Looking for Sweet Things: Day 1

The day started off simply enough: alarm at 5am and coffee bell at 5:02. Never mind that today is the dat we leave for Sam and Andy's wedding in Gettysburg- a mere 3000 miles from Sparks. Off Kewpie and I go for our morning walk. This is how we start all days... well, most of them, unless Kew thinks it's too cold- then I walk alone. Not today, though. Today we head out for the Sparks library; not that I know that when we leave. Kewpie makes all the decisions when we walk. She leads me behind the church that's behind the library and Sparks High. There is a food pantry at the church and sometimes there is food left outside. Today there is bread. And this is what pisses off the crow who dive bombs me as I make my way around the church. No, seriously! One loud, angry crow following me and actually succeeding in freaking me out until I remember I am bigger and I turn around straight at her and yell! She is five feet from my face and headed straight for me. Thankfully, I a safely around the building and no longer a threat. Kewpie is looking at me quizzically: she doesn't know about attacking birds. We make our way home...

Where we begin trying to find places on two motorcycles for everything two adults and one twelve pound dog need for a month. Oh, and wolf down English muffins and two cups of coffee so we'll be ready to face the road. As Gosh puts on sunscreen and I tether sleeping bags, sleeping pads, tent and knitting to the bike I smell something noxious! The Audi across the street is smoking. Gosh, fingertips coated in sunscreen, is asked to please look out the window. Is that car on fire? Why, yes! Yes it is. The owner is on the phone with 911 and Gosh is out there with our fire extinguisher. Our hero! (And he is wearing his North Tahoe Fire Department shirt from his days on the department...) Well, THAT is slowing us down about 30 minutes. Good thing we decide the universe wants us to slow down.

8:33am and we are on the road. Crazy! We are really going to do this thing! Outside Fernley, traffic is almost stopped and the one lane that is open is being diverted to the turning lane. The accident we see is gruesome. There is a NV DOT striping truck that hit and mutilated a car and scraped itself across the highway at least 100 yards. We'll find out later the car was parked on the side of the road and contained two ladies from Texas. Both ladies were killed, both vehicles in very bad shape.

That's one weird black bird and three totaled vehicles... Omens? Hmmm- maybe, but it probably depends on how you look at things. Gosh helped save that Audi from a LOT of damage. Our timing kept us off the road during a fatal accident. The bird was just weird, though I admit to crankiness when someone messes with my food, too.

Meanwhile, we had a great day riding! We saw lots of Mustangs, an antelope and a snake sunning herself on the road. We found a ballpark to have lunch in Austin where Kew could run around. We skirted most of a thunderstorm and finally settled on a Motel 6 in Ely when the KOA didn't have a cabin available. Of course, the rain clouds al skirted us once the room was paid for but we are dry and happy for the night. If this is how it starts, dontcha wonder what's next?