I had set my phone to voice record when I slipped out to take a leak after supper last night, I didn’t normally carry the phone as they were pretty much useless in this day and time. Before I left home I had ended up deciding that some pictures and notes while on this expedition might prove useful in the future, so I carried my phone along only powering it up when I deemed it was necessary. This was one of those situations, I was about to farm some information from Thomas and I didn’t want to try to remember all of the details, particularly when I was imbibing.

When I returned from this trip I would transfer the data and have Sonya transpose it all to text for us. Just considering that brought on a smile, Sonya and the rest of us were going to have to learn to use a quill and ink in very short order. I was pretty sure that our internet order for office supplies up at the ranch would be returned due to lack of signature so our supply was finite. With that semi-humorous thought I added writing supplies to our list, I was still keeping a list on my phone since modern memory processing wasn’t conducive to remembering things the way these people did.

We had gotten too used to computers carrying that load for us and even remembering a few addresses and phone numbers was unusual in the modern world, people no longer trained their memory. I thought back to Trish’s son’s and how they had trouble just remembering their mother’s phone number at age eight, in my youth at that age I could spout off at least ten phone numbers. You just had to do it and so your mind learned, but handheld computers took that need away the same way most people couldn’t tell time by simply glancing at the sky in the modern world. Basic skills simply lost through lack of use. It was understandable because why learn to do that when you can just glance at your handheld computer to get all of that in the modern world. I’m not sure it was truly an improvement.

These are the sort of thoughts you have when you have solitude and were riding along, I was simply following a game trail Thomas had told me about headed north towards the Saline and Platte rivers. I kept my eyes up and moving but half of my brain was pondering, I was paying attention but I wasn’t focused. I had a lot to consider and contemplate, things had been happening at breakneck speed and this offered me the opportunity to process much that I had been avoiding.

The weather remained accommodating and I made pretty good speed, the prairie was flat and easy to travel on so I was pretty sure I had made at least thirty miles that second day. As the sun started its downward movement I started casting about for a camping spot. Eastern Nebraska was full of brooks and streams making finding a spot fairly easy. I guess if you have to choose where to travel back in time at this wasn’t a bad area but I was quite positive that winter would rectify that opinion.

I made camp near a small brook that had a few trees and sufficient shelter if the winds kicked up. Tonight I set up my little camping lean to, waking up that morning covered in dew reminded me of some realities. The lean-to was basically a simple pre-packaged tarp solution that they charged way too much for, I’d started buying them a ways back however because they packaged up so small and light that they took up little space in your pack. I wouldn’t use one in the cold but during the summer they were my preferred shelter.

The lean to was open on both ends and one side, mine was sized for two people but I found that it worked just perfect for me, my saddle and the packs. Back in the safe world of modern times I’d set it up with the open sides towards the fire, now I didn’t do that. I wanted to have my night vision available if there was trouble in the dark. One of the benefits of having brooks and creeks around was that there was always a small gully in the land you could camp inside so your fire wouldn’t stand out on the horizon. The fresh water and firewood didn’t hurt my feelings either.

Dinner wasn’t an exciting affair, dried beef and rice boiled over the fire and eaten with some bread Matilda had sent along. Some mushrooms had been added in along with a packet of spices which obviously helped, different from pre-packaged trail meals but not worse and maybe even better. There was enough included for Brin and I and there would be leftovers to have for breakfast, I’d need to keep a better eye out for rabbits and prairie chickens as the trip went on if I wanted to have something better.

This was pretty much like any other road trip I’d been on in my life, excitement wasn’t waiting around every corner and a day passing in utter boredom was pretty much the norm. When the eating was done I cleaned up the camp, banked the fire and checked on the horses. Brin and I snuggled under the lean to with the saddle and packs between us and the world, after a short one-side conversation and some doggy belly rubs we drifted off to sleep.

**** ****

I awoke with a start from a dubious dream, I had my pistol in my hand and had even chambered a round in my sleep. This was part of the reason I wasn’t a big fan of keeping a pistol on you at all times, too damn easy to make mistakes. I safed the weapon and pushed on Brin until he got out of my way. The morning proceeded as normal from that point, scan the perimeter, do your dailies, start the coffee, wash up, have breakfast, clean up, sanitize the site and hit the road. Traveling just isn’t exciting on most days.

I was up and on the move as the sun started to rise in the sky, I figured I had made it about half-way at this point which wasn’t bad considering I hadn’t been pushing it. Today I’d do more hunting along the way, no need to get wasteful with the food, I also knew that Michelle had included some pre-hooked line for me to use, I would remember to run it across the stream when I set up camp tonight. I might just get lucky and have fresh fish for breakfast.

I set off at a bit more of a brisk pace, I’d like to make it to the Platte tonight if I could.