The current push is to get the trucks to the port in Houston by August 23rd. They ship to Buenos Aires some days after that.

We left August 16th at 11:45 pm after a final day at home cleaning, packing, storing, and saying goodbyes. We plan to spends days with Mike’s parents in New Mexico. First camp was Browns Bridge near Melrose on the Big Hole.

Niles and Mike fished. Niles rushed up from the water after being startled by a Bull Moose on his side of the river. The moose crossed the water and stayed long enough for us to watch him assess the situation and turn into the woods.

Done with fishing, onto the paddleboard while Mike and Viv drove back to the house to return items we now know we don’t need and pick up a forgotten box of bills and the computer charger. How could we have left bills?  She says sarcastically.

Drove to Dillon to hit the Patagonia sale. Mike had researched two rain jackets for Viv and Niles. The sale was an unexpected bonus, the jackets are beautiful, fit and will last for years and years. First use, the next day in AZ, foreshadowing.

Drove and drove fueled by coffee, snacks, great music and then Excedrin, sandwiches more music. The four of us traveled well settling into a routine of drive 2 hours then switch. Drove I90 to Utah for a night in the Hymun State Park near Tremonton, UT.

Then another long day of driving. Through UT, CO and then AZ. This is a route we have done many times over the past 30 years. I’m not going to detail it here although we did take lots of photos. We only stopped for gas and bathrooms.

The Navajo/Hopi land had gotten a lot of rain recently and was looking good with new road construction, cleaned up gas station and lots of signs to wear your mask. Fewer skinny horses  than Mike remembers.

As it grew dark last night, we drove towards an electrical storm that encircled Box Lunch Ranch (Mike’s parent’s land) near Snowflake, AZ the destination for the night. The rain jackets were worn.

This tributary of the Little Colorado is usually more of a trickle. We are close to the ranch but will not attempt going in through the mud. The camp by the Woodruff Snowflake bridge was a beautiful stop fully marked with graffiti from locals documenting their dating history.

The water flowing today will enter the Colorado and eventually Lake Powell.