National Dog Day Afternoon

Zorro — 1989 to 2005

It was clear and warm when I woke up this morning near Blythe, California. A few days into spring and it’s already acting like summer.

As I headed north along the Colorado River it got hazier. And hotter. A fuel stop and email check in Parker, Arizona, had me wishing for shade.

By the time I got to Lake Havasu City the haze had formed into thin strips of cloud cover. If that was all the shade I’d get, I’d take it.

It seemed cooler when I came out of Smith’s Food. There was no blue showing through the thin clouds. And is that a breeze? Yes.

I found a suitable boondocking spot on BLM land south of town. A new spot for me, even though I’ve been in the area several times before. I opened up the Rolling Steel Tent. Windows, roof vent, doors. The breeze came in the back door, said hello, and exited out the front. Very nice. It was cooling off a little. Perfect napping conditions.

Now the sky is standard-issue overcast and the temperature has dropped from 86° to 77° and the humidity is up about 8 percent. It’s supposed to be like this the next couple of days. But I’m headed to Lake Mead, about 1,300 feet higher and several degrees cooler. Although I’ve spent the winter wishing for warmer weather, I’m not ready for it to be July.