I found, but my life was forever changed.  And look at where it led me.  And Deputy Digby Pancake too. Sometimes, when I contemplate that, and I do…this trip back to Florida seems to make all the sense in the world.  Because I know it will lead us somewhere great.  Me?  Optimistic?  Today I am.  I have to be the bark of reason around here.

As we left the coast of that California place, we stopped, and took a deep breath.Yes, we were getting further and further away from Sonoma.  And it made us want to cry at certain moments.  But we knew we had to do this, and so we looked at things that maybe we wouldn’t have had a chance to see if not for the trip back.

I guess my feet know where they want me to go
Walking on a country road

It took us a bit to get going, but once we started, and Girl Person got out her frustration on a box of chocolate covered raisins and a bag of potato chips, we looked outside.  Here we were, going down new roads.  We found ourselves driving through the “salad bowl of the world” near Salinas, California.

There was lettuce and artichokes and I guess salad, as far as the eye could see.

I found myself all of a sudden craving a Mutt Salad.

We knew that we had a four hour drive to our next camping spot in Sequoia National Park.  So we took it slow, enjoying the ride, except for me.  I am done with this. Pretty much done with this.  So as I took Girl Person’s front seat, which is actually my front seat while Girl Person sits on the floor, I tried to relax.  But we were passing a gas station, and after 3 hours of driving, Boy Person decided that maybe we should stop.  We still had an hour to go.  Which for us in the RV mean about one and a half, as slow as we go.  So we pulled over, Girl Person got us out to walk around, and Boy Person went to filling the Big Blue Treat Wagon with diesel.  We were gone a little bit, and as we neared the RV, Girl Person wondered where the river had come from in the middle of the dry, California mountains.  She then wondered why Boy Person was wet.  And then we saw it.  The gas hose on the ground.  Boy Person looking mad.  And everyone else around him, even at the popsicle stand, looking at him like he was crazy.  Because he was crazy.

I don’t know nothing ’bout the why or when
But I can tell that it’s bound to be
Because I could feel it, child, yeah
On a country road

When you seem to find yourself in the middle of the salad bowl of the world at a gas station near a popsicle stand and a grove full of oranges and fields full of lettuce, be careful.  Because apparently, that is when diesel fuel will explode all over you.  Boy Person told Girl Person that it was going to take a couple of hours to get a shower, clean himself up, throw away his clothes and both of their shoes sitting by the door.  So.  When you are in the salad bowl of the world, at a gas station near a popsicle stand and a grove full of oranges and fields full of lettuce with your Boy Person covered in diesel fuel and your two dogs hungry because they think dinner is late because of this stupid time change, you go in the store and you buy more potato chips and chocolate covered anything.  And this.  This was the start of a our trip back.  Seemed we could get there faster walking at this point.

Walk on down, walk on down, walk on down
Walk on down, walk on down a country road
La la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la la
Country road, oh, yeah
Walking on a country road

Did we make it to camp? We did.  Very late.  But no one has ever accused us of being on time.  And as we pulled in to our campsite in the dark, although we couldn’t see the trees yet, we felt the fresh air, we heard the river, and we knew.  Everything was going to be ok.  In the end.  And we hope that the end is not anytime soon.

Will you join us today on our Facebook page as we explore the beautiful giant trees?  Let’s do this!  I packed a salad.

-Sheriff Peanut Butter Brickle

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