11 Nights that changed my life

The months leading up to November 2013 were very challenging. I had joined a local company to run their website but when the decision was made to cut costs, my job was eliminated. I've been doing website design since 1996 but with the endless commercials on radio and TV from "do it yourself" website services, jobs were getting more difficult to come by and personal finances were feeling it. I began falling behind on my rent...my landlord at the apartment we rented was wonderful and did all she could to accommodate us but had simply run out of time and options. So on November 19, 2013 we were evicted from our apartment. We had already got rid of most of our belongings in preparation for our RV journey so I put what few things we had left into storage.

For the first time in my life, I was now officially homeless...

With a 15 year old son and a 6 year old golden retriever I wasn't sure where to turn. I called friends in Idaho and while they were sorry and wanted to help there just wasn't room and with the dog made it even more difficult.
I was sitting in the parking lot of a local grocery it was raining, the temperature was around 38 degrees and falling fast. With no other options available I drove to a rest area just outside of town and this is where Ace and I would call home for the next 11 nights.
It dropped to around 20 degrees that first night. I would turn the engine on every few hours to heat up the interior just a little bit. I got up around 6:00 AM, took Ace out and fed him. Each morning I would drive back into town to a local coffee shop where I would get a cup of coffee and log on the their Wi-Fi to check my email and do what work I needed to do. Then it was long days in parking lots and truck stops trying to come up with a solution to my problem. 

This would be our routine for the next 10 days.

Each afternoon I would return to the rest area where several nights it dropped to 16 degrees. I contacted my son's mother and explained the situation to her and asked if Nick could stay with her while I tried to figure out what to do. She thankfully agreed to.
On the 11th night my life long friend in New Mexico and his wife invited me to come to their place for as long as I needed and I could work with them at their small business. I was torn because I didn't want to leave Nick but had little choice. I called Nick and told him I would be by in a little bit to talk to him. When I pulled in front of their house, Nick was sitting in the garage crying. As soon I opened my door he came running and gave me a huge bear hug. We spent the next 30 minutes standing in the driveway holding each other and crying. I told him to call me as often as he wanted to for anything or nothing at all. I told him I loved him and said goodbye.
I then headed to a friend's house that was letting me stay the night so I could shower, have dinner and get a good night's sleep before our 1,000 mile drive to NM. We enjoyed a great dinner and great conversations late into the evening. The next morning we enjoyed some coffee, talked some more and he gave me a "care package" with snacks for the road that his wife had put together. We said goodbye and Ace and I were off on our 1,000 trip to NM.

Listening to the radio and they were forecasting a major snow storm coming through the region. I was literally trying to outrun the storm. I arrived in Salt Lake City around rush hour, the snow was falling and they were calling for heavy snow continuing in the area. I had to keep going or risk getting stuck in frigid conditions. The roads were dark and wet, the snow continued to fall. I would stop every few hours for gas and to let Ace out. When I arrived in Moab, Utah I thought about sleeping for a while but the storm was still at my heals so I pressed on. I remember about 4:00 AM coming over a hill and seeing the lights of Albuquerque below. My friend wasn't expecting me until later in the afternoon so I called him and told him I would be at his house in about 20 minutes. I arrived at 4:30 AM shortly thereafter the storm I was trying to outrun arrived in NM.

My friend and his wife invited Ace and I into their home and have treated Ace like their own pet.
Having grown up in Albuquerque it's been great seeing all the places we went as kids and the house I grew up in.

During my time in NM I was able to land several website design jobs and without any expenses like rent, utilities etc. I was able to get enough saved to go back to Idaho to visit Nick for the summer. I say visit because I still wasn't sure what I was going to do when I got back. 

So, on July 21st 2014 Ace and I headed back to Idaho

This is not the path I would have chosen but in a way it has been a blessing in disguise. I've learned more about myself, my friends and total strangers. I've learned what I can live with and more importantly what I can live without. That the loyalty of a dog knows no boundaries and that distance and time away from loved ones really does make the heart stronger.

Thanks so much to all those that have been there for Nick, Ace and I.
God Bless

Nick and Dan