First day, first night

I ate lunch at my desk and hoped to leave a couple hours early today. Shortly after that, however, I was encouraged to "go to lunch" and get lost on the way back. So I left several hours early. I stopped at home to load the coolers and last minute items, walked the dog, said good-bye and got out of St. Louis around 2:00 PM, well ahead of schedule. I had planned to camp in Lincoln, Nebraska but didn't feel like stopping, so I drove on to Kearney, where I have now arrived, tired but safe.

What's the hurry? Well, I'm excited, but besides that, I'm going to arrive at my first destination on Thursday, July 3, the same day everyone else will get there to start their holiday weekend. I have a reservation in a campground but it's not for a particular campsite. I want to get there early enough on Thursday to select a comfortable place to stay.

It's also much cooler now then it was two hours ago. Warm and muggy conditions are not the best for sleeping under a camper shell. This will be the only night that's a concern, until the return trip. Tonight on the plains, tomorrow night on the high dessert, then two weeks in the mountains.

I watched a lightening show to the north as I drove the last half hour. Someone said there is a severe thunderstorm warning for the county, but it's a big county and it looks like it's passing to the north. I'm enjoying the wind.

Someone asked about music. I loaded up my CD holder with screamin' electric blues, acoustic blues, and a little Mississippi hill country blues. But I also checked out some books on CD from the library, which I've never used. I listened to probably half a novel today, and liked it.

The plan is to drive a long day tomorrow and camp in Rock Springs, Wyoming. But since I'm ahead of schedule I might pass that up, too. I'll decide when the time comes, based on how I feel. I'm already enjoying the flexibility of my trip.