I was out of WiFi range and my hotspot isn’t what its cracked up to be. I used my phone data sometimes just to be sure there wasn’t an apocalypse going on I wasn’t aware of…thankfully, that isn’t the case. I wasn’t quite sure how I would blog these travel adventures, but as I’ve gone along I have decided I’ll try blogging state by state. I was excited to travel into a state I’d never been to, so when I saw the “New Mexico” sign, I was pretty stoked. Our first stop was Santa Fe, but only long enough to grab a coffee and find a campsite for the night. We struggled with the corners getting into McDonald’s, but coffee was calling Dan’s name. Thankfully, with a little imagination, we managed to find a place to park. And it was worth the stop since a nice customer took time to help us with our navigational questions. After the gentleman gave us some insight into his city along with other helpful info, and with coffee in hand, we were soon on our way to our chosen spot for the night.
Since being self-inducted into the world of RV’ers we have (hopefully) learned our lesson when it comes to picking out campsites. This place gave us back our confidence. It was clean, safe, and friendly. We enjoyed a quiet night once we stopped, possibly due to our road-tired bodies. Dan, someone who never gets the flu or virus, picked up a bug and needed rest. So, we settled into a movie night and then a good nights sleep. Santa Fe will be checked out a bit more next time through since it appeared to be a lovely place.
The next day we hit the road and headed to Albuquerque for a couple of days. The drive to Albuquerque was beautiful. The terrain changes from one point to another as you come into the valley. The next RV site – Enchanted RV Resort was going to be our destination of choice for the next couple of night. Again we chose right. It turned out to be clean, friendly, and a welcome site.
But wait, there’s more…as soon as we pulled into our slot, we noticed another tire that looked, as Dan called it “soft” – his term for low on air. Sure enough, it had a screw in it and was leaking air, so off to the tire shop we went…again.
While we waited a couple of hours for it to be repaired, we drove to Los Lunas to visit friends from Denver, Roy, and Carol. 
They had recently moved to a beautiful community in this little city. It was great seeing them again, and hearing about the adventures they encountered while having their new home built. Since they had been there long enough to know the back roads from Los Lunas to Albuquerque they guide us back. Thankfully helping us avoid the traffic issues west bound due to construction.
The following morning we had plans to visit Sky City, but the wind kicked up to a point it wasn’t safe. There were times I thought the wind was going to pick us up and we’d find ourselves in Kansas…it was insane. Sometimes it would slow down enough that I only worried it would start skipping our home on wheels down the road, but everything held tight to the ground. The wind, however, had a sister-in-crime…the sand. Because of the sandy terrain, the outdoors became a dust bowl like I’d never experienced. If you went outside your eyes and bare skin were pelted with sand. When you escaped back inside you had to drink water to wash the sand out of your teeth. I can’t help picturing the sand we breathed into my lungs and only hope it won’t have a lasting effect.
Luckily by morning, the wind stopped and the weather was great. As we traveled to our tour spot for the day we took in the blue skies, warm sun, and friendly people. Sky City had been a friends’ recommendation, and we were not disappointed. The Acoma Pueblo consists of four villages, Sky City being one of them. It is built high on the ridge overlooking the valley. We were taken by bus up the hillside where Steve, our tour guide, 
provided the history of the village and its people. I didn’t really know what to expect, but what I found was that I was overwhelmed with the emotion history can evoke. Maybe I’m partial because when I was twelve my boyfriend was Native American and we were madly in love. But truly, the village is beautifully rich with its Native American history and I highly recommend the tour. I learned so much listening and absorbing first hand about the Native American culture of this Acoma tribe. I love that everything has a meaning…whether it is a design, a bead, or mother earth. There is a purpose for everything, and everything is given the respect it deserves.
The next morning we packed up and headed down the road to Arizona. All in all, I loved New Mexico. It is beautiful and filled with history I truly enjoyed. The topography is different than my past travels, even Colorado…so it’s like traveling to a new world. I didn’t get to see everyone or everything, but it was a fun adventure I’ll always remember.
One of the advantages of being retired is you are free to come and go as you please. So, if I missed a scenic road, and for family, I didn’t get to visit this round, I hope to come through again sometime.
Thank you to everyone who made our visit to New Mexico so wonderful.
I thought I’d only be blogging our life once a month, but as it turns out I have too much to say, and I never know when I’ll have WiFi…so I hope you won’t grow too tired of my babbling. Before I get to our Colorado Springs events, I want to share the day Dan and I spent with his good friend, Tony, while we were still at my stepdaughter’s home. Tony became our “Senior Tour” guide for the day since he was familiar with the place. We headed out for a two-hour drive to the Pawnee Butte National Grasslands. I mentioned this on FB, but I thought I’d share another photo. 
