Uh oh. I thought I'd get through this winter without a cold, but -- zing! -- someone got me.

E&E seem mercifully unaffected, at least so far. In the confined space of a trailer it is amazing that we can all co-exist without spreading colds to each other, but somehow we manage to do it. I am really hoping they stay healthy, because they've got to fly on Thursday. Emma won't make it if she's congested.

I also have to fly, on Friday, so I'm dosing with Zicam and hoping for the best. But if I must have a cold, being in the desert with warm temperatures and lots of sun is the best place I can imagine.

So what if we had been in a less conducive situation? For example, imagine we were midway through a drive down the Natchez Trace, or Blue Ridge Parkway, or up the Dempster Highway in Alaska? Well, our experience has been that there's always somewhere to pull over and park it for a while. The spot may not be your first choice, but at least with the rig you'll have a warm bed, food in the fridge, and the other comforts of home, even if you are just hanging at a truck stop.

This is partially why we always travel with plenty of supplies: water, food, propane, etc. Even without many illnesses we've had many a day where an impromptu stop was either required by circumstances or chosen just for fun. From talking to other RV'ers I know that many leave their water tank empty (to save weight, usually) while towing, but we never do that, and many times we've been glad to have the water.

Unexpected stops seem to be a part of this life. Planning is great but it's no guarantee. We've had plenty of unexpected stops. Most have been by choice, but we've also had some because of weather, mechanical breakdown, getting a late start, and illness. The trick of course is to find the opportunities in every stop, and revel in "adventures" even if they aren't exactly what you set out to do.

OK, what was a talking about? See, that's what happens when I get a cold. Last year's cold was in San Diego and it was a doozy. Since my brain has gone to mush, perhaps you can flick over to that blog entry and entertain yourselves reading the Archives while I get better.