SO WHAT THE HECK IS.....HITCH ITCH!!

THE HITCH AND THE ITCH......SIDE BY EACH!!

Since one of my blogs last week I've had a few questions about......Hitch Itch!! For non RV (recreational vehicle) folks the term Hitch-Itch may sound rather medically serious. Let me first tell you that it is not something you need a shot of penicillin for nor is it an actual physical itch. That itchy hitch thing is all in the mind. The hitch part refers to the trailer hitch mounted on the back of a vehicle for towing various types & sizes of camping trailers. Motorhomes are equiped with a hitch for towing a car or truck commonly referred to as a toad. (towed) The itch part of the hitch originates in the brain but does not affect all brains in the same way. In fact some brains are not affected by it at all but for those of us saddled with a severe case of the itch it is a gnawing kind of thing that just kind of eats away at you all the time. Basically speaking it is the desire to move from the location you are presently at to another location where you currently are not. And the more severe the itch, the greater is the desire to keep moving. DOWNEY WOODPECKER

I am almost envious of the people who do not have a problem with hitch itch. (key word there is, almost) They are the ones who leave home, drive to their destination & stay contentedly camped for weeks or months at a time without any desire to move anywhere else. I'm sure these folks experience a degree of hitch itch before leaving or returning home but it is not the kind of itch that pesters those of us with the full blown itch affliction.

I'm OK for about a week or maybe two but by the third week I'm chomping at the bit to see some major scenery changes. Whenever we reach a destination we set up camp & first explore the surrounding area on foot for a couple days & then branch out doing day trips to all points of interest within a reasonable driving distance by car. If we don't care for a particular area we may only stay one night & move out the next day. I don't mind having a rest day every 4 or 5 days but to sit around doing nothing for days on end seems like a total waste of valuable time to me. Nothing like a good old case of hitch itch to help break the repetition of boring mundane days.

FEMALE CARDINAL

Dug out our Colorado Atlas to-day & had me a look at our Mountain Directory guide. The mountain guide is a "must have" book for anyone RVing through the Rocky Mountains. All truck drivers have them. It warns about steep mountain grades, twists, turns, & tells you where the "run-a-way" roads are & in some cases even advises certain types of RV's not to travel the roads. Always good to know where the mountain tunnels are as well. Although the mountains can be scary to drive through they are absolutely beautiful to look at & be a part of. It is probably the mountains I most look forward to seeing each year as we head west & my eyes are generally straining to catch that first glimpse of them as we near the western portion of the long flat plains country. In the spring when we begin our journey home I always have a sense of sadness as I watch them slowly disappear in my side view mirrors. I always wonder if I will ever see them again. We have been traveling about 4 years now & already the mountains are like old faithful friends. They are always there. NUTHATCH

To-day was humid & I very nearly flipped on the A/C. Had I done that it would have only been the second time this whole summer. Kelly & I headed out before 8 & cruised through Bayfield looking for Stella again but to no avail. Her owners are home now & we met them on their bicycles out searching as well. It's looking more & more like she was abducted Friday night by someone in a black Dodge SUV.

Had a short mobility van run earlier this afternoon & then it was back home to try my luck at photographing a few more birds in the front yard. Even did a bit of watering in the flower beds. The bird's really seemed to enjoy the erractic rain showers........................

AMERICAN GOLDFINCH ALSO KNOWN AS A WILD CANARY

GROANER'S CORNER: I relish the fact that you've mustard the strength to ketchup to me.

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.