AL, MS, LA, TX, NM

First stop...Lake Charles, Louisiana. Due to popular suggestion, we immediately went on a search for boudin (pronounced boo-dan), a spicy Cajun pork and rice delicacy somehow stuffed into a sausage casing. Apparently, this is not to be confused with the Canadian boudin noir my Dad used to eat. Boo-dan was not hard to find--it was advertised on billboards, store fronts, road signs, diners, truck stops, restaurant marquees, souvenir shops, gas stations, corner stores and the RV Park brochure. After getting a thorough description of said boo-dan, we purchased one package of frozen and one link piping hot and ready-to-eat. Boo-dan was not an immediate hit. A few days later we put the remaining half-link on the grill with a bit of Swamp Mustard from the Everglades and wala--delicious!!

Day Two and Three: Texas is a BIG state! The wind was blowing--hard, dust was swirling and we drove into a headwind for hundreds of miles. The dually managed a whopping 6.5 mpg! Just to make it interesting, there was only one gas station between San Antonio and Fort Stockton. We limped in on fumes. The next day Fort Stockton to El Paso provided a few more fueling opportunities...and we took advantage of each and every one!

No matter the stresses of the day, once settled for the night in a comfy RV Park, it's time to relax with a neighbor. Someone always wanders over to the picnic table for the usual, "Where are you from?, Where are you going?" chat. Al's favorite thing is to talk with other full-time RVers, or better yet a fellow Bighorn owner, but he enjoys whomever, or whatever happens by. What a social butterfly he's turning into! Al and his new best friend Gomez posed for a photo at the picnic table!

Day Four: Recall this is my fourth day of arising at 7 a.m. Most of New Mexico flew by me in a blur. We have been reading a Nevada Barr book about a Winter wolf study on Isle Royale to pass the time. The kitties are holding up remarkably well! Although Zeus is quiet, he doesn't sleep when we travel and he is spent after a long day of driving. Al spotted a Roadrunner in the RV Park.

Day Five: Arizona at last! Southeastern AZ has Joshua Trees! We thought they were only in California. More interesting Forester behavior: They often name their first-born after a tree. The Togetherness Meter is off the chart!! We've made up for those working days in the Everglades when we'd sometimes be apart for... 2 or 3 hours or more! Tomorrow I can sleep as late as I want, I'll wake up in Tucson (my favorite place) and I might get my morning coffee served in bed. It's all about me! Does it get any better than this?