Way Cooler Than I Expected.

Traveling to the US Southwest in the summer is usually a recipe for discomfort. When we travel with the cat, we need to stay at places with an electrical hook up so we can run our air conditioning. This trip gave us a lucky break in the hot weather, however. It's been warm for us, but not too hot like we expected.

Breakfast burritos in the R-Pod.

I'm always stunned by the size of the turbine blades. Near Boise, ID.

Flag practice at Heyburn Riverside Park in Idaho.

Heyburn Riverside Park has an amazing trail along the Snake River.

No idea what they are, but they look divine.

Sunset in Idaho.

We were able to driveway surf with some old friends in Holladay, Utah. The last couple of times we've passed through here, they weren't home for visitors. We got to know them well when they lived in our town and Russ and I worked with B. We try to stay in touch and we see them when we can. Distance is a friendship killer if you let too much time go by, so we work hard to maintain our friendships, even as we move away from each other. I've been keeping in touch with more of my long-time, old friends this past year. I started doing it during the Covid pandemic, and discovered that I really missed staying in touch with people, so I've continued my efforts.

Driving. I rarely drive with the trailer attached, but this stretch is an easy one.

Driveway in Holladay, UT. Next to a church.

B always provides the best lattes.

My favorite stretch of road on the direct route to four-corners from Washington is the section from Price, UT to Moab, UT. The views open up, and the geology changes from yellow sandstone to red. The desert looked so green this year, and one reason why the temperature was cooler than we expected was the big clouds and storms that kicked up almost every afternoon. It made for some dramatic skies. I even got to see lightning, but was unable to get a picture of it! We had a quiet night in Moab that included dinner at one of our favorites, the Moab Brewery.

Wildflowers from the side window at high speed.

Dramatic sky and rain. These clouds developed lightning too.

Notice how green everything looks this year.

US-191 from Price, UT.

Rest area selfie. There was a high wind (why my hair is weird).

R-Pod alone in the trailer parking area.

Russ strides into the Moab Brewery with a growler ready to fill.

I have no clue. But this is the Moab Brewing icon.

Beer cheese soup and spicy corn bread.

The beehive to welcome us to Moab.

There were more wind turbines this year.

We've arrived in Aztec and are parked at the edge of my mother-in-law's property for the next month. Our visit has started off well with a brunch at our favorite local restaurant, Elda's Mexican Kitchen.

Side eye from both our niece and nephew.

Harvesting and moving the hay.

This hay field is full of prairie dogs! I've never seen so many.

The field is harvested and will soon be reconnected with irrigation pipe. Russ will probably help with that. We'll stay here for about a month before heading back home in time for fall in the Northwest.