Day 10

It has been an eventful last leg. We ended up running very late last night and did not end up getting into Palo Duro Canyon until 11 at night. This proved a problem. The gates to the park closed at 10. Typically, when you arrive late to a campground, there are late arrival instructions in a box outside the office or some sort of instructions. The box outside the office marked "late arrivals" was empty in true government worker fashion. We checked the reservation paper and it gave a number to call for late arrivals. We called this number and again in true government worker fashion it led to a loop recording of the park hours instead of actual late arrival instructions. By this time the kids were asleep and we were tired. There happened to be a dirt lot next to the entrance gate. We decided to pull into this lot, leave everything hooked up, and just sleep there and get an early start in the morning. We carried the kids back, put them to sleep and then tried to rest ourselves, a certain level of anxiety apparent sleeping out in the open. We finally began to nod off to sleep when, at round 1 in the morning, we hear the unmistakable sound of a vomiting child. I rushed to the back to find, Alex and most of the bottom bunk coated with vomit. She was pale and uncomfortable. I quickly cleaned her up and gave her some medicine. I moved the sheets aside and put her back to bed. We slept the best we could, with one ear open listening for more illness. We decided to wake up and get on the road early. I set my alarm for 6. We were still tired when the alarm went off and dragged ourselves out of bed. We dressed the children, still half asleep and loaded them into the car. It was a dim morning and deary eyed, we hit the road. The ride home was mildly unpleasant as result of four tires children and one that was ill. Halfway home, Nate too joined the fray. We head a sound and looked back to see him painting the back of the drivers seat with vomitus. We cleaned and medicated Nate and pressed on. We made fairly good time the rest of the afternoon, even getting in a few podcasts along the way. At around 4 we arrived back home to a much hotter and drier Georgetown than the one we left. Everything was as we left it. We set the kids free and began to unload. Just like that, the trip was over. Tomorrow marks a return to work and the stress and routine of all of that. Even with the sad realization of what tomorrow brings, I still pause for a second on the way back to the trailer and smile. I smile briefly for again I remember. I remember the feeling of a free mind. The enormity and beauty of mountains, the fresh air, the open road, the stunning, the ugly, life, death, clean air and the feel of a horsefly bite. I remember all of these things in a second. I feel them and I smile. For now I am not the tiger in a cage for I remember these things. People always comment on my attitude and propensity to smile. "You are always smiling" they say. I realize that I smile because somewhere in there, I remember. Until next time.....

Day 9

Today did not begin exactly as planned. The plan was to get an early start, and get into Amarillo at a decent time. We decided to take a more scenic route through Taos and cut across that way. When I woke up at 0730, there was pouring rain causing an uproar on the roof of the RV. Nope, I was not going to set up in this pouring rain. I went back to bed and the rain finally stopped at 9. We got up and got the kids dressed and I began the job of getting everything ready to go. Things like hooking up the trailer, dumping the tanks etc. The kids had wanted to do a paddle boat ride in the small lake at the campground. The two Amy's took the children to do this while I packed. At 11, we finally hit the road, stopping at a local bakery for breakfast. Amy surprised me with a green chile burrito and it was sure tasty. The road led us south to the border with New Mexico, the scenery was stunning, We took our time, stopping several times to admire the scenery. Lunch time found us around Taos, New Mexico. Amy was able to look up a local nature park and preserve and we stopped for lunch and to let the kids play. It was a nice setting and they had fun looking at all the toads and beaver cut trees on the preserve boardwalk. A storm again began to roll in and we hit the road. The winding highway afforded many great views of mountain trees and streams. The day would run late however as we are looking at getting into Amarillo at 11pm. The kids are tired and cranky as I type this entry in the car. Hopefully the site wont be hard to get into in the dark.

