I am now very much west-side but before I forget, here are some of the ways that the womenfolk of the South and the Mid West addressed me.

Sugar Pie, Sugar, Sweetie, Honey, Honey Child, Baby, Sweetheart, My Lovely, Darlin, and many more. I mean this is before we had been formally introduced. I loved it! Thank you women of the South and Mid West.

After Mesa Verde, where I was stuck for a couple of days because of snow, I bumble around the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.

I head off to The Needles NP. Is it necessary to go into the parks as the scenery everywhere is sensational?

Needles National Park is sensational but suffers from the same dilemma as most parks in the USA. Better, cheaper, transport, more affluent people, Covid stimulated desire to get out of the house has provoked a massive increase in the number of visitors.

I get there at about 09:00 but the campsites are already full. Luckily I collide with Wendy, who is a Park Ranger. One of the park hosts has left for a couple of days and she gives me their site. Thank you Wendy!

I have mentioned a few reasons for the increasingly popularity of National Parks but in addition, the parks are incredibly well run and the staff have the mixture of enthusiasm, helpfulness and evident enjoyment of their jobs, devoid of any sort of cynicism that other nations are unable to replicate.

Wendy makes sure that I am comfortably installed and takes so much time to suggest the best places and activities. There is no shortage.

Anyway, Needles NP is an absolutely astonishing place and the people who work there are stars. Thank you.