We pulled off at about 5:30 PM (after missing the exit on the first shot) at the Colorado Welcome Center. I located and retrieved the camp stove and set about lighting it near a table in the shade we had selected. Jacqueline, in the meantime, set up LB with a feeding station. As I waited for the noodle water to boil, I grabbed my laptop. Our camera’s memory card was getting full, and needed purging onto the hard drive. I set up the laptop, external hard drive, and camera to play nicely together when across the lawn I see sprinkler heads begin to pop up, soaking nearby tables in a matter of seconds.
Panic is a good word for it. With my entire electronic life sprawled out before me, I began hurriedly to pack the computer back into the bag and rushed it to the van. Tragedy averted. We even took what turned out to be too much precaution (the table we were at never reached the line of fire while we were there) and moved our cooking station over to the grassless area near the buildings.
The water had begun boiling, and noodles added. In fact, things were all set for straining. I picked up the handle of the pot, and immediately regretted it. My thumb has a handle-shaped burn mark that hasn’t yet stopped throbbing. Once the noodles were stained, the sauce warmed up, and the 7-Up uncorked, it was time to enjoy a budget-friendly meal.
Included in the meal is a memory worth far more than the money we saved.
On to Utah for a couple of days of hotels before we hit the GRAND CANYON!