Day 8

Today did not begin exactly as planned. When I had gone to bed, I was feeling a bit chilled. This progressed to me waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat and leaning over the trash can extremely nauseous. I suspect it was the same pestilence that got Grant a few nights back. Needless to say, I slept in the morning and Amy was kind enough to make breakfast. We got a late start as random thunderstorms continued to roll in. I took some Motrin and Zofran and decided to press on for the day. We decided to visit the bakery for some goodies and the farmers market that is on Saturdays in Pagosa. The boys found some necklaces with elk teeth that they bought and Alex got a couple of necklaces as well. Off we went to the trail afterward. The trail was called Opal Lake and to get there required driving on 15 miles of muddy logging roads into the national forrest. The recent rains made it a bit squirrelly. As we got 2/3 of the way up we came upon a mud pit. Amy was driving and began to slow down, unsure if we proceed. I told her "Don't Stop!". Stopping on soft mud is a sure way to get stuck in it. We made it to the top and we all saddled up for the hike. The first part of the trail involved some steep switchbacks as we increased elevation. Once we got 2 miles in or so, a storm rolled through and it began to rain. We were caught in a grove of Aspens and started to get pretty wet. Then I hear Grant yell "Hail!" Pea sized hail began to rain down on us. The babies were screaming as the hail pelted their heads. We quickly and haphazardly formed a tent with our ponchos and umbrellas and waited out the rain band. "Hunkered down" as they used to say in the Katrina days. Once it passed, the sun again came out and we set out. There were several water crossings with logs serving as bridges on the way up. This was fun for the kids, but a bit nerve wracking for the baby wearing moms. We made it to the top and the trees gave way to a fantastic alpine valley with a green tinted mirror lake. We took some time to eat lunch and allow the children to explore and then set on our way back down. Going downhill with no rain went pretty quickly and we got back in time to make a pot of chili and then smores and a campfire. The kids were exhausted and went to bed so were we. Tomorrow we set off for home and it will be a long drive.

Day 7

I suppose it was about time we had a day of imperfect weather. We awoke to find the weather rainy, cold and damp. The plan was todo a hike just North of town that courses along a canyon with a river that runs through it. We took breakfast time slow so that we could feel out the weather. By late morning, the rain seemed to have cleared up and we decided to set out. The hike is called the Piedras river trail and the road to get there was fantastic. We had to drive 10 miles or so North of town on a gravel road. Vacation homes gave way to rustic prairie, open range with picturesque views of the mountains in the distance. We arrived and got ready. It was nice to see the children with running buddies as this kept them somewhat motivated to keep hiking. The trail was fantastic and the weather held. The river was quite rough and the children were able to watch several groups of whitewater rafters go by. This trail was great for a group of kids as the grades were gentle and the terrain changed quite a bit. Harris found a deer skeleton and insisted on taking some bones home to study. We stopped for lunch in a meadow area and fed the kids as they explored the peculiarities of dirt and various insects. Amy was great enough to watch the kids as I snuck away to find a spot to meditate. A large flat boulder appeared around the next bend and so I climbed up on it. I allowed the sounds of the river and the fresh air to purify my breathing as I released the conscious stream of thought and stress from my responsibility. The weight left and the complexity and beauty of sounds all around me entered my awareness. In that moment when your mind finally clears you never quite know what will pop back in to this mental space. I took some minutes and processed these things and as I gathered my thoughts to go back to the group a large red carpenter ant bit me. It was time to leave and go back. The clouds darkened a bit as we made our way back. The children did pretty well and only really complained for the last mile or so. As soon as we got back to the vehicles the sky opened up and we scampered into the car and set out for home. We cooked dinner and then decided to hit up the hot springs again as the rain had eased up. We spent the next several hours soaking and relaxing and watching the children play. By the time it was time to leave they were all exhausted. We bathed them and put them to bed. Even Amy fell asleep with the children as she was stricken by the relaxed state that a hot tub induces. Tomorrow is the last day before we begin the journey home.

