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50 days

 We’ve moved on from Longmont.  We have an appointment at Beaver Coach Sales in Bend, Oregon to get a couple more things done to the bus.  I called ahead and got the earliest appointment I could; August 14th.  Bend Oregon is 1100 miles away.  According to Google Maps that should take 16 hours to drive straight through.  We’ve got 50 days to get there in time for our appointment.  We might have to ramble a bit to kill some time. In keeping with the pace requirements for this part of our summer trip, we’ve gone 36 miles today to Elk Meadow RV Resort, outside Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. 2017 summer trip map      Dramatic surroundings.  We could stay here a few days. 
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This has been a really good birding year

 Our standard is 400 species.  Sometimes we see that many in a year.  Sometimes we don’t.  This year, we’ve traveled more, so we’ve seen more than usual.  Different habitats, different birds. We hit 400 for the year on June 17th.  That’s not even half-way through the year.  Let’s see, that puts us on pace for 800.  Right?  Every bird above 400 is tough to get though, so more realistically, if we keep traveling, maybe 450 this year?  That would be a record by a long shot; over 25 birds.   Our current year-record is 422 set last year.  Meanwhile, Henry was happy to help carry some freshly clean clothes home in the laundry basket. 
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Driving Becky and Brian’s hybrid Civic

 In a way, it feels like driving the motorhome with the exhaust brake on.  Instead of coasting when you let off the gas, the regenerative braking kicks in and the car slows down.  When that happens, I wonder if the brake lights come on to warn drivers behind. It has the instant shut off, and instant back on, of a hybrid car.  Pull up to a stop and the engine shuts off as long as your foot is on the brake.  Let off the brake, and the engine is back on before you can hit the gas.  I wonder if that’s really effective at saving fuel or reducing carbon.  It seems like it would be such an easy adaptation to make to conventional cars, but I haven’t noticed that it’s catching on.  I wonder if it contributes to efficiency, or is it is more for show; to demonstrate commitment.  
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We’ve moved

 We’re not at St Vrain State Park anymore; we’re at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. We’ve used up our 2 week limit at St Vrain, so it’s good to have this place as a backup to extend our stay. I got to drive to DIA this afternoon and pickup Judy.  It’s good to have my California Girl back. 
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Cruise Control

 Have you ever thought about the lower limit for cruise control?  25 miles per hour has been the lower limit in every car we’ve ever driven (that has cruise control).  Sometimes when we’re out in the middle of nowhere scanning for birds though, I’d love to be able to set it at 5 or 10 miles per hour and just creep along.  25 miles per hour must be a technological limit, or maybe there is a regulation involved.