Hello! It’s me.

Yes, that’s me, leading Ranger Programs for the Federal Government. No benefits, it’s a volunteer position, but whatevs, I’m not in it for the money.

We started our day in Western Kansas. Uphill. Lacking contour. Oil being drilled.

We ended the day in the Rockies west of Colorado Springs. Rugged. Abundant contour. No oil being drilled. Get in the zone!

Oh, I got in the zone, given that we traveled just shy of 465 miles today.

From time to time, storms threatened, but they didn’t interfere with our day.

Earlier today, Mom visited Nicodemus.

This was a place where African-Americans were promised a Kansas community after being freed from slavery. Of course, they were “overpromised” resources, resulting in great hardship and frustration. The town swelled in the 1870s, then began a slow decline thereafter. Fewer than three dozen hardy souls are left – though the community gave us former Green Bay Packer player Veryl Switzer.

The visit was followed by more than 350 miles of virtually unimpeded travel across desolate terrain that would have shocked even the residents of Nicodemus.

Finally, we approached something interesting.

I was so excited to get out of the RV … I finally had my chance to soak in the local environment.

We approached the front door … it was at this point in the story where my efforts to enter the establishment were rebuffed … with extreme prejudice.

I was forced to sit in the RV while Mom and Dad toured fossilized redwood trees.

Apparently the fossils had been previously ravaged by tourists and other “unscrupables” … go figure that people might behave unethically. Fortunately, unethical behavior has been largely eradicated from modern society. You won’t see me behave unethically.

We’re just 13 hours from home now, and the siren call of our own homestead grows louder. We still have a couple of National Parks we plan on visiting. After that, we’ll be within six hours of home, and the close distance will be very hard to resist. We just completed Day 31 of our trip. That’s a full month for those of you keeping score in the studio audience. I can count the remaining days of our trip on one paw. Soon I’ll firmly resent 110 degree heat. Until then, I’m soaking in every moment I can, like the moment earlier today when I rolled my back over deer poo. That’s the magic of “Day 31”! That, and Ranger Programs.