Day 6

Today is a travel day. We let the kids sleep in a bit and then packed up and off we went. As usual Harris was my trailer buddy and has now gotten to where he can back me up to get hitched up. The trailer was heavy with waste water from 4 days of camping as we made our way the 18 miles down into Durango. The city of Durango actually has a trailer dump station near the wastewater treatment plant and a large park. We stopped here and Amy and the kids went to the park while I took care of the dirty business. When I circled around to pick up the children, they were very excited to see some other kids their age with a lemonade stand. They were sure to purchase a glass for each of them. The trip from Durango to Pagosa Springs should take about an hour. We ended up taking almost two. Amy stopped at the health food store and picked up some sandwiches and baked goodies for lunch. We got on the road and the highway had three separate areas that were shut down to one lane traffic with a flag man. This killed our time. Nonetheless the drive was stunning and the weather perfect. There are worse places to be stuck in traffic I suppose. We arrived at our campground in Pagosa. It is a full service campground and we will have all utilities. We checked in and then proceeded to tackle laundry. It is amazing how much laundry a family of six accumulates. I took Alex with me and made her get change from the front desk. Figured we could fit a math lesson in. Later in the afternoon our friends from back home Amy and Tim and their three kids arrived at the campground. We decided to meet up here for a couple of days and do some joint hiking and have the kids play. There is a local hot springs here that has multiple pools filled with natural hot springs. It is a nice place to relax and soak. Once we arrived, they had neglected to inform us that the kids area would be closed for cleaning. We were disappointed, but the manager gave us vouchers to come back another day. We went back to the campground and lit a campfire and watched as the kids made smores. Hopefully, they will have great memories of these adventures.

