Home and transportation all in one, at least for a few days

Sorry I havn't written in a few days. I havn't been able to think of any good topics. I will need to fix this to keep this blog thing going more than two weeks. :D But, of course, new experiences will always "fuel the fire".

Another thing I love about lighthousing is the way that you "move in" to your car. We do most of our lighthousing in a Coniston Green 1994 Land Rover Discovery, which we have owned since new (it was actually one of the very first Discos imported into the US). I love this car. It's been on three large-scale lighthouse trips with us (CT/RI/Buzzards Bay in August '03, Lake Ontario in April '04, and Massacusetts in November '04), numerous other lights, and countless non-lighthouse places.

When we take it lighthousing, we invade it with stuff. Backpacks, camera bags, outer layers, binders, books, and laptops create a solid filling for the rear footwell and seat. When my brother comes along, he has trouble finding someplace to sit. In front, I have my inverter, camera, miscellaneous junk, books and maps (when I'm using them). The trunk is usually occupied by a cooler, several duffel bags, an emergency kit, and excess clothing.

When I get out of the car, I have to open the door a crack, slide out, and then slam it. We try not to open the rear doors, lest we have an avalanche. About halfway through the trip, I usually get so claustrophobic that I have to go on a Martha Stewart mission. Do not worry, this does not involve calls from stock brokers.

But I love the clutter. There's something about being ensconced in all this stuff...it's so cozy, and somehow, it feels organized. I know my atlas is over there, my Kochel is over here, and who knows where my pencil is (always losing that...usually under the seat).

When we get home, and unpack the car, I sit in it and it feels empty. I didn't know it was this big! There's just big expanses of...tan. Tan everywhere. No maps. No books. No pencils flying about. Just empty. This depresses me, as it signifies the end of the trip.

So, there's another one of my favorite things about lighthousing. I'll have to think of more in gym class. That's where I do my best thinking, as I just stand there doing nothing for 40 minutes. (I'm an intelectuall. You can either be academic or athletic. Not both. I need to contract some rare Amazonian disease to get out of gym....Mulugu Fever sounds good.)