I'm In A Hurry...

I'm in a hurry and don't know why...

Anyone know that song? It's country. I use to listen to it while I drove Krys around and yelled at slow cars. Catchy.

Well, yesterday I got caught.

Anyone remember my telling a story of a particular drive down to see Shelly in Santa Barbara? It was about midnight and I was trying to stay awake. I had the windows down and the music blaring (the COPS theme song of all things) and I sang along at the top of my lungs as I passed an officer at about 100mph. Fortunately he was on the phone or something and didn't notice me although it gave me a scare.

Now let's go back to yesterday. Horrible migraine day, but I drag myself out of bed at 11:30. Check out time is noon. I shower quickly and manage to get on the road only a few minutes after 12pm, but the migraine plagues me. I finally manage to get into my book on CD which is a Nicholas Sparks book called "The Guardian." It's about a lady who dates a guy who seems to be Mr. Perfect until she breaks up with him and he turns into a stalker. It's done wonders for my comfort level.

I'm mentally counting down the hours until I'll feel like it's a decent time to stop for the night. I'm thinking that it'll have to be a 3 hour day and I'll end this torture early. When it comes to the exit that I'd chosen for the end, I debate - and finally decide that I think I can make it another hour to Battle Mountain after all. I zip past the exit and continue on my way calculating that I should make it there in just under an hour. As the miles flew by, I realized that I would make it much earlier and began to feel excited that my misery would soon be over. FINALLY, I see the exit - in RECORD TIME! I look in the review mirror as I signal and begin down the ramp and see lights flashing in the distance. 'Ambulance' is my first thought as this is the exit for the hospital also. I debate if I should stay in the left lane or move to the right lane where it would have more room to pass... except that the closer the lights get, the more I realize it's not an ambulance. Oh CRAP. Hopes are dashed when the vehicle does NOT move around me, but stays behind. This is awkward. I've never been pulled over before and I don't know where to go. Brilliantly I hover both lanes in indecision before making a right without my blinker. I slowly continue on with my new buddy behind while noticing that there isn't really room to pull over, but would he accept my continuing on a little farther? A look in my side mirror shows him calling me in over the radio. I pull over in what little room there is while frantically looking for the off button on the radio. Yeah, it took me a few seconds to figure it out, but fortunately I got the Christian music (the only station willing to come in) off before he strolled up the passenger side. License and registration. I hand him my license as he looks over the very packed vehicle and asks if I'm moving. Better that he said that then 'where's the place you just robbed?' I stated that I am moving and that my registration is buried in my glove compartment - I'd have to come around and unload the front seat to get to it. I'm sure that's something every officer wants to here. He asks if the car is registered under my name and since it is - he said he could look it up. I was told that I was clocked at 92mph where the zone is 75mph. I was a bit relieved that it was only 92... he handed me a ticket for $107.00 and said I can either come back for court (ha!) or mail it in. Then he wished me luck on my trip and left. Here is where I sit unsure if I should pull out first. Figuring I'd better try or risk him coming up to see what's wrong, I cautiously signal and pull out. Now I'm heading the wrong way, for the hotel is on the other side of I-80. So I make a right and head down a residential street as I see him make a U. I, in turn, make a U and come back to make a left and go over to my motel. Only as I'm making the left do I see him sitting there on the other side. Whether he's either still filling out a report or he's got his radar up again, I don't know. To my horror I look down and discover that I'm going 30mph while a quick look shows the speed limit at 25mph. I'd smack my head, but I have a migraine. Fortunately if he noticed he must've had pity and I slowly inch my way over to the motel.

Now I have to figure out how the heck I'm going to get a cashiers check to mail. I assume I have to find a bank for that. I also assume that I need to complete some kind of traffic school to get the point off my record. He only ticketed me for going 5 over, so I think I'm eligible. I just don't know about the whole CA license in NV thing. Shelly says 'call my boyfriend!' I'm chicken, so P - if you have this link, I'm myspacing you!

For those tracking my progress. I spent last night in Battle Mountain, NV. Now my newly acquired ticket and I have moved on, but that I'll save for tomorrow's post.