Okay, did you feel a shift in the universe? Yesterday I drove the pickup the 739 miles from Las Vegas to Northern Colorado by way of windy Wyoming in 15 hours.

I drove under the speed limit of 75, around 70 miles an hour, because there wasn't much traffic, it being Sunday, so there wasn't a lot of passing and being passed. Don't worry; if the Interstate had been congested with a mix of semi trucks and SUVs going 80 to 90 mph, I would have kept up with the general traffic flow, because I know how it slows things down if the passenger vehicles are going the speed limit and nobody else is. But no, the road was basically empty for long stretches. Very nice, although nothing to look at, either. Maybe the price of gas is keeping people at home. It was $3.45 in Utah, $3.25 in Wyoming and Colorado. Diesel was $4.01 to $4.10.

The wind blew like crazy, and for once it helped me; I had a tailwind all the way through Wyoming, which is saying something because the wind always blows there, but it never seems to be from the right direction for us. There was a big dust storm in mid-Utah, but not so severe I couldn't see to drive. Nothing blew off the truck, so that was a blessing.

I didn't take many photographs because the air was hazy from the dust blowing around. There was one spot where it looks like people have been clearing acres and acres of land where there were range fires several years ago - the trees are all knocked down. Except that it is in an area where there would be no reason to go to that expense, so I think they have had such high winds all the dead tree stumps were blown over.

It is a thrill to be home where I belong, and two really good things are a fast Internet connection (so now I can look at all those You-tube movies posted by my blog friends) and cable television with DVR (Digital Video Recorder, like TIVO). All the time I was gone the recorder faithfully recorded my programs, so I have plenty to catch up on, and the reception is so clear. In Las Vegas, we don't have cable, just really lousy network reception, except when we get a free room offer from the casinos, then I stay in the room a lot and enjoy better quality picture.

This is the sort of scenery there is east of Las Vegas - the San Juan River (approx) taken from an airplane, but gives you an idea of what I drove past, although I couldn't look out the window and see it while I driving.