July 3, 2026 (Fri.) - Aurora #5! (Pinedale, WY)
It was the day before the Fourth of July, our favorite holiday and one we used to love hosting at home. We didn’t have much planned beyond getting ready for tomorrow’s celebration.
Lynn slept in a bit, up just after 7 a.m. to a chilly 44°. Kirk rolled out around 9:30 and made breakfast. We eased into the morning, watching TV and eating in the RV. By 11:30, it was time to “work.” Kirk’s mission: get the bike prepped for tomorrow’s ride, set up the flagpole on top of the RV, and put out our light‑up American flag. Lynn’s mission: cleaning—laundry, vacuuming, the usual. With gorgeous weather overhead, the plan was simply to enjoy the day and relax on the patio.
At 1 p.m., while we were relaxing, we heard a clunk. The flagpole had toppled as the wind kicked up, so Kirk headed out to fix it. We had lunch, watched more TV, and then—another clunk. Down went the flagpole again. The wind picked up, the rain rolled in (despite the forecast), and Kirk’s freshly cleaned bike was instantly doomed. That’s probably why it rained—he cleaned the bike. Thankfully it was a short-lived rain.
By 2:30 p.m., it was nap time. A soft breeze, quiet campground, perfect conditions. Kirk napped while Lynn blogged. The rest of the afternoon stayed wonderfully lazy—TV and food.
We figured the day would end just as uneventfully. But at 10 p.m., Lynn’s phone buzzed with an aurora alert telling her to step outside. She did—nothing. At 10:30, she had a nagging feeling to check again. This time she asked Kirk which way was north, and lo and behold, she’d looked the wrong direction earlier. Facing north, a pink, green, purple and blue aurora lit up the sky. She called for Kirk to grab the tripod, and we captured gorgeous shots of the display. It was cold, but that’s what jackets are for. We felt so grateful to witness this phenomenon for the fifth time—three in Michigan, one in Tennessee, and now here.
A quiet holiday‑eve turned into a sky‑show spectacular—proof that even lazy days can surprise you.
Weather – High 70*, Low 39*. Winds 3-9 mph with 17 mph winds. No rain forecasted (but it rained). No humidity.
Traffic – None. Didn’t go anywhere.
Food – Nothing to report. Ate in the RV all day.
Notable – Aurora #5!
