Departure

 When we last spoke Dave and I had just moved things into the "new" house.    The unpacking continued until every last box was emptied and  broken down and taken to the recycling center.   Phew, who knew it would take so many trips!

last load

Dave finished the few painting jobs I gave him and we got the bedroom settled, with Lew's help.   Putting the bed together is a puzzle best worked with friends.    I found a "sense of place" shower curtain for the master bedroom and Dave hung it after the paint dried.

We never did stay a night there, but we entertained (I use that term very loosely) friends with Sonoran Hot dogs for Dave's birthday, took advantage of the large grooming table to make Lewis more comfortable in the coming heat, and enjoyed quite a few happy hours out back.

don't you love his "man bun"

 After getting the thermostat settled on vacation mode, setting up slow drip buckets at each tree, checking all the door and window locks and unplugging various electric/tronic devices, and enjoying one more lunch with Steve and MonaLiza at Nichols West, we left Wickenburg for our four month (ish) road trip.  

 While we were filling those buckets in the back yard, a tiny bird fluttered up Dave's pant leg and t-shirt and landed in his outstretched hand.    It was begging and flapping and doing everything in it's power to elicit sympathy.

When I came over to look, it fluttered out of his hand to the ground and began to work me.   It followed me all over, pecking at my toes and tripping me.    I tried to lead it to some leafy shade so it could rest and wait for mama (who was calling and flying overhead) to swoop in, but it had decided that I was IT.    

When I tried to get into the house it abandoned it's ground antics and flew up my front to land on my shoulder to peck my hair and peep directly in my ear "don't you see me????? don't you hear me?????

Finally Dave came to the rescue and took the little guy off me and placed it in a nearby tree where mama was waiting.    We both hightailed it into the house....I hope the family was reunited and that mama was good enough.

I think we left in the nick of time as a dangerous heat wave was descending on the west.    Our first night on the road (last night) was at the very nice Elks Lodge RV park in Boulder City, NV.   The temperature was 111 degrees and we just couldn't get Beluga cooled down to a comfortable level.    Ugh!   Poor Lew burned his little feetsies on the blacktop trying to get to the stones to "get busy".   We showered, turned in early and hoped today would bring cooler temperatures as we moved north.    (I have no idea what is happening to the size and font type - things just changed as I was typing....gremlins?)

Today we decided to access I-15 north by driving through Lake Mead National Recreation Area instead of driving through the middle of Las Vegas.    It was a spectacular ride, as always.

We were happy campers as we passed the multi colored rock formations with views of the lake in the distance.

It's so good to be back on the road again.    Tonight we're in Cedar City, Utah and the weather is slightly cooler (99), a real relief.    Beluga is keeping us all comfortable tonight.    We'll be here for 4 nights to do some long overdue exploring and then head off to visit old friends in Salt Lake City.