This is Todd Borgie. We made it!
Today we drove the home stretch from
Elko, Nevada to our homes in
Los Gatos, California!
The home stretch!
I woke up early, with the excitement of getting home. Ending the long days of driving, sleeping in the same bed more than once before heading to a new destination. As I left the warm hotel, the cold air bit me. With much apprehension I performed routine maintenance for the last time (on this trip anyway), and then tried to turn over Hercules. As of late we’ve had more and more trouble starting, this truck. At this point it seems like a starter solenoid problem. We haven’t given it much attention though for a couple reasons. It’s easier to push start the Rover and fix it when we arrive home and we’re operating on a seriously reduced tool set since our tools were stolen. I crossed my fingers and turned the key. The starter turned, and I managed to get it going. I kept it idling until it was nice and warm, by which time the rest of the team had trickled out. We all loaded in and began this days adventure.
We could tell we were in the West as the air was warm and dry by mid-day. It was nice to drive through the dessert on a Sunny day especially after the previous cold days. Once we hit Reno we stopped at Circus Circus for lunch. It was a surreal experience thinking about all the stuff and people we had seen and now comparing it to “life” at Circus Circus. The bright lights, the gambling and the facades; It seemed weird to be back. Would the days ahead give me a similar numbing feeling? All the food, the people, the waste and Decadence.
The remainder of the trip was a downhill ride from Donner Pass; we were accelerating home. Both the Rovers and the team wanted to be home. The Rovers, heading towards the sea and sea level were running great. For once in the trip we were going real car speeds as opposed to the Land Rover lumber.
As we a rounded corner on 680 and entered Dublin California, Jeff spotted a familiar landmark at an upcoming freeway exit. Without asking the group for their opinion on the matter, he made the decision that In-and-Out Burger was in order. We stopped and ate and it was better than good. It’s funny how food was so important through out the expedition. Many places were punctuated by mealtime and we could always remember where and what we ate.
Finally, with less than fifty miles to home, I conceded the wheel to Nick. He didn't want to accept it at first, as I had driven the last 3000 miles, he figured I deserved the final lap. However, I knew when credit was due. Without Nick none of this would have been possible. His dream became our reality.
We cruised from down the 880 and closer to Los Gatos. Nick was alive his faced flushed and animated! It was the best I had seen him since we had left London. His eyes were as wide as his smile. We were soon on highway 17 and only a few miles from Los Gatos. Although Hercules had been in the lead most of the way, Alaska sped ahead and passed the younger Rover. The Saratoga/Highway 9 turn off looked better than I had seen it before. They’d repaved the off ramp and had done some brush clearing. For that matter, everything looked better. Nick accelerated into the off ramp, and Alaska seemed to grin back. Although it was late, we did a victory lap around the city center and waved to people as we passed by. One guy on the street corner caught my attention and I slid my window open to greet him. I said, "We just drove around the world" but he just waved and gave us an odd look and hurried away. We were soon pulling up in front of the Baggarly's residence. We were in one piece and we had JUST DRIVEN AROUND THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!
The neighbors came out to greet us with beers and questions. We had done it! There are a few pictues taken the day after our return. I happen to like them more than most of the pics we took because the vehicles look tired. In fact they look real tired. Nick says they'd make the journey again, no problem. I'm not sure about that but somehow I know they'll be back out there in a couple years, traveling in far off places, taking us to who knows where.
Stacks of mail, 95% of it being the junk variety, a coat of dust, a familiar place, with familiar people, and no motion under our feet. Had we even been away????