On our way to the Buttes, we stopped and took shots of the valley, and of an old abandon farm. We traveled on to the Buttes and though half of the travel was on a dirt road, it was well worth it.
On the way back we stopped at a local cemetery. The history was amazing as you read headstone after headstone of children and families that died from the Spanish flu in the early 1900’s. My heartstrings pulled even tighter as I spotted graves with only a piece of cement for a headstone, or just a bag of cement, now broken and hardened in the weather, because not everyone could afford a proper headstone in those tough times. Their devastation was a daily experience, and I couldn’t help but shed tears of sadness. 
We left the Denver area and headed to Colorado Springs to start our real travel adventure. First stop in Colorado Springs was the Garden of Gods. It is a natural rock formation park that will have you dropping your jaw. Unfortunately, the entrance we took didn’t sport the sign the other entrance did that specified NO RV’s etc…and let me tell you, between Dan’s F350 and a 30’ trailer we found ourselves trying to maneuver 50’ of metal around corners not designed for anything other than a vehicle. Our final nasty turn took out a tire…as we expected. So, after Dan pulled over the best he could and changed the tire our next stop was…you guessed it, a tire shop. But that is only the beginning of our “Friday the 13th” tale.
Next was finding a place to camp. We started calling RV parks, but one after the other was booked up. Finally, one gal gave us the number of another park she thought might be able to help us out. Thankfully, we thought, they had a spot so we made our way there a few minutes before he closed the office. Our eyes opened wide as we took in the view of a homeless community stationed along the sides of the driveway leading into the park entrance. I try not to stereotype people, but after the three break-ins to Dan’s truck in Washington, and the police telling us it is “homeless” getting what they can to sell…well, you can imagine our concern. However, we needed a place to park so we paid for two nights. Turned out the inside of the park was what we found to be more of a concern. During our stay, we witnessed two drug deals go down close to our camper. My upbringing gave me a lot of insight, so I know what I’m talking about. This told us we may come back from our day trip to find our tires gone…an expression I wasn’t too happy to hear come out of Dan’s mouth.
The next day we decided not to let our current living conditions stop our plans for our day trip. We took what might possibly have been our last look at our home on wheels, took a deep breath and headed to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. They have the most amazing giraffe exhibit I’ve ever seen. It is below ground so the giraffe’s heads are your level. People could feed them and even pet them, which I did, of course. 
The zoo is built on the side of the mountain, and every exhibit is amazing. The reptile exhibit has beautiful glass art along with other art inside the glass cages. The whole experience made you smile. And bonus…since you are on a mountain, you enjoyed panoramic views of the valley below. I loved it all. Then we went back to the Garden of the Gods so we could pull into the different parking lots and take photos. 
We entered from another side this time and there we found the notice about no trailers. Live and learn…lol.
Bonus – when we got back to the RV Park, all tires were still intact, and so was our home. The lesson we have learned quickly is that cities are not made to tow trailers around. That it is best to go outside the city to find camping areas, drop the trailer and enjoy the sights. Another lesson is to check all park reviews before signing up for more than one night, or any night at all. But the biggest lesson is to be patient with each other and to quote Sue Aitkins from Life Below Zero (one of my fav shows) “Don’t take it personal” – and she would be right. It’s simply a learning curve and it will get better.
My next blog was going to be filled with tales of our travels and adventures on the road, but my heart was busting open with the need to share a story with all of you. Over these past few weeks, I have witnessed courage on many scales. But nothing compares to the courage of our dear friends, Rick and Theresa Gibson, and their granddaughter, Payton. 
Five years ago these grandparents received a call and were quickly on a flight to their granddaughter’s location. Their grandchild had become victim to Baby Shaking Syndrom. They remained by her side as their one-year-old was fighting for her life. Payton continues to be a fighter filled with courage and strength today. This little girl has endured multiple surgeries, illness, being poked, stuck with needles, and doctors working on her the majority of her life, yet she smiles. I marvel at her endurance as her Papa holds her up to walk around the backyard. Then with her sweet smile, she easily convinces Papa, Grandma, or both to sit on the ground and play with her and her toys. I don’t know how this young child taps into such courage and strength. The medical complications that accompany this syndrome will bring you to tears. The fact that she will never walk on her own, or that only half of her brain is being used. It is also the seizures, a frightening and complicated situation. There is the liquid medicine because she can’t swallow pills that Payton must take regardless of the taste. The capsules they call “sprinkles” that are carefully empty into a small container of applesauce. This is a daily routine no child should have to endure, yet, Payton does. All because she cried when she was a child, and her mom’s boyfriend couldn’t cope. Instead of walking away, he shook this little girl almost to her death. The courage to fight for her life is nothing that can be contained, and nothing short of a miracle. She continues to smile as she pushes through to keep muscles exercised and to learn words and tasks. She is an angel. But like any typical child, her “halo tips” now and then, a loosely coined phrase from Theresa. She is a strong-willed six-year-old, and though I didn’t witness it, apparently she has a set of lungs to prove it.
