On Our Way

We are leaving Las Vegas, heading towards California. We reached Yermo, CA when we were stopped for a Gypsy Moth inspection. Our inspector instructed us to pull up to the designated area and kill the engine. Armed with a flashlight and a creeper, so he could lay and roll under our vehicle, the inspection began promptly. He went to work, starting on the RV’s left front side, crept around the back, and up the right side.     When he popped his head out below my window I told him we have been on the road for over a month and I asked how long does it take for the cocoons to hatch? He stopped, looked at me for what seemed to be a full minute while still laying on the dolly, and said “it depends, now that it is getting warm”. I asked if this helps protect the California forest, he stayed straight faced and said “we don’t want em in California”. OK – no more questions.

Now it is time to search the inside of the RV, especially the refrigerator. He wanted to know where we got the produce, the red bell peppers in particular. I told him at Nellis AFB commissary. He saw a melon in the sink, stopped, looked at it for a minute, then he wanted to know where was the citrus? I told him I had no citrus. He hesitated, “really, no citrus?” He started opening the refrigerator drawers, saw the beer and cheese in one of them, and looked up at me. I said I did not buy the cheese at the AFB. He said “sure no citrus? You have bananas”.  “Yes, I do have bananas”. “Hmmm” he said. Even after heavy interrogation, I did not give in. I have no citrus. Tommy kept an eye on the guy at all times while he was in the beer drawer thinking he might snatch a cold one. He finally seemed satisfied we had no citrus. I asked him if I could get his picture for the blog and he lightened up a bit.   I told him we never had an inspection like this before. He asked “ever been to California before?” “No” I said. His reply, “that’s why”. Wow this is a man of many words! I requested something in writing to show that we passed  this inspection. His name is M. Tracy. I said “Hey I would be in trouble if we got married”. He just stared at me. I told him my name would be Tracy Tracy. Finally a smile.

He did not  inspect our tow car at all. How did he know that Hooptie wasn’t a Gypsy Moth Cocoon infested vehicle? I guess they only want the RV Gypsy Moths. LOL

About 45 minutes down the road I remembered… the LIME, Oh my God, I have a lime. I needed to take corrective action, I needed to make this right. But how? What now? It came to me in a flash. Tequila could wipe out a Gypsy Moth cocoon. Margaritas it is!