Our first hint of concern came when there were no men to help us load the mattress on our SRX. When we asked for some way to tie the mattress to the top of the car, we were given a huge roll of twine and a pair of scissors. Luckily, the 'Bungee Queen' (Paula) had made sure our longest bungee chords where in the car.
Todd and I worked to attach the mattress to the top of the car the best we could. We used all of the bungee cords and a bunch of the twine. When we stepped back to look at the package, we both laughed and said it looked like something out of the Beverly Hillbillies.
I plotted a course through Toledo that would keep us off of the freeways. We didn't trust the restraints in any kind of wind or at high speeds. All went well as we drove through streets in Toledo that we'd never travel at night.
My concern reached a high alert level as we drove toward the new I-280 bridge over the Maumee River. We wanted to take Route 2 to Bay Point and the only way to get there was that segment of I-280. Luckily, we were routed over the old bridge and the wind over the river was minimal.
We had some excitement when the wind picked up out of the south as we made our way ever so slowly down Route 2. Whenever the road wound around to the south, the mattress would lift up off the roof of the car. Todd thought this was a good time for me to get out and sit on the mattress to hold it down. I passed at his attempt to make me a replica of Granny in the rocking chair in the Beverly Hillbillies.
It took us more than an hour and a half to travel 46 miles, but we got to Bay Point without losing the mattress. After some tight maneuvering, we managed to get the mattress from the car, onto the boat (which is still on land), through the salon, down the stairs and through the lower hallway, into the master stateroom and onto the bed. It was a perfect fit! And comfortable...well, we are now wondering why we didn't do this a long time ago!
Of course, the trip had to be topped off with a reward of a mushroom cheeseburger, fries and cold beer at Terry's Tavern in Bayview before heading home.
Thursday, Todd and the electrician will finish their work installing the last of the electronics. The hull has been waxed and the bottom paint in on. Friday we will hit the water at 1PM...and I wish I could say we are on our way. We have 3 months of work ahead of us.
We are also keeping in close contact with the Great Loop Association on the Gulf Oil Spill. They are currently pulling boats in the Mobile Bay marinas and putting them on the 'hard'. Those that can't be pulled are being sent up the rivers to avoid the crude oil that is slowly working it's way toward land. We will know by August if we will be able to traverse the Gulf in November.
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