Day 5

Today didn't go exactly as planned. In the middle of the night, Grant awoke saying that his tummy hurt and that he was about to vomit. He had broken out in a cold sweat. I figured vomiting was imminent and I went ahead and gave him some nausea medicine. He went to bed but moaned all night. In the morning, we got up and I noticed Harris was sitting in his bed looking sad. I asked him what was wrong and I noticed he was covered in vomit. i guess he was embarrassed and didn't want to wake us up or something. He had also coated Alex's ear in vomit. Needless to say, the kids were tired and not in the best mood. Nonetheless, we decided to go ahead with todays planned hike. Getting these tired and cranky kids ready was a chore, but we made our way towards the mountains for the hike. According to the internet, one must turn off of the main highway onto a logging road and head into the National Forrest for the trailhead. It is a 2 mile trail up a mountain to an Alpine Lake called Spud Lake. The internet said that high ground clearance vehicles are suggested. The first part of the road was just a typical muddy dirt road. Things then changed for the worse. The road turned into a narrow winding, steep drop-off road that wasn't even really a road and more of a rock alley. We inched along in the Toyota and 3 mph for the 2 more miles to the trailhead. The Sequoia slowly and methodically climbed over the sharp rocks, while I prayed one of them didn't puncture a tire. I figure a Toyota is as third world tough as any and on we trudged. We finally reached a clearing where the trees gave way to a meadow and a marshy area replete with beaver dams and water lilies. We stopped for a bit and took some pictures. We proceeded up the trail. It was quite muddy from all the recent snow melt and very rocky. The trees gave way to a series of picturesque beaver ponds. One could see the beaver dams and beaver homes. The children were quite miserable as they were tired from the night before I suppose. Nate insisted on using two walking poles and trudged his way up as well. Their irritability soon changed to joy as we reached our destination. Spud Lake was gorgeous. Nestled in the trees, it is ringed by snow capped peaks and there was still snow on the ground. The kids were elated and of course immediately began a snowball fight. Amy and I found a spot on a flat rock and served them lunch sandwiches and then allowed them to go and play in the snow. I decided to find a flat rock and meditate. This was as good a place as any to lose myself in everything and reflect and see what came. As I relaxed and breathed with my eyes closed I noticed the richness of the world around me. So many sounds, so much life. I heard the birds make their multitude of different sounds celebrating the arrival of spring, the excited exclamation from the family across the lake as they managed to catch a fish, the sound of the wind, the creaking of the trees. All of these sounds funneled into my ears and my awareness and mixed with the deep thoughts that can only come with meditation and several things seemed right in the world again. I heard the sound of a horsefly buzzing and felt every bump and test of my flesh and noticed all these things and then noticed the annoying searing pain as he pierced my flesh. This was as good a time as any to leave this wonderful mental space and make our way back down the hill. We found the kids engaged in snowball antics and they ambushed Amy and I with several well placed freezing cold orbs. The hike back down wasn't nearly as bad as the downhill pace allowed the children some aspect of rest. We were almost to the end as I had hung back a bit with Harris. As I stepped off the trail to avoid some mud, I heard an unmistakeable rustle and rattle and then I heard Harris yell SNAKE! As jumped away like a scalded dog as the serpent slithered back into the brush. I don't particularly care for snakes, especially ones that can ruin a trip. The adrenalin from that instance made the last bit of the hike go by in a flash. We loaded up and headed back down the logging road, this time making the best of it by playing some fun music and singing with the kids. They claimed I was making the Sequoia dance as it rocked too and fro whilst negotiating the treacherous granite rocks. The plan was then to stop at Purgatory ski resort where they have this slide that winds down through the ski area, kind of like a louge. Grant had wanted to do this slide since we ran out of time the last time we were out this way. Much to our dismay, the slide was not yet open for the summer and wouldn't be until next week. Now we had cranky and disappointed kids. I decided to try and salvage the afternoon. I suggested we try fishing at the lake at our campground. I stopped at a convenient store to pick up a fishing license and some earthworms. We headed back and made meatloaf and potatoes for dinner. The recent flooding had unearthed some potatoes in the garden back home and I had snatched some before we left. While we cooked, Grant used some old cans and sticks and made a toy raft that they would sail on the lake. It reminded me of storied my father told me about making toys in the Barbados of his childhood. We ate the heart meal and then headed down to the lake. Old fashioned bobber fishing was the plan of the day and I showed the kids how we would rig the line for such a task. Fifteen watchful minutes later, Harris's bobber disappeared underneath the surface. We set the hook and reeled it in....nothing but algae. Another fifteen minutes passed and Harris bobber disappeared again. This time when we reeled it in a speckled trout was on the end of the line. Harris was thrilled. It was his first fish caught. It would be the only fish caught as we wrapped up and put some very tired kiddos to bed. Tomorrow we pack up and head to Pagosa Springs. Spud Lake A portion of the logging road Harris and his fish

