Pre-flight

So, for those of you who have been along for previous rides, as you can see it's time for the Bob & Bing road trip, again!  Yes, back to California (sometimes known as Sonoma, I think for the county famous for its wine, but who knows?), and the journey, over two weeks, from San Francisco to San Diego, via both bodies of water (there's a big one on our right, I hear) and deserts.  And mountains.  Big effin' state California.  Lots of stuff between no Cal and so Cal.

And Bernie.  Yes, we are lucky enough to be there for the final days of the campaign before the primary!  Feel the Bern!

But first we have to prepare.

You may recall the picture of what our daughter bought at the grocery store two years ago to survive our being gone.  Here's this year's picture.  I will give her credit, she bought some fruit.  On the other hand, she also bought more candy, a box of Little Debbies (I haven't had those in a long time, she said) and boxes of Taquitos and Pizza Bites.  Seriously?!?!?

I hope OUR food porn is FAR better than this.

Of course, for an 18-day trip there are packing questions.  How much can/should you pack? and what to plan on wearing -- even if much of the trip (AAA says 1824 miles, and that's the planned portion!) will be spent in the car?  Here's the JP Memorial Picture of a bag (avid readers may recall his for Scotland weighed, yes, 46 lbs (I saw the scale at JFK).  This one weighs 40.

But, in fairness, it's 18 days v. a week plus, AND it's two people's gear, not one.  But still -- the question is all that, it's WHO CARRIES IT?!?!!?  It does have wheels, of course (JP's didn't).

So, we are packed and going.  Here's the synopsis of the forthcoming itinerary:  7 airports (there'll be reviews), 6 hotels (ditto), one National Park Service "lodge", 4 restaurant reservations (and counting), 2 baseball games, and numerous renditions of the Road to Morocco.  Or the Road to Hong Kong.  Bob and Bing!  Bing bang bong!

Now, to finish a playlist.  Like in Scotland, I have to counter the playlist of one of my traveling companions.  But, unlike Scotland, where it was Butch and what my daughter (using Urban Dictionary) calls "Dad Rock" on the Left Coast it'll be avoiding show tunes!  Yikes!  Two years ago it was Michael practicing playing Christopher Walken in *Hairspray.*

And on that KMN notion, I return to preparations.  Manana all.