I think that phrase is usually associated with clearing enemy territory and hence able to communicate with home base. To be clear, I do not feel that I have cleared enemy territory as our country (and to a lesser extent) other countries are suffering under fucking moron control (aided and abetted by our Senate and now our Supreme Court). See? I have just been stewing in an undocumented manner. It helps when I document (blog out) my stew; sorry dear readers.
My splenetic (new word for me! very useful) trigger was this humorous article in Slate today:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/08/paul-ryan-moving-back-dc-beltway.html?via=homepage_taps_top
I used to despise Paul Ryan with the heat of two Suns, until that was eclipsed by the degree to which I despise Mitch McConnell (estimated at 18000 degrees Kelvin, about 3 Suns). I can be close minded, stubborn, knee-jerk, splenetic, and inconsistent BUT, I cannot compete with the diamond-studded-platinum-award-winning level of hypocrisy and venality displayed by these two. One must be dangerously naive and/or stupid and/or blindly partisan to stomach either one. Just saying.
Wow, are you still there? Here's an update on the towing experiment:
Maiden voyage with Little Guy (LG) launched August 8th with plans to find a "walk in" campsite on the coast near Florence and stay two nights (mild temps allowed me to be OK with no A/C hookup capability). Of course I needed my boyfriend's assistance (hitching, driving, parking, unhitching; repeat in reverse). In short, I can likely tow and park in a pull-thru site by myself, but cannot at this point imagine ever hitching and unhitching and backing into a site. So, my skills are at the level I mastered with prior van-based RVs. Progress? You be the judge. We had a great trip and the only mishap occurred within the first 5 min. of me taking the wheel in Newport to drive home. I cut the corner too closely (I have always prided myself on NEVER executing a "farmer's turn" like some hayseed) and one trailer wheel mounted and dismounted the curb.
There was a lasting consequence which I did not discover until the weekend when I was prepping LG for her next outing. The unique and definitely too sensitive bed support system spontaneously opened at an angle when I tipped her over a curb. I have been working to get it back in operating condition but have not yet fully (i.e.actually) managed it. It may require service by Kiefer, an exorcism, or both.
Oh, there was one other little oopsie: on day two both of us blithely drove off in the tow vehicle for a long jaunt and returned near dark to find LG (ready for any one with a compatible ball mount to drag her off) still there! I had joked when we realized our gaffe (failure to lock the tow ball) on our return drive that it would OK if LG was stolen. I have excellent replacement insurance for a short while after purchase and I could recoup nearly full cost, sell my gas hog tow vehicle, and purchase a Prius or similar high mileage vehicle. I am considering taking that lock of NOW. It is possible towing will never be a good fit for me. I began this experiment AS an experiment. As all data driven researchers know: unless you can fit reality into your theory, the theory needs revision or banishment to the land of theories entirely without merit.