Day 4

It was quite chilly overnight. The kids awoke early and thus we did too, quickly made breakfast tacos and headed into town for our hike. The hike today was on the first part of the Colorado trail. This trail begins here in Durango and spans 470 miles all the way to Denver through the mountains. The first few miles which we hiked is relatively flat with only a few climbs and courses along a river. It was very relaxing with the sounds of running water and mountains in the background. The trail is somewhat heavily used. There were lots of mountain bikers and runners with dogs. This could make for some potentially dangerous situations around blind curves and the like with the children. It seems like people here just really like to get out and enjoy nature. A couple of miles in, the children got pretty tired and wanted to stop for lunch. This was our turnaround point. Baby Nate actually hiked a good percentage of this himself but was worn out and rode back on Amy's back. The trail was teaming with birds and other wildlife. Grant even spotted a few snakes. We got back to the car feeling pretty good. A good hike to break the kids in. We then drove back into town and visited the Durango fish hatchery. Here, they raise trout for release into area streams and lakes. We happened to arrive at feeding time and the worker gave the kids handfuls of feed to throw to the fish. The children loved throwing the food and watching the water roll with greedy hungry trout. There was also a museum attached with mounted local wildlife and several pelts that the kids could touch and handle. Since they had done so well on the hike, we decided to treat them to ice cream. There is a locally sourced ice cream joint in downtown Durango, so we headed there. They had some interesting flavors. The children all enjoyed it and it was great to see the ecstasy on their faces as they gulped it down. I had a prickly pear and jalapeño flavored cone. It was actually quite spicy! We left and Amy stopped to pick up some local buffalo meat for tonights supper at the Natural Grocer. I stopped at a local coffee shop for some coffee. Durango is a very dog friendly town. There ere dogs everywhere. In the coffee shop, the bank, everywhere. As we headed back to the campground the weather was perfect and afforded great views of the snow capped peaks North of town. We arrived at the trailer and the air leak with the water pump has gotten worse. Hardly any water came out of the faucet. I decided to attempt repair. I got out the tools and opened the access panel under the sink. It was quite filthy work as years of camp grime had accumulated there. I located the pump, and after some maneuvering was able to get my hand on the fittings. I ran my hand along the fittings and finally found a spot where I felt my hand get sucked against it. Got it! I squirreled the wrench in and tightened this fitting. Score, the pump and water is again working as it should. Next we added more water to the tanks. This requires walking a distance and filling a 5 gallon water container with water and filling it up. For some reason Nate thinks this is great fun. He has also decided to change his name to "battery". For some reason he calls himself "battery" and speaks of himself as such in the third person. So when he saw me withe the water container he screamed "battery wa wa" meaning he wanted to go and help fill it up. Despite getting soaking wet he was determined to help. We added about 10 gallons of water and arrived at camp to find supper ready and we ate a fine meal of buffalo taco salad. We explored the area behind the campground afterwards and followed a small stream for a good ways. Nate for some reason, insisted on dragging the camp shovel the whole way. The resulting noise guaranteed we saw no wild life. We arrived back at camp, got the fire going and roasted marshmallows and told more stories. The kids were exhausted and went to bed in no time. Tomorrow we hike further up in the mountains. The kids are hoping for some snow.

Day 3

The children finally got some rest overnight and all woke up fresh and in good moods. We turned the loose to play in the woods while we prepared sandwiches and snacks for lunch on the go. We warmed up the breakfast tacos and off we went. Todays destination was Mesa Verde National Park. These are the classic cliff dwellings that you see in the four corners area. This park lies about an hour West Of Durango. We stopped at the grocery store for some drinking water and there seems to be a problem with the water pump in the trailer and the water flow is pretty terrible in the trailer. I will have to troubleshoot that tomorrow. We arrived at the park and stopped at the visitors center. Visitors are required to set up a tour to visit some of the more classic ruins. We requested Junior Ranger books for the kids to work on during our visit. The books were quite appropriate for their age and kept them captivated. From the entrance one must drive another hour or so to the ruins. The ruins sit in a high desert area and it can get quite hot and dry. Those conditions, coupled with the altitude make for a draining day for the kids. We took the tour nonetheless. It was interesting but we spent much of our time corralling the kids. They are of that age where they want to touch everything. We ate lunch and made our way back down the mountain. The three oldest children were able to earn their ranger badges to add to their collection. On the way back, we stopped at a natural food store we enjoy and got several healthy snacks for the kids and some coconut water to help with hydration. Amy was having a bit of a tough time with the altitude yesterday but seems to be improving. We arrived back at the campsite and Harris and Grant prepared kindling for the camp fire with hatchets. They still appear to have all their fingers. We cooked a supper of corn beef and rice outside while the youngsters explored the woods and took pictures. After we ate, we sang campfire songs and told stories. Being the nostalgic sucker that I am, before the trip I purchased a Djembe drum to play around the fire. I told spooky stories to the children while Amy added beats and sound effects with the drum. It was a lot of fun and the kids really enjoyed it. Today I really felt like I was able to decompress a bit and slow down. Durango seems to be an interesting and eclectic town with friendly people. Tomorrow we start our first real hike. Hopefully somewhat better acclimatized to the altitude. Trying to get the picture thing sorted out and will try to have pictures up tomorrow.