The hunt was on

Ross and I went in search of the elusive Morel mushroom this morning. We worked our way up a gravel road to Ross' favorite hunting area at about 3,400 feet. Ross was barely out of the truck and he spotted one. We split up to search on our own and it wasn't long before I found a half dozen of the delicacies. We spent about three hours finding a couple pounds of mushrooms.

The mountain is out

Barely. Look just to the left of the Weenerbago - see it? It blends with the clouds. I'm in Thorp, safely anchored at Ross and Patti's place. Will go see Mom tomorrow, hope to see the kids over the weekend.

Return to the Evergreen State

Uneventful drive from Mountain Home, ID, to Prosser, WA. One stop at a rest area in Oregon for a sandwich. Saw the last of the snow alongside the road going over the Blue Mountains. One little sprinkle - just enough to make spots on the windshield.

Now sitting in the Wine Country RV Park in Prosser, WA, letting the television go through the auto tune and winding down.

Paige, Dave and I will go out for dinner tonight. It's nice to have a travelling companion along the road. Neither of us had any major problems on this trip (woo hoo), but there is a sense of security when you know you've got friends nearby.

On to Mountain Home, Idaho

A smooth 380 miles or so from Ely, NV, to Mountain Home, ID. Straight, flat, smooth roads. No big climbs or descents - just what a motorhome owner/driver wants. Not much of a road for a motorcycle rider, but perfect for me yesterday.

It is still chilly, but not as cold as Ely. The days are growing longer. It was light out until almost 10 last night. It's usually dark by 8 in Arizona - they don't participate in daylight savings. Maybe that's why I wake up so early every morning.

Climate change

The Channel 3 weather girl predicted 100 degrees in Phoenix Friday. I hear it topped out at 102. That was easy to believe since it was already 80 degrees at 8 o'clock in the morning. The temperature in Boulder City, NV, where I spent Friday night was in the 90s. I ran the air conditioning from the time I got the power hooked up until it was time for bed.

It was still pleasant this morning as I prepared to leave. I did put on short sleeve shirt instead of a tank top along with shoes and socks. As the elevation increased some 4,000 feet, the temperatures dropped. I turned on the heat as I drove.

Now, sitting my motorhome at the KOA in Ely, NV, I have added a sweatshirt to my ensemble and the heater is ready to run. There is snow in the hills surrounding me.

Baby got new shoes

In preparation for the upcoming trip to Washington, the motorhome went first to a local Ford dealer in response to a recall concerning the cruise control system (something about it could catch on fire) then visited a local tire dealer for six new Goodyears. I've been told that no matter how good the tires look or how few miles are on them, they should be replaced every 5 years or so. The tires that I had been driving on were the originals - from 1998.
So, while my wallet is a little lighter, my mind is at ease.
I plan to leave Apache Junction on the 21st and arrive in Thorp on the 25th. My route home will take me to Las Vegas, then turn north along the eastern border of Nevada to Twin Falls, Idaho, then angle northwest through Pendleton, OR, and on to Ross and Patti's homestead.

Blooming saguaro

or as Dixie says, "They got their bonnets on".