A long day of travel for me today. Up early this morning, because 6:30 still feels like 8:30 to me with out the time change. Actually glad for the early start because I had nearly an hour of travel before the wind started to blow in from the south. By 10:00 a.m. I was into Colorado and getting blown around pretty good. With the wind from the south and me in the right hand lane going west every big rig that went by me would whip the trailer back and forth behind me. As they would come even with me, the truck would want to move toward them, the Bernoulli effect in action, and then as they moved ahead, the trailer would come back out into the wind and try to skate off of the road behind me. A whole lotta fun!

   Finally had enough of that and took the next 2-lane back road headed north. What a relief to have the wind coming behind me now, plus my gas mileage was better for that section also. Travelled up through the towns of Yuma and Akron, then on into Brush. By the time I hit I-76 the wind had switched to blowing from the north, but the important thing is that it was now much calmer. Only a 100 or so more miles after that. Got to Longmont around 5:00 and tucked Esmeralda safely into her storage spot. Took all the trailer stuff out of the back of the truck and left it there while packing up some clothes and what little food was still in the fridge and freezer that I wanted to keep.

    Next stop was the mail box place where they had a whole apple box worth of stuff for me. I guess it has been more than 5-6 months since my friends had sent me a box of mail in Florida. Most of it will turn out to be junk or Cabela's catalogs, but there will be an item or two of interest I'm sure.

    Another stop at the bank to deposit a check and to take out some cash for the San Diego trip, before moving on to my storage unit to drop the canoe off. Will have to figure out some way to hang it from the ceiling like the others when there is a little more time. Right now with two 18 1/2' canoes  and a 22' double sea kayak there isn't a whole lot of room left up there.

    The truck sure felt different with out a trailer behind it or a canoe on top. Seems odd to think it has been 9 months since I left the state.... Made it into Denver in time for the tail end of rush hour. Could of done with out that, but I still made it to my friends house in plenty of time to still go out to dinner. Mexican food at Los Delicious, yum!

    Spent some time talking this evening and catching up on some of the local gossip, but the best part was finally getting a really nice shower.... it's going to be even better to sleep in a real bed again. Not that mine is bad you understand... it's just different.

    So nine months away. When I first left in September of 2011, today seemed like an awfully long time to be on the road. It's fun to run back over all the places I've been, what I have seen and who I've met. I can honestly say that it has been fun the whole time, not once did I feel a need to head 'Home', where ever that is these days, nor did I feel sad or alone. As Jimmy Buffett once said; ' Yesterdays over my shoulder so I can't look back there too long, there's just to much to see waiting in front of me and I know I can't ever go wrong'.