As I sit here watching YouTube videos and eating an entire bag of York Peppermint Patties, I’ considering going on a diet.  I just watched my recent “Update” video while posting it, and decided I look more pregnant than my Daughter-in-Law.  Due to the extreme heat levels we have wimped out and stayed indoors working on the computer most of the time the last few weeks.  And of course eating and drinking.  I get dirty looks from my room mate here who wants to go play ball.  And even he wants to come inside after fetching the ball 3-4 times.  He runs after the ball and then immediately hides in the shade until I tell him to bring it for another throw.  He’s not stupid. He knows what shade is.

I once played golf with my dad, a prolific golfer, and my father in-law and brother in-law.  We played on a very hot day on a big open golf course with trees every 50 ft or so.  My father in-law and brother in-law would play right down the middle.  I always sliced over to the side, and my dad followed me so we could stay together. Near the 12th hole I said “This heat is awful”.  My Dad nodded replied “Well apparently your Father in-law doesn’t even understand shade”.  Realizing we had been playing from shade tree to shade tree, and they were playing out in the blazing sun the entire time, I just had to laugh!!  My Father could point out silly situations with great humor.

Since I really took June and July off from traveling and so most videos, I am struggling for content to post.  Akela said he would help and is working on a video. I’m not sure when that will get posted but I can’t wait.

The NC fish and wildlife commission has just opened some new trails I think we are going to have to explore.  Most of them (5) are in the foot hills about an hour or 2 away.  But they sound like they are worth the trip. They are a little bit unique as they are “Snorkel Trails”.  That is, the “trail” is in a stream just 18-30″ deep.  Enough to float in, but shallow enough that if you float looking down you will see a lot of  stream bottom life.  Sounds like something Akela would like!  I’m hoping I don’t need to buy him a face mask and snorkel!  Video coming in the future

On other video works we are trying to get my solar panels fixed.  Renogy Gave me 2 bi-facial 220watt solar panels to install and review.  That solar install video is here: Best Solar Install.   One of them suddenly is not working as it should.  So I called Renogy and they agreed to send me a replacement.  But after several days (a week?) I called and they said they were waiting for the old one to be returned.  I explained I was waiting for the new one so I could place the old one in it’s shipping container and send it back.  There is no way for me to pack up a 33″x 52″ glass object.  They understood and said they would send the tracking number when they send the replacement.  It’s been a week and no email.  Renogy Customer Service is not going to get the best review  when my Solar video finally comes out.

The heat definitely makes Akela grumpy too (or maybe it’s my lack of attention). Anyway he bit me fairly badly while I was trying to steal his ball from his crate.  His crate is definitely “his Space” and he has defended it before verbally, but he hasn’t ever bit me for cleaning it or moving it or reaching into it. I may have said in the past about how he bit my mother. 

He was sulking in the car in Florida and she went to “Cheer him up”.  Well being a grandmother she could not accept he wanted to be alone, and she climbed into his space in the car and he growled twice, showed his teeth, and she figured she had “Grandma Powers” to cheer him up, but instead he snapped at her hand.  A very tiny scratch where his canine tooth scraped her knuckle.  But I don’t think he intended to actually bite except she yanked her hand back out of his mouth.  Very bad day for Akela.  He is now off the Grandma birthday and Christmas list. At least until next year. Every dog deserves careful respect and consideration. Even the best ones.

So the heat can seriously effect your temperament and happiness.  So we will be looking forward to checking out these new “Snorkel trails” as the next weeks temps are forecast to be in the HIGH 90 deg F (37degC).  It makes our trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan sound real nice!  We are planning on being up there the second half of August and all of September.  Working our way back in October. 

A planning snag I just realized is that many of the campgrounds in the north close Oct 1st or 7th.  Those that are open late close either on the 14th (veterans day).  I guess I have gotten used to the southern campgrounds being open all year long! We need to plan our travel carefully in October. It has been suggested that Air B-N-B has RV Parking. We shall See!

Well, The bag of Peppermint Patties are gone, so I guess I’ll finish this up.  Check out some of my older videos from NY.   The recent “Taylor Valley Boondocking “ video is a re-visit to one of my first videos with the boys!   Taylor Valley Free Camping. Central NY Gem.  Also  I am trying to update my travels onto my map here on the Blog, If you haven’t checked out that, you can find it here: Where We’ve Been, what we did”.  

And of course there is always the “$$ Make a Donation $$” link at the very top of the page. Any few dollars that are donated help me decide if we should pay for a ferry or just talk about it, go into a museum or just note its existence, Eat a local special meal or just point it out.  So every donation helps.  

So stay cool, Stay Smiling, and get out and have fun!

Rick & Akela
GoingNoWhereFast