I felt grateful when after my last bout of sleep I finally saw the sun beginning to rise. To nix my freezing doldrums and allow my tent to dry out, I headed on a quick walk, getting a nice view of a Say's Phoebe perched on a cane cholla. 

Simply overjoyed to be sitting in upholstery, I didn't exactly have a target for the next stop so I just quickly looked for any refuges nearby, settling on Maxwell NWR 45 minutes west in New Mexico. What a chance find it was. "Lake Thirteen" held Common Goldeneye, Northern Pintail, Sandhill Cranes, and hundreds upon hundreds of other waterfowl. 

 

Goldeneye

That took me to mid-afternoon, where a couple of inexplicable decisions has put me in Cimarron Canyon State Park. 100% the most isolated campground of the trip so far, no other tenants in the 60-site lot. Beautiful scenery though I'll concede. It turns out no one camps in March out here, except for the Cinnamon Teal that's been chilling in the pond right behind my car (and Mountain Chickadee and Stellar's Jay). 

 

Seeing that it is freezing again tonight I'll live out what most people thought I meant by "car camping". It already feels much better than the tent. The plan is to drift off to the 1931 best picture winner Cimarron.

TODAY: 29

LIFE LIST: 194 -> 200