All Packed And Ready To Roll

Or we will be shortly. There’s still a few last minute things to do. It’s amazing how much more packing one must do for camping as opposed to flying or even driving somewhere and staying in a hotel. And there seems to be even more things to do when you are away for longer than a week or two. It’s different crossing the border than if we were staying in Canada because there are things we can’t take across like meat and fruit and some veggies — and wine. We end up doing a grocery shopping at the first available supermarket we come across. In WA state we can even get the wine there, but not cider. There is no English-style cider (what Americans call “hard” cider) down there that I can find. You’d think with all the fruit that’s grown there, there would be a big marketing program for cider but I guess they all prefer beer. Not me. Particularly that swill that passes for beer made by the big companies. Ick. I’d rather drink water from the tank in my van. However, the wine is pretty good. We make a game out of drinking the wine of the state that we’re in. Doesn’t work in Utah unfortunately because they have no wine (who lets Mormons run everything?) so we have to stock up on Idaho wine. Ste. Chapelle is pretty good and we even went to the winery last time we were there. I’d give you the website link but you have to be over 21 to get in! I am not joking. Just to get into the website you have to submit your birth date. Too weird. You can’t lie? Nobody under 21 is allowed to read the labels? You can drink cyber-wine? Huh? Don’t believe me? OK go here and check it out.

It’s hard for me to leave everything for three weeks. I’m a good traveler: I truly enjoy camping, like scenery and wildlife, don’t get carsick, can sit for long periods, can read maps, don’t mind being in a confined space, and can make elaborate dinners on 2 propane burners. But at the same time I’m a definite homebody. I have no desire to travel around the world in 80 or any number of days. I don’t like visiting churches and castles and art museums and tourist traps. I don’t need to experience foreign cultures — there’s enough of them right here. Guess I don’t have a real adventuresome soul. What I do like, for a little while at least, is having a different perspective. Looking at the world from a different angle. It just makes me appreciate what I have all the more! I also love the simplicity of life in a VW van. We’re small and the world is big. The only stresses are which road to take next, whether we need more gas or ice or groceries, and shall we camp here for one night or two. Oh yeah, I also like having T-Man all to myself without having to share him with work or chores or computers. We spend almost the whole time (except in the bathroom or shower) together when we’re on holiday. He can’t even go fishing on this trip because he doesn’t have a license! That might drive some couples nuts, but we love it.

Guess I’d better get to work or we won’t be ready to leave tomorrow morning, huh? Red rocks, here we come! That there's Capitol Reef which will be the farthest south-east we hope to get. Purdy, ain't it? I'm a huge fan of pink/red/orange rocks.