The deed is done, in a big hole

Yesterday Alison and I got the final part of the divorce paperwork handled, the quit claim deeds that move the property around from a title standpoint.  I had already assumed the mortgage months ago, late last year I think.   The quit claim deeds were simple one page documents that just had to be notarized and witnessed by two people.  I filed the one for the house later in the afternoon at the clerks office next door.  The copies for the horrible investment chunks of land in Lee County went out in the mail today.  At least filing the paperwork is cheap, something like 11 bucks each.

It feels good to have it finally done, the process went on much longer than I expected or hoped for.  I am looking forward to moving ahead in life without the divorce looming over me like a gray cloud.  It has been an emotionally difficult journey on many levels.

I still will need to change some other stuff like life insurance, medical insurance, etc.. so if I kick the bucket anytime soon she still would be the lucky benefactor.

I have been trying to get things lined up to be able to do another roadtrip and an ambitious one at that, the Grand Canyon.  I have a total of 11 days to get out there, hike it and get back.  Cindy is going to be going as well.  I couldn’t afford to do this trip without someone to split the costs with.

I already warned her that a long road trip can be a true trial by fire when it comes to spending time with someone.  Little annoyances can become magnified 10 times over when you are in a confined space with another person for 100 hours or more.  We will either emerge from the trip feeling better about our compatibility or be ready to kill each other.

Regardless of that, the trip should be awesome overall.  I have only been to the Grand Canyon as a kid during a western road trip with my dad.  I hiked down only part of the way and recall feeling like I was near death by the time I got back up to the South Rim.  This time around the goal is loftier,  from the South Rim all the way down to the Colorado River and back up in the span of a day.  The National Parks website officially advises against this due to it’s difficulty.  Sounds like a good reason to do it.

During the various western road trips Ali and I took, the Grand Canyon was never a consideration because of traveling with the dogs.  Since this will be a canine free trip those limitations are lifted.

I have planned a not exactly direct route which will hit New Orleans, the flat plains of Kansas, and the mountains in Colorado on our way to the canyon.  Unfortunately there are a lot of miles to gobble up which is going to require a LOT of long driving days.  We will try to split the driving duties close to down the middle to make it less painful for both of us.

Then there is the party van, which has already taken me all over the country multiple times.  I have some concerns about calling on it once again to take me cross country, after all it is at this point 17 years old.  I suppose I will just cross my fingers and roll the dice that mechanical issues will not be one of the memories from the trip.

By this time next week I should already be on the road, well up into northern Florida with a day one stopping point of New Orleans.  Adventure awaits.