This has been the longest stopover of our entire trip. We’ve spent a total of six weeks in Tucson, with a couple of breaks. While I like it here, it’s definitely nice to be contemplating our departure tomorrow.

Yesterday we got back into the old mode of things, discussing possible destinations. Eleanor and I made a general plan to head toward Sierra Vista (south of here), based on a suggestion that the hummingbirds are there. We have no idea how long we’ll be there, or exactly what we’ll do while we are there.

We’ve made no reservations, either. Part of the fun of our travels has been winging it a lot. Reservations are annoying. We’d rather just pick something out. I know this sounds whacky but really it’s fun. We know we’ll end up somewhere … and no matter where we are, we’ll be comfy in our Airstream, so why worry?

I got a call from my friend Colin Hyde yesterday. Towing his Airstream back home from the Cherry Blossom Rally in Maryland, he and his five-year-old son found themselves stuck in a big snowstorm on I-88 in New York. They ended up spending the night at a rest area in a foot of snow but they didn’t care — they just settled in with a stack of DVDs and a fridge full of food, and waited out the storm. That’s a disaster turned in to an adventure courtesy of an Airstream. So we don’t sweat the small stuff, and reservations fall in that category most of the time.

What I’d really like to do is disappear in Sonora (Mexico) for a couple of weeks, but there’s too much work to be done. So we’ll stay near populated areas where I can get online and my phone works. We’ve got until about May 7 to roam, and then we need to get back here for the house closing. Time is starting to become very precious with home & family & school obligations looming. We’ll try to make the most of it.