Back during Operation Desert Storm, which was what, at least ten years and two Bushes ago, we, like almost everyone else, were impressed by the performance of the HumVees.

And I predicted to the wife that they would become as popular as Jeeps, and that I would have one come through one of my check stations within five to ten years.

I was a little off, but not by much. First one came through today.

A man and his two grown sons, from the state where all the dragonflies were apparently headed. (No, no more migration seen today. Just a couple stragglers around three in the afternoon. Talk about a synchronized movement.)

The driver/owner gave me a quizzical look as I leaned out my door and shot a picture of their hunting vehicle and camp trailer, before coming over to check their antelope.

True to form, all he wanted to talk about was their hunts, and all the warden and I wanted to talk about was the H2.

First thing I can tell you is, if you're pulling a trailer, you can't open the back end at all unless you unhitch the trailer to get some room. Kinda a design flaw for recreational vehicles, although the long tongues on military trailers probably prevent this problem in true service.

And yeah, they got it dirty. Says that's why he bought it. And, for those of you who may eventually end up with one of these in your driveway (Hi, Rift!), he says the trick to cross-country travel is to keep it in low gear. Get lots of power.

Now, this isn't the first hummer we've seen in our part of the country. Been plenty on the interstate. And at least one in town, a copper one. Found out it belonged to a couple we know. Ran into them at one of the summer park concerts, and asked how they liked it.

Loved it, naturally. (It's hers, not his.) They had over 700 miles on it at the time. Asked how many were dirt miles.

"None."

As in, none.

Yeah, they'd been up in the mountains on the Fourth, up on the back, 4-wheeling roads.

She insisted they take his truck.

Oh, and the doors close well, real quiet. Usually a sign of a well-made vehicle.

Other memories from the weekend's check stations will have to wait a day or so. Some good ones about a Cabela's t-shirt, and some horse lovers. And the mystery of those strange pallet cages in the desert has been solved.

But a couple more photos:

Guess it shouldn't come as a surprise, but I'd never actually seen it before...

...pink rain.

And the wife called shortly before sunset, recommending I come home early, 'cause she'd just picked up dinner from our local Mexican restaurant. But I decided to wait for the headlights I could see many miles down the county road.

Turned out to be just a cowboy out watering his stock, but it kept me out in the field for this: