Trip01

Sunday. We did it. Sunday morning. Bright and early. Actually, it was dark and early. We were on the road by six am. I don’t know why. It’s not like we’re in a hurry. I just like to leave early and watch the sunrise to start the trip. Judy humors me. We have had some painfully bright sunrise departures, driving east. This one was only colorful (evidence attached). Here is the plan for the trip. We’re going to drive east to the middle of Kansas, turn right and drive south through Oklahoma into Texas, fade east into Louisiana, and end up in the Bluebonnet Swamp in Baton Rouge. We hear there are wood ducks there in the winter. That’s it. That’s the trip. When we’re through with Baton Rouge and the Bluebonnet Swamp, we’ll either turn left, or turn right. No way the mysterious RV sleeping sickness is going to get us this time. We’ve been up since five am, and we feel great. In fact, we drove all the way across eastern Colorado to Kansas before we stopped and took a nap. But one nap. Only one. All day. Last year, we were watching harrier hawks all day. Tons of them. This year, zero. Wonder if it is fallout from the drought. Saw a few house sparrows. No big birds at all. Had a wonderful warm sixty degree Saturday for preparations. Perfect. Got the motorhome de-winterized before we even left home. Driving across eastern Colorado, Interstate 70 passes a town called Bovina. I can understand town names like River City, or Skunk Creek, or Grand Junction. But Bovina? What kind of sense does that make? Bovina? Unless, of course, there is some connection to cattle ranching there. Right on the border between Kansas and Colorado is a town named Kanorado. As a Coloradoan, I’m proud to announce that that town name was thought up by people in Kansas. Stopped nice and early, about four pm. Got to listen to the Bronco’s finish their season with a convincing win. If only the previous fifteen games could have been so convincing, they would still be playing. Russell Kansas. 400 mile day. Nice sunset.

Trip

We’re getting a nice warming trend here for our trip start. It has been single digit cold. Saturday is forecast for a high in the fifties. Sounds like a good getaway day.
We’ve got the motorhome plugged in, the refrigerator turned on, and the furnaces idling.

I’m still at work, but I’m gaining on it.



Trains

Had a good train day today. Got the big loop straightened out so both
trains are running flawlessly. There is still a significant difference in
the traction between the two types of track, but I made the north track so
level, the engine has to run on it. I did add some information to the equation. The engine wheels were
slipping, so I picked it up and turned it around. It runs through the same
stretch in reverse without slipping. Part of the issue is the track. Part
of it is the locomotive itself. These locomotives have logged a lot of
miles each. I think they’re getting a little worn out. So one train is
being pulled by an engine in the normal configuration. The other train is
being pulled by an engine in reverse. I think it’s going to work for the
remainder of this season. Next season, I’ll see about adding a new, stronger electric locomotive. Tomorrow I’m planning the first steam-up of the Christmas season.