Starship to Ceres (Part II)

Donny Hicks had been planning a trip to the northwest United States for years. He had a new bright blue four door pickup truck, he had a slightly used fifth wheel RV trailer, and he had three weeks off from his job. His family was not especially happy about the trip, but no one could get the time off to chaperone the old man. He was looking forward to being alone. His wife of 50-plus-years had died the year before and he needed time to think and readjust to his new reality. The trip was planned to begin on the anniversary of the day he joined the Army in 1970, when he began his first new life, because it seemed appropriate.