Looking ahead

Today's the beginning of our last full week here in Idaho this year.  We're starting our semi-annual countdown phase now.  We have a mere nine full days left before pulling out on to I-15 for the 800-mile journey south.  Halloween is our last full day--how appropriate, eh?  Trick or Treat!  That's sure going to be a busy day what with turning off the utilities, blowing pipes and all the rest of the ritual.  Each of the upcoming days is pretty well going to be packed with a seemingly endless array of tasks and chores far too small to mention.  From past experience we know the "daze" ahead will go by in a high speed blur.  It seems to be one of the fundamental laws of migrating that the days go faster the closer you get to departure.  Luckily this year, we are way ahead of our game and have hope that this week will not be too wildly hyper.  Cross our fingers.

The weather looks great for travel the first week of November--relatively warm and probably dry.  Snowfall looks highly unlikely at this time. No worries there.  Temps in Rimrock should be in the 60's and no higher than the 70's when we arrive--typical blissful fall Arizona weather.  Overnight lows have been in the 30's there already and those conditions are forecast to continue in early November.

We're toying with the idea to depart from our normal I-15 travel route at Nephi so we can take the two-lane highways down through Salina, Richfield and Big Rock Candy Mountain to Marysvale the first night.  We ought to be able to get that far.  Under this possible plan, we would stay in a Marysvale RV park for two nights. On Wednesday, we'd take SuziQ up into the Tushar Mountains on some sweet old mining roads.  That neck of the woods is considered by many to be ATV Heaven and many of the ATV trails are actually suitable for and shared with vehicles such as the Samurai.  In this scenario, we'd probably arrive in Rimrock rather late on Thursday afternoon. We definitely need to arrive no later than Friday so we can use a work week day to tidy up loose ends.

Saturday we're heading over to Cottonwood for Bob Rothrock's 60th birthday party.  (Bob's heading this group now.) Anyway, our first couple of days in Ol' Airy Zonie are going to be pretty hectic.  Hopefully, we can get at least one ceremonial camp fire up and flickering prior to Saturday night.  Things should settle down the following week.  Kate Blevin's birthday bash will be a biggie on 11-11-11.  She and her husband Brock helped Spudboater and we celebrate the famous 7-7-7 party out at Bowery Guard Station.  We expect the 11-11-11 event to be at least as memorable.

By mid-November, we will be down in Mesa so Susun can fly out on the 19th for a long overdue session of hugging and playing with her grandsons.  Mom Sarah sent the photo at the top of this post yesterday.  Gage and Van are feeding a young goat at one of those Pumpkin-themed events so popular with the kiddies.  Susun sure misses them!

Before we know it, November will be over.  That's what generally happens this time of year--time flies faster than normal.

This morning looks perfect for a Sunday bicycle ride.  We sure will miss this weekly ritual of pedaling 'round the Greenbelt.  The colors here now are magnificent.  Only a few trees have started dropping leaves.  Driving back and forth through the tree-lined streets here is akin to a psychedelic journey through a kaleidoscope.

Have a great day & Many Cheers!  jp