Playing Catch-Up

 I was reminded recently that we haven't added to our blog in a while... just goes to show you how busy you can get on the road.

For the last couple of weeks (well, 10 days really), we've been hanging out in our favorite campground just N of Des Moines... Jester County Park.  Gorgeous, very well kept park, and it's only $20/night with electric included.  Very lush and heavily wooded, it's crawling with critters, mostly trash pandas, but lots of bunnies and other assorted creatures.  And flies.  And skeeters.  But that's another story.

One of the reasons why I wanted to embark on this journey stems from the fond memory from when I was a child and camped with my parents a LOT.  Like whole summers.  And I remember the social aspect... how other campers would be so friendly, congenial, and genuinely warm and social.

I wasn't wrong.

We have met a half dozen couples just here in Des Moines, some of which we have talked to for hours by the fire.  Great people, and I can't tell you how much I have missed just plain 'ole conversation and "hanging out."

We have made some changes to the trailer based on our getting more and more familiar with it, and what we really need (and don't need).  I even built a small bedside table for my CPAP, which turned out very nicely, thankyouverymuch.

Even though most nights it's been too hot to build a fire, we have occasionally done it anyway, just for the ambiance.

Tomorrow we're headed out bright and early to Utah... staying overnight in Sidney, NE (or whereever the mood hits us).  We'll be in Utah until Monday, when we head down to Las Vegas for a conference (for Tracy) for a week... sans animals.  And trailer.  We're really looking forward to a  hotel room for a week after camping for almost 2 months.  :)

Then, a week or so in Utah, and then who knows?  Most likely back to the East Coast, by way of the Badlands and the Northern route.  We'll see.  :)