The boyfriend received a forty-eight-year sentence for his crime. He will be eligible for parole after he has served eighteen years, but Payton has no release from her prison. She was given a life sentence of disabilities for his crime. A crime that could have been avoided. I have watched her progress via Facebook over the past five years and have been amazed at her smile and spunk. Yesterday was the first time Dan and I had an opportunity to travel to their location to visit and to meet this little lady in person. Her smile is as contagious in person as it is in pictures. Her beauty is radiant and her spirit filled with love for her Papa and Grandma.
However, that is not where the story of courage ends. Though Payton’s mom is in the picture, she is not Payton’s only caregiver. Payton is blessed with wonderful, courageous, loving, and selfless grandparents. Rick and Theresa didn’t hesitate to make the decision to adopt/share custody for this little girl and take on her care full-time. Knowing Payton’s mom wasn’t able to emotionally handle the situation alone, they didn’t question what their destiny would be. Over the past five years, they have endured the unknown with courage I can not imagine. They have been Payton’s everything. There wasn’t a hint of hesitation in this decision. It wasn’t as if Rick had to convince Theresa to raise their granddaughter, or Theresa to convince Rick…there was not even a blink of an eye. They fought with everything they had in them. Then signed on the dotted line and brought their little girl home. That is the real story of courage here. Courage built on faith and love.
As a grandparent, I have been blessed with many babies to hold in my arms. I’ve enjoyed the hugs, kisses, and time with each of them, but then I was able to pass the little cuties back to mom or dad and go on with my freedom. I have the option to sleep until 4am or 9am. I have the option to go out to dinner, or a movie and not worry about a sitter. I can choose to be adventurous or have a quiet evening at home enjoying a good movie. I have options. Theresa and Rick have laid down their lives for their granddaughter and without hesitation. They simply changed their priorities, and with love in their hearts. With all the trials and obstacles they face daily for Payton’s needs, they have not escaped their own personal trials of surgeries, illnesses, and anything else life could throw at them. But they have persevered. They have overcome, and have come out the other side with even more courage and faith than before. To say I admire them would be an understatement. We have hunted alongside these two people, stayed in their home, broken bread, shared laughs and told stories. It isn’t a matter of just admiring them, we love these two people for their courage, strength, and unshakable faith. Rick and Theresa put “Grand” in grandparent in the most selfless way anyone can. As a grandparent, I know I would step in if needed for my family. I only hope that I would step up to the plate with as much courage and faith as Rick and Theresa have done.
Recognizing others courage for the strength and faith that it is will remind me daily of my own blessings. My heart is overwhelmed with Rick and Theresa’s patience and love for Payton. And I will take away the knowledge that my travels may, at times, be less about the scenery, and more about the people who impacted our lives.
Yes, the snow has fluttered to the ground on more than one occasion since we arrived in Colorado…but that is to be expected. As an example of a typical day in Colorado this time of year – I’ll have my cup of coffee at 6am when the temp is a cool 28 degrees, by lunch I’m in a T-shirt enjoying seventy degrees and sunshine. Then dinner rolls around and I’ve put my jacket on as I make my way from dinner with friends at a local restaurant to the car dodging snowflakes the size of fifty-cent pieces.
But let’s talk about something other than the weather. Dan and I have been on the go since we arrived the night of March 9th. We have had family time with my stepdaughter, Shannon, her husband, Brandon, and two of their three little ones, Ember and Kaidence. I smiled as I heard Kaidence excitedly ask as I walked in the door, “Are they here yet?” Her grandpa is her favorite person, but her love for me is easily felt with the hugs and smiles she gives me when I lift her into my arms. We’ve stayed busy with potty training (the two-year-old, not Dan…hehehe). There was grass seed to lay, and time spent babysitting to fill our days. Dan has done his normal puttering to keep busy when he wasn’t helping in the house. He’s never without something to do, much like myself, but I didn’t hesitate to leave the yard work to him as we prepared for Kaidence’s 3rd birthday party. All-in-all it has been good. Our time with Shannon, Brandon, and the kids has been filled with good laughs, busy dinners, and, as always, great private stepmom/stepdaughter conversations while we pamper ourselves with pedicures.
