We managed to squeeze in one more September camp-out at Cedar Hill State Park to close out our summer season, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Temperatures reached the mid-80s during the day and the low 60s at night, making for great hikes and pleasant evenings. Plus, with partly cloudy skies, we were able to enjoy spectacular sunsets and sunrises.

When we called to check campsite availability on Thursday, we were startled to learn that none of about a dozen favorite sites was available. Apparently, a lot of New Orleans Saints fans were in town for Sunday’s big game against the Cowboys. So Cliff raced to the park to secure a spot, and we ended up extending our weekend by a day. It’s pretty awesome when camping is so routine that we can completely load up the tow vehicle, pack up the dogs, pick up the camper and get set up at the campsite in about 90 minutes.

Cliff had been preparing a bolognese when we decided to be spontaneous and initiate our weekend a day early, so he plopped the hot pot in the back of the tow vehicle and off we went. In no time, we were enjoying a home-cooked Italian meal, complete with a caprese salad and a cabernet. As usual, the evening ended with a long walk around the lake under starlit skies. Never mind the scorpions, spiders and other unsavory creatures of the night we encountered along the way.

Friday was a workday for us both, as neither of us planned to take time off work. So Cliff worked from home and Jon worked from the Airstream. In the evening, we again had a long conversation about making a full-time commitment of our life on the road. For now it remains a dream, but we continue to hope that it will eventually be our reality–albeit with a better tow vehicle and a bigger Airstream!