My dad always uses that phrase "Trauma Drama". It usually means that someone is making more out of something than needs to be made out of it. Today we had some Trauma Drama. Annie and I arrived safe and sound in San Jose, my dad picked us up at the airport. I put Annie in the car with dad and waited for our luggage. Our GoalZero solar panels were packed into a box, that's one bag. Annies bag came out, that's two bags. My street clothes bag arrived, that's three bags. Waiting Waiting.... No 4th bag. And of all things, no bag containing every single thing I packed for the running portion of the trip. My Garmin, my Flip Video Camera, my digital camera, my SPOT satellite messenger tracker thingee, two pairs of running shoes, two Nathan packs and a hand bottle, two headlamps, warm hats, visors, gloves, tops, shorts, capris, tights, vests, socks, sorts bras. Not to mention my GoLite sleeping bag that fits in my running pack AND my Justins Nut butter, my Love Grown Granola (two bags of Cocoa Goodness mind you), an entire tub of grape EFS, 4 bottles of liquid shot, my MultiV, and all my emergency gear like water purification tables, space blankets, blister repair, bandaids. Whew, yea, it was all in there.

I called 4 times today to see what the situation was, and all four people have ideas where my bag MIGHT be, but nobody knows where it is at all. So, I waited.

There may or may have not been some trauma drama. I got a headache. My tummy was a bit upset too.

Then I called Troy and asked, "What am I going to do?" He said "Go buy what you need for your trip from REI, if your bag arrives you can take back the stuff to REI and if it doesn't you've got what you need". BTW my husband never spends money, he asks permission to buy razors...he actually puts money in the budget for razors (which explains why my legs are always a bit too hairy for a chick...I forget to put razors in the budget). My mom and dad agreed, just go get what you need, and they offered to help out.

I hopped in my moms mini cooper and headed to REI. My mom hopped in my dads Xterra and headed to Best Buy. She procured a new Flip video camera and a new SPOT satellite messenger. I procured a jacket, some capris, some Brooks Cascadia shoes, 2 pairs of socks, 1 sportsbra, a headlamp, a Nathan pack , a Nathan hand bottle and some second rate nutrition products that will just have to work because I have no other choice. I spent $545. Ouch!

But you know, on a day where Ali'i drive is under several feet of water from the tsunami, Japan has lost so many lives, and my dear friend Ben's mother passed away, I feel so incredibly lucky. I have the best support system in Troy and my parents who literally jump to solve problems, even if it costs money.

This day has been a major wake up call in so many ways. Not only am I extreemly thankful for the things I get to do, and for the people in my life, but today I was also reminded that you can do with less. I'm now taking 20% of what I intended to bring.

I wanted this adventure to be a time where I could reflect, and gain perspective. I wasn't quite prepared for that to happen the minute I stepped off the plane, but that's how it goes when you put intentions out in the world, sometimes they come whipping back at you.

Tomorrow we are headed out. I run Sunday from Mattole to Shelter Cove. Then on Monday I run from Shelter Cove to Usal. The new Spot is up and running and my bleeps should start Sunday morning. Here is where you go to see the bleeps from my Spot.

UPDATE: 10PM and I have my bag! Southwest called about 30 minutes ago and said that my bag "arrived". They had no clue where it had been. Maybe off on a hiatus to teach me a lesson. Who knows. They gave me a $50 travel voucher for coming to pick it up, to which I said...HECK Yea! Woot! Game on!