Dan and I have used our “grown-ups only” time wisely. We’ve done dinner and a movie (Game Night…so good). We have had lunches with friends. Dinners with other friends. We attended a birthday party for a friend’s son who turned sixteen. Earlier that same day, we were with little Kaidence at her third birthday party as the yard filled with fans of the bouncy house and their parents who have grown up before my eyes. We enjoyed an evening of dessert and great conversations with more friends. We even had an opportunity to have dinner with our nephew from Michigan because he was on a job assignment near Brighton, Colorado. All of these events were filled with fun moments of getting caught up since our last visit, sharing plans for future travels, and simply enjoying each others company. We spent Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday at our old church, Crosstimbers. I consider Crosstimbers my “home church” because when I’m inside those walls, I am with my second family. I am drawn to Pastor Russ’s every word. I feel the combined love of God in every song we sing together, and love for each other in every hug from friends I have missed since my last visit. The community built in Crosstimbers is like no other I’ve experienced. For that reason, I’ll always visit my “home church” family. I’ll hold onto all these memories I’ve made on this trip with my friends and family. We still have a few days to go, but we want to thank everyone who made time to see us, break bread with us, and shared stories with us…we love you all.
It has been a whirlwind of fun, but life sometimes tosses those lemons at you…and bam…it gets you right in the center of your heart. That day, March 28th, came when I got a call from my baby brother, Bill, asking if I was sitting down. Never a good start to a conversation. He informed me that my Aunt Elajean had passed away an hour before. I leaned back in my chair and felt the sting of heartbreak hit. Not just because she was my aunt (technically step-aunt) who had been in my life since I was eleven, but because of the great lady she was to everyone around her. I spent time as a teenager babysitting her younger kids when needed. Their farm was a place of safe comfort for me, so I’d use any excuse to visit them in Kirkland. Aunt Elajean and Uncle Don had eight kids, almost matching our eleven. If you couldn’t find someone to play with you on their farm you simply were not looking hard enough. Over the years I lost touch with most of them, but through Facebook many of us reconnected. Even Aunt Elajean was on Facebook, so reconnecting with her was a bonus. We could talk about my childhood, and enjoy sharing memories of the farm, my Uncle Don (funniest man around), and my stepdad (Elajean’s brother) for hours.
Elajean gave me insight into life from her vantage point. One day she began asking questions about my mom. Their lives were so different she never had a chance to really get to know her before she passed away in the early 70’s. I recently told Aunt Elajean how much I appreciated her caring enough about my mom to ask and understand. I loved Aunt Elajean’s kind heart, her witty humor, her adventurous ways, and her love for God. I appreciate that she became a fan of my books and told me she enjoyed them, and not just because I was her niece. Before Dan and I went on the road she and I planned a visit. I told her I would be over earlier than planned and I hoped she didn’t mind. She told me no, it would give us more time and she loved to hear my stories. That was Aunt Elajean…always happy to hear about anything you had to tell her. Her unselfish heart made everyone that knew her love her even more. Dan and I have a lot of friends our generation and younger, but also of the generation above ours. I’ve rarely walked away from a conversation with someone older without learning something. My older friends have helped teach me to listen, to learn, and to understand life. Even at eighty-eight, Aunt Elajean was young, because her spirit was young. Unfortunately, the frailty of the body sometimes can’t keep up with the spirit and mind, and though her mind was quicker than most her body could no longer keep up. I won’t be in town for her service, but she and I talked about it enough to know she would be okay with my absence. I know she’s smiling down on all of us because she is home with the Lord, and that is a blessing and something we can all take comfort in knowing. I have no doubt she is still watching, listening…and perhaps even reading. R.I.P. Aunt Elajean…you will always be loved and remembered.
I’ll wrap up this travel blog by reminding all of us to enjoy your time with others, old friends and new. Don’t let an old argument or misunderstanding stop you from picking up that phone. There will always be roads less traveled, and some traveled far too much. There will be good days, bad days, rainy, snowing, and sunny days…but it’s the days when we are sitting quietly and someone comes to mind making us smile that really count. It’s those memories that give us hope that no matter where we are in the world, someone out there in the universe loves us.