8127 miles

After 8127 miles -- 1998.6 of them since leaving Utah after Zippy's tournament -- and just over two months, I am back in Florida. Hamdullah.

It's really just for a moment, though. As far as I understand it, I am to leave again Monday -- yes, *three days from now Monday* for Morocco.

Although I still don't have the plane ticket, I've acquired a new travel guide (I left my old one in country for others to use) and started thinking about packing.

Continental Divide in New Mexico

My task, as I understand it, is to test-run two itineraries and provide my insight on them, as well as trying to track down potential partners. Maybe that's a strong word -- by that I mean folks who will help in the summer, like drivers and windsurfing instructors.

Although I am very much looking forward to it, the quick turnaround means I have little time at "home." Today I ran errands from getting a flu shot to buying my host mom a gift (a teapot and a jar of honey) on the off-chance I get to see her.

About three miles of windmills outside Amarillo, the city where I interviewed for a job earlier this summer.

I do hope to make it to Midelt, even if it's just for a day, but at the moment it's not on the route. But initially, I will be heading mostly to the south, west and north and not so much Khenifra.

Between now and then, there's not much recovery time. After running errands, I went out for lunch at Granny's and then came home and napped. Kocur, who's loving having her momma home, didn't let me get a lot of sleep last night. She kept crawling on top of me and pawing at me.

Also at the Continenal Divide. We saw it in several places, but this was the one place we stopped.

Tomorrow and Sunday aren't exactly days off. Tomorrow I've (been) volunteered to help at Wendy's don't-call-it-a-rodeo rodeo. She's got a barrel race down the road from her and since she's running it, she needed people to help. That would be me, the Sister Schmuck. I am setting barrels (I think there's a tutorial. At least I hope so.) and announcing runs.

Sunday Zippy signed me up to play softball at the prison, which would be fun had I played much softball in the past, oh, three years. And even more fun had I not been landed on by an equine truck four weeks ago. My ankle still hurts, although it's mostly in the mornings. My knee isn't so hot, either. But I will try.

At the Continental Divide, where it says Route 66 begins. I'm not sure if that meant over all of just at this exit. I really thought it went all the way to California. But hey, I had no idea it was also a TV show, so what do I know? *

My dog is thrilled to see me, although she is a bit distrustful. She's very suspicious when I start walking around, and she gets nervous when she sees me pick up my keys. Last night, I got virtually no sleep because she kept wiggling closer and pawing me. And just when I was starting to doze off. Dodger Dog came in and wanted to go outside.

Kocur got upset when I left this morning for errands and just whined and whined. Poor baby. She's been left so many times. But she has an amazing power of forgiveness, especially when I whip out the treats I've brought. This time, it was horse hooves, and she practically crawled over me to get to them.



Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo. God knows why Americans like this crap, but it's a draw. I'd just watched the "King of the Hill" episode when Hank and his cousin -- ZZ Top's Dusty Hill, who knew? -- plant Cotton's Caddie in spot No. 11, which, of course, doesn't exist in the non-animated world.

As far as I know, Kocur is my only reunion in the short time I'm here. I won't get to visit with anyone because there's just no time. Really, I need to just get packing. Again.



*I knew about the song, of course. But I didn't know it was a theme song for a show.