September

We are coming home. We will be home Sunday, July 24 after traveling over 1700 miles and 5 States in 5 days. Our caretaker, and my friend Maria, was in a bad car accident a few days ago. She is now recovering from what could have been a fatality. We are also a bit homesick so homeward bound we are.

We have had a wonderful 10 months of fun filled days. This is not the last of our adventures. We expect to continue where we left off next summer. 3rd’s a charm for Capital Reef National Park, Glacier National Park, Badlands, Mount Rushmore and more. Until then…

As you slowly wake from a dream you will never remember, something seems strange and out of sorts to you. And as your eyes open, eventually focusing on the ceiling of your tent, you remember that you are not at home – rather you are sleeping next to your brother and the chill morning air is creeping down into your sleeping bag. You pull the bag tightly around your neck and look over at him. He’s crammed against the side of the tent and has worked his way down into the corner. Despite what looks like a very uncomfortable position, he is out like a light. So, you turn onto your back to look up through the mesh netting at the brilliant green trees that spread like a canopy above you. And as your mind clears away the fog of sleep, you suddenly realize it is Memorial Day.

Memorial Day.

It’s a day that gives you mixed feelings. In one way, it is the best of feelings. Memorial Day, to you, means camping. Getting together with other family members and heading up into the mountains. Three days of freedom and school-end just around the corner.

But Memorial Day also means that the fun is over.

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Well, kind of. We are still in Auburn at an RV Park until Sunday. So far we have forgotten Caleb’s pillow, Pippin’s Heart worm pills, the Dewalt battery charger and a few other miscellaneous things that Caleb will retrieve tomorrow from the house.

Pippin is settling in nicely. He thinks the captain’s chair is his new perch.

Pippin's new perch.

Pippin’s new perch.

We spent the last couple of days at the Nevada County Fairgrounds testing various things for the Itch On (or I/O), including our internet connections. Looks like the fairgrounds has a better connection then what I can get from home. I have to say, it’s a green light for both the wireless hot spot and the wifi. We didn’t even need the wifi boost at the fairgrounds because their speeds were already so fast. Had video meetings for most of the day yesterday without even a small glitch. The only thing my co-workers noticed was the wind through the open windows interfering with the microphone on my headset.

Temperatures dipped below 50° so we even kicked on the furnace this morning for about an hour. Just to test that as well. So far, the only thing not working is the Blu-Ray player.

All that’s left is – packing up the I/O and hitting the road!