I left Vancouver B.C. at approximately 8 P.M. Wednesday April 25, 2007 - many last-minute details to take care of. I had to fuel my propane-powered camper, repair the turn signals, buy parts and supplies, and exchange $CDN for $US. I started the process at 4 P.M. - I finally got onto BC 99 south to Peace Arch border crossing (Blaine, WA) at 8 P.M.

Border Crossing
U.S. Customs and Immigration: Where are you going?
Marc Erickson: Southern California.
C&I: Why?
ME: Wedding.
C&I: How do you know the people?
ME: I’m the groom!
C&I: Why did you try to conceal that from me?
ME Stares blankly while thinking, “What the hell are you talking about?”
C&I: Where are you planning to live after?
ME: Canada.
C&I: Have you started the paperwork?
ME: No.
C&I: Why not?
ME Explains about our broke status, my lack of a job due to recent move from Edmonton, etc.
C&I admits ME!

I stop in Blaine for coffee - get free coffee as wedding gift from gas station attendant. Now on I-5 heading for Seattle.

I stop in Northern Seattle and call a limo company for location of a propane motor fuel station. $I $pay $3 $a $gallon! (Propane motor fuel in the Vancouver area is approximately $1.70 a gallon.)

I sleep on the side of road at an entrance to a WA state park. I encounter A.M. rush hour in Portland OR, but there isn’t much delay as I am early enough to miss the worst of it.

I get fuel in Wilsonville, OR and buy a new oil filter and fan belt. The fan belt installation stops the annoying squealing in town and air filter installation improves mileage from 10 MPG to 11-12 MPG. (A 350 V-8 uses lots of fuel!)

Fuel up in Roseburg, OR (U-Haul’s propane is much cheaper!), and buy spark plugs for the van. Fuel again in Medford, OR (U-Haul pricing here even more reasonable), and in Redding CA. It’s difficult to find propane motor fuel in Sacramento - I waste 3 hours looking and phoning Ellen (my fiance) for her research skills. I finally give up and start heading south in spite of fear of running out of fuel.

I find fuel at a Union 76 station about ½ way between Sacramento and Stockton. I fuel myself and get reprimanded by attendant, “We don’t fuel propane after dark,” (it’s now approximately 3 A.M.). Pay $3 a gallon AGAIN! and back on the road.

I’m too tired to drive again, so I pull off the road again and sleep 3-4 hours. Trucks thundering by wake me up, and once again back on road. I stop at the John “Chuck” Erreca rest stop (0.7 mi. N. of Fresno Co. line) to wash face, brush teeth, and regain a semblance of humanity. Pull out onto I-5 again, and travel another 17 miles before van dies - no power and won’t run. Back halfway up the mile 368 southbound on ramp and figure out problem is blown head gasket, which this $400 van has had since I bought it two weeks ago (hey, for $400 you’re lucky if it drives nicely, and it does). I leave Ellen’s cell phone number on the dash for the California Highway Patrol and figure out what I need to take with me for Saturday NOON nuptials. It’s now Friday 9 A.M. and I’m still four hours from the Los Angeles area if transport was immediately available. I collect my bags, wedding attire, and sunglasses. I use available materials to make a sign for hitchhiking. The sign reads:

BROKE DOWN
LA WEDDING
(Canadian maple leaf picture) TODAY! :-)

The wedding is Saturday, but I need to buy the marriage license today (Friday) - at least that’s the plan. I walk up to a mileage sign and start thumbing. I improve the sign with darker letters during gaps in traffic.

Forty-five minutes later, Leno from near Lewiston, Idaho, stops for me. He’s a talker and we discuss our families, funerals, and the state of the world in general. He’s visiting family and/or friends in Southern California that he left behind when he moved to Idaho for a better environment for his kids.

He drops me in Duarte, CA near the intersection of I-210 and I-605 at a Wal-Mart. Ellen is already on her way to pick me up, but her car is acting up again - she’s not there for an hour and a half. It’s too late to get the license - now we’re worried about making the 7:30 P.M. wedding rehearsal in Long Beach on time.

We are approximately an hour late and only that early due to driving the bridesmaids’ parents’ car from Ellen’s to pick up my groomswoman at her motel to North Long Beach Christian Church (the bridesmaids are Ellen’s neighbors.) The rehearsal goes well and the rest of the evening is uneventful.

Wedding report to follow!

[tags]wedding, wedding plan[/tags]