Packing

Heading out to California soon, and I'm 99% packed.  My son sent me a list of things he wanted me to deliver to him, as his internship has been extended three months.  Warmer clothes, you might think?  Well, yes, but that's the easy part.  Among the things he asked for were these:  ski boots, cross-country ski boots, ski helmet, snowshoes, and tennis racket.  These are not lightweight foldable items, people!  I'm amazed (and grateful) that he did not ask me to bring his skis along with me.

So I packed all these things and more in a very large suitcase and zipped it all up.  Then I got out my little bathroom scale and weighed myself.  (Not tellin'.)  Then I picked up the very large suitcase and got back on the scale.  Did the math . . . and the suitcase is either 49 1/2 pounds (Yay!) or 50 1/2 pounds (Boo!).  Those of you who fly know that 50 pounds is the magic number before you have to pay more money to check a bag.  I am prepared to remove something from the suitcase at the airport check-in and stow it in my carry-on if necessary.

Oh, but there's no room in the carry-on!  I packed clothes and shoes for twelve days in one carry-on suitcase!  And if you're thinking that packing summer clothes is easy, let me tell you that the temperature range for the places on our road trip is something like 101 degrees to 42 degrees.  Layers.  And the layers take up some space.

I will also have a backpack, so whatever I remove from the big suitcase will either fit into the backpack . . . or it will fit on my back.  So what if the plane is hot.  I can wear two layers of fleece, right?

It will all work out.  And we will have lots of room in the Baja as we travel the mountains, forests and coastlines of California.  If I need to buy another layer on the road, so be it.  I will have lots of room in the suitcases for the return trip, as I will not be returning with ski boots or helmets or snowshoes.  Room for souvenirs?  You bet!  (Although I don't know how many bottles of Napa Valley wine I will be allowed to pack.)  Well, the best souvenirs will be the pictures, the journal, and the memories of a California road trip with my favorite son.

All packed!  And loving it!