2020 was quite a ride, eh? Between a rampant virus, raging fires, relentless politics, and heart-wrenching social distress, it was hard enough just taking each day at a time without losing focus. I was hard at work trying to remain hard at work, and everything being canceled prevented any significant progress with Matches outside the occasional start-up on jack stands. Fortunately, however, I still managed to fulfill my long-desired dream of relocating to Texas, and now we’re moving full-throttle in 2021.
Owing to the mass exodus out of California, moving equipment was hard to come by. U-Haul left me empty-handed on two separate occasions, and other rental and moving company rates were through the roof. Penske, on the other hand, was able to provide a 12-ft truck the same day I called - and, despite an equally high price, they didn’t increase the quote when I was forced into a 16-footer to haul a trailer, so I still saved a good $400 over the competition. Once loaded up, I finally set out with Matches en tow, then flew out a month later to drive back my beautiful new BMW X5 tow rig.
While the truck cabin was cramped, especially for a tall person and her 6’4 Houstonian brother who flew out to tag along, the entire move was a much needed reprieve after stumbling through the perverse fog that is California for so long. Gravity was (is…) often adrift in the Golden State, and, save for a small portion of the track community, I was always yearning to live and thrive among genuine people who know what they’ve got while they still got it. Out of the 39 states that I’ve been to, it was Texas that undoubtedly offered the most equal balance of “planet earth” and adventure, not to mention my brother and four of my dearest friends already lived there, so I couldn’t wait to call it home.
Speaking of different states, I was obviously nervous about leaving my every prized possession - especially my beloved STi - out in the open at night in unfamiliar places, so I turned to the Google machine. Searching the internet for moving truck security recommendations, I discovered the Abus Granit padlock, which even the Lock Picking Lawyer vouched for: false gates on the core discs hindered picking, the steel shackle was all but immune to bolt cutters and saws, and people and companies were leaving 5-star reviews everywhere - worldwide. When the padlock arrived, the weight and feel of its locking mechanism alone felt like some theft-deterring sorcery simply by holding it - as if I could flash it at thieves and they would screech and retreat back to their caves. Once I got hold of the Penske truck, too, the 7/16”-thick shackle fit perfectly (as in, ten-thousandths of an inch clearance) through the lift gate’s latches. I’m sorry I never thought to get a clear picture of it doing its job so well.
In regards to location, I had previously spent ample time researching hotels along the 10 freeway between SoCal and Houston that were about 10-12 hours of drive-time apart based on Google Maps, since my brother convinced me to not drive at night. (It was my first time driving a big truck and pulling a trailer. :P ) Finding positive reviews with specific mention of a “feeling of safety” and “moving trucks,” and actually calling and speaking with on-site staff over the phone, I booked at the Hampton Inn & Suites Tucson Marana in Arizona, and the Best Western Plus Fort Stockton Hotel in Texas. Both places felt secure and eased my paranoia upon arrival, too, and although the trailer/truck parking was off to the side and out of sight at Best Western, the office manager personally assured me that he, and their elaborate system of security cameras. would keep an eye on my trailer (STi) throughout the night. That in itself was worth writing home about aside from affordability for the level of quality and cleanliness.
I officially made it to Texas in November, X5 and all, and was more anxious than ever to drive and master every track in the Lone Star State. While I was still waiting for my intended residence to come available in Austin, I kicked it at my brother’s house in Houston for the rest of 2020, enjoying his and his friends’ company, and the company of my friends from Boston who also just moved there. (I once lived in Boston for six years.) Then, in mid-January, I [literally] got a new lease on life. Now, I am just miles from my new home-track, COTA, and Matches and I are on the up and up with new destinations that will bring us farther - and faster - than ever.
I will dearly miss the race tracks out there, though. …and the Sierras.
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Until next time…
Maintenance regularly; drive often.
All photos/videos by me, unless otherwise noted.
Life’s obstacles are more entertaining with a sports car.™
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