We’re headed north over very heartland-of-America looking land. Plains in all directions, desiccated trees, faded grey interstates. Grasses sweep to the horizon and there’s not a cloud to be seen. I got one of the best oatmeal raison cookies I’ve ever had from a truck stop this morning and I’m rationing it carefully, leaving it on the dash to grow warm from the beating sun. 18-wheelers pass us here and there and I know the drivers recognize the finery I’ve got, leaning over and salivating before returning their eyes to the road.
Eep! We do have our environmental extremes while we’re traveling…
This morning was rough waking. My eyes didn’t want to open despite the insistent whining warble of some bird or another. I got up at 8am, obscenely in the AM for me, and stumbled around the tent, climbing out and stretching and never finding the full length of my spine. The ashes of the fire from last night were cold and grey and I felt unbalanced. Wind and dust threatened my stability as I made my way to the showers, praying that there was some hot water. Some people have coffee – I need a hot shower to feel functional in the morning. I was dreading it this morning because the last camp ground we stayed at had lukewarm, weak, dribbling sprays at best. Almost worse than just plain cold water – it’s that kind of shower that coaxes you in but never culminates in water warmer than your own body temperature and waits till you’ve already got the soap in your hair before diminishing in temperature and strength, becoming an icy trickle that steals your warmth for the whole day.
And who knew you could get “gatling gun side blasts” to clean your car. That’s just a ba ass car wash right there.
Last time we camped, it was in Carlsbad, NM – probably around this same time of year. It WAS beautiful – rabbits clustered around our tents in the morning and the sunrise was spectacular, but camping in Oklahoma was a whole lot warmer and that counts for a lot.
27 days. 2400 miles or so. Tonight we’re in Kansas City, but I don’t know if we’re crashing there or not. It’ll depend on whether or not we can find a place to stay. If we do well, we might even spring for another hotel, as it’s supposed to balance on the edge of the 30s tonight, a little too cold for camping in my opinion.
Driving, driving, driving.
