I just know at last oil change the cap was clean.

 

So is it safe to assume this crud is related to weather and driving conditions for those several weeks of frequent short drives and not a headgasket issue?

 

No that is not a safe assumption, Clear droplets are from the engine not warming up enough to burn of the internal moisture, custard, yellow build up is from coolant mixing with oil as from a leaking head gasket.

 

If it was a head gasket wouldnt there be evidence of the crud on the dipstick as well? When I first took the cap off there was a lot of clear water on it couldnt that water sitting on the oily cap create this discoloration. The yellow was like a slimy film not like the whitish clumpy crud I had when I blew a headgasket on my mustang.

 

After your head gasket change you should have changed the oil, I am going to assume the mechanic did that while he had the truck.
You should have changed the oil again about 500 miles later to make sure all of the crap from the gaskets was removed from the engine.
Personally I think you are fine.
Driving the truck the short trips during the week and then one long trip on the weekend like you are doing now is fine.
You have until February, thats enough time for a bad head gasket to show back up IF there is a pending problem.

 

thanks for the reply. very true I do have some time. I have changed the oil about a half dozen times since the gasket change. I was trying to solve the rover tick with different weights of oil, but it made no difference but, at least the engine should be cleaner then what it was.