 Since we were running low on money, we thought we'd better start back home but we decided to make it leisurely and head up to Highway 80. We started north and crossed over a forever valley as the rain cleared. We were headed towards yet another set of cliffs -- when we got nearer we discovered there was going to be no way out but up. Reaching the base of the cliffs we saw a familiar sign: "Caution - Rough Road". We looked up at the face of the cliff. We looked at each other. We looked at the end of the paved road and the start of the dirt and gravel path in front of us.
We said, "Hey, this is nothing. We've got Road Warrior at the wheel!" and headed up a series of switchbacks up the rocks. Barbara was doing some adventurous driving and everyone was into the spirit of it. Another new set of scenery, another unpredictable road, another wild ride. We passed only one car that was working its way down, ever so slowly and cautiously. We flew past him and kept right on going. That road was possibly one of the worst parts of their vacation -- it was one of the best of ours. Of course, we'd already passed Advanced Adventurous Driving that day.
When we reached the top of the cliff we found a herd of Winnebagos that seemed to be wondering how they were going to get down, and we saw the remains of a truck & trailer rig that hadn't quite made one of the turns years before. We looked out over the valley we'd come from and then headed onward. We stopped for gas (again) next to some crazy colored finger-painted hills and snacked on bits and pieces of food out of the trunk. We decided to make a go of it and drive as far as we could. Lucy had her nest in the back seat perfected and could sleep; we felt great and were in no danger of getting burnt out for a while. The vibes were cool and the roads were good and the music was right.
We drove down a straight ribbon of road through a sage desert with a perfect sunset on our left to keep us company. We saw lot of deer and jackrabbits in the bushes on both sides. One rabbit performed that daring feat of trying to cross the road with a car approaching at 90 mph and we thought for sure we were going to go "bump". He ran in front of us and disappeared between the wheels. He must have just squeaked out the other side. That was one lucky rabbit -- he's probably still telling tales of his ordeal to all the little rabbits.
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Dig if you will, a courtyard -- An ocean of violets in bloom
Animals strike curious poses -- They feel the heat between me and you 
There were also a lot of hawks and other birds, including suicidal starlings that would swoop around us and dive down in front of us, catching a ride on our airstream and swooping away on it. Each of them made a clear pass but it was startling to have them keep appearing in the windshield out of nowhere like that.
We crossed over the Colorado River once more and into darkness. We'd seen no other cars at all since the worrying Winnebagos on top of the cliff. The map said to carry water on that road so we knew it would be sparsely populated, but we were amazed and delighted to have the whole highway and the countryside and the night to ourselves.
It was a magic night in a magic land that we knew nothing about but felt welcome anyway. It was completely dark -- no houses, no stores, no nothing. We stopped a few times to remember how many millions of stars are still up there and to shout into the blackness and become a part of it. Around 9:00pm or so we passed another car going the opposite direction.
Coming quickly to terms of all expression laid
Emotion revealed as the ocean made
A clearer future - mornings evenings, nights with you.
And you and I climb crossing the shapes of the morning
And you and I reach over the sun for the river
And you and I climb clearer towards the movement
And you and I go over valleys of endless sea
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