Memories are Made of This

I was just writing an email to my sister about me having nightmares last night. A very rare happening. I was dreaming of my enormous forgetfulness and diminishing capacities. I dreamt a lot. I'll give you a few examples:
~ I dreamt of the many times I have had people running after me with my forgotten passport in their hands.
~ I dreamt of the time I walked home 15 miles in a sandstorm because I had for gotten that I had driven my car to work.
~ I dreamt of the time in Laos or Paraguay when carried two credit cards as my only source of funds. I had so damaged one that it was useless in an ATM and then discovered that was unable to find the other one.
~ Then I dreamt of the time I found that I was too weak to change my own tire.
~ Then I dreamt of the time I decided that I'd take no more driving trips. That was the time I had four blowouts in less than ten days.
Each time I awoke from these dreams I'd think of similar experiences. Like the times had lost watches and jackets during my school years.
As I wrote of these things, and more, to my sister, I was interrupted by a phone call. A kind lady was calling to tell me I had left my drivers license in her shop this morning.

Met an interesting man in her shop. Seems he has connections for buying and selling real estate in Mexico, Central America, and Colombia. He had brought money here from Mexico during the boom to build spec houses. He seemed very up to date on the action in Baja and western Sonora.
I asked him about property between La Paz and Cabo in Baja California. He said that his own family had land for sale in that area! I told him that I hasn't interested in land, but did have some interest in modest homes. The conversation got me thinking that it could turn out to be more interesting to head into Mexico instead of into Texas.

Anyway, I plan to head toward Palm Springs, California in the morning.

Having my license at hand may help me to sleep a bit better tonight.

Now may be a good time for me to tell Hughes Satellite people to suspend my service for a time.

Oh, remembered the time I walked home in the sandstorm. The next morning I woke up and not seeing my car in the drive way proceeded to report it stolen.

What Kind of Trip is This?

No cruising eastern European rivers. No flights to New Zealand or Australia.

I'm very ready for a trip, except for one embarrassing detail; I don't have the money. I guess I could blame 'the economy,' but it is me. It's my fault. It's my own fault. I had put aside a bit for a trip, but just used it to put up $3000 worth of cyclone fencing here at Camp Thunderbird. I made the mistake of thinking I could replace it before I was ready to travel. I haven't replaced it and I am ready.
The meanderer, wanderer, ambler in me is ready for a couple of months of ambling, wandering, and meandering.
So, I've cleaned out the back of my old van and put a futon there with some nice fresh bedding.
That done, I tried making a travel budget. I see that I have just over $46 a day available. Of course that is only for food, lodging, gas, nightclubs, doctors, dentists, mechanics, laundromats, maps, flights, cruises, honey, van parts and so on.

Once I had my budget well I hand I began to consider my other resources. First there is me. I am 71 years old and not as swift as once I was. But I am fully ready to compensate for my decrepitude with my great planning and budgeting capabilities. Then there is my '97 Astro Van; a vehicle of great experience, but 'in van years, not young. So much for resources.

If it wasn't for the fact that I have nearly a full tank of gas, I might have to camp in the driveway.

I still have some details to take care of before I can leave the house for over a month, but I intend to sally forth as soon as they are taken care of.... or forgotten.

In the meantime, I'll use as little of my gas as possible.

I hope to keep you posted!

Camp Thunderbird

Eight thunderbirds in the nearby tree have just closed their wings after warming themselves in the early morning sun.

Like most oh humanity, American Indians used river systems for trade, commerce, and pleasure excursions. The peoples of the Adena culture and the Hopewell Exchange System are examples of this human dadptation.

The Hopewell Exchange System had already passed its peak by the time the earliest

Guessing at Connections

Helwick is my paternal grandmother's maiden name.

I was just looking at the itinerary of a tour to Iceland. One day of the tour was titled Hella/Vik. It included a drive from the town of Hella south to the town of Vik.

According to Wikipedia the name Hella comes from the caves near the river where Hella is located. Irish monks lived in or near those caves at the time of first settlement.

Vik is the southern most town of Iceland. Vik means cove or bay in Scandinavian.