We got up early again, and again put the kids in the vehicle sleeping. We made the 10 minute drive to the nearest Discount Tire. The manager there helped us, and he was extremely helpful. We were back on the road in 20 minutes with a new fresh spare. While they changed the tired, Amy and I got the kids teeth brushed and changed. You know, efficient time management and all of that.
We headed Southeast on that long stretch of highway through North Texas. There was nothing much to see. We listened to various podcasts, many of them interesting. Somewhere along that stretch, probably an hour outside Fort Worth, we came upon multiple cattle next to the highway. They had clearly escaped from someones place. I pulled over and had Amy dial 911. We reported these loose cattle, as a collision with such a beast could prove fatal for a weary traveler. The dispatcher promised to send a deputy and we moved on.
Our progress was hindered in the usual Fort Worth traffic, but we made it through and stopped at Chick Fil A in Burleson, TX. Here we met up with Shari so that we could drop Luke off. Luke was initially crying that he didn't want to go home and wanted to continue camping, but that ended as soon as he hugged his Mom. We ate lunch and let the children play a bit. We all said our goodbyes and headed South.
Familiar territory appeared as we made the final couple of hours drive. It was hot and dry. There was some trafic about an hour North of home, but mostly smooth sailing. Amy finished the drive. As we pulled into the house, Amy stated that the Endeavor smelled like "engine". I took the helm to back the ship into the storage spot and looked down to see the temperature gauge approaching red. The Endeavor was failing, but she ,made it home. Yes, she made it home. The wear and tear had caught up to her, but she had done it. It is likely her last trip. I will have to thin of some sort of fitting end. There are many memories in that ship.
Monday, July 24, 2017
Day 9
The drive out of the mountains always seems to take a while. Amy and I got up early and packed and stowed everything, hitching the trailer up before the children even woke up. We carried them to the vehicle while they were still sleeping. We slowly crawled out of the campground and onto the highway.
The morning air was cool, and the weather perfect. I looked in my rear view mirror at the towering mountains that grew smaller with our descent from altitude. There was that sinking feeling, foreign, yet familiar as the realization of our return to our Lives was here.
The free RV dump provided by the city of Durango was closed for renovations. We stopped at a local commercial campground and paid the 10 dollars to dump 4 days of waste water. The Endeavor needed to ride herself of as much weight as she could for a long day of driving at altitude. I handled the sewage while Amy got the kids teeth brushed and their clothes changed. From there, we headed down into town and stopped at the local independent grocer and got some hot breakfast burritos. They were just as delicious as I remember.
Bellies full, we headed across the high desert and down towards Albuquerque. The mountains gave way to high desert, and we took it easy, trying not to stress the motor. The children completed more Mad Libs, and even convinced the adults to join in. Howls of laughter ensued from the typical nonsense that are Mad Libs.
We made it to Albuquerque, and beat the traffic. We made our turn East and headed across the high hot desert toward Amarillo. I took a break for a while, turning the helm over to Amy. We put on some storytelling podcasts and settled into the drive. Suddenly, the Endeavor began to shudder violently. There had been some rough pavement and at first we believed that to be the cause. The shuddering worsened and I looked over to see Amy's knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel. I asked her to pull over and confirm what I thought to be the case.
Indeed, we had a blowout. The right rear tire was nothing but shreds. The asphalt was scorching as the weather was over 100 degrees. I commenced the hot dirty job of changing a tire on the side of the interstate. Cars whizzed by at 80+ mph ans I quickly changed the destroyed rubber. We were back on our way in about 25 minutes. We kept the speed low the rest of the way as another flat would render us crippled with no other spare.
We made it to Amarillo at around 8pm. There are Discount Tire shops here, so the flat will be replaced under warranty. We made it to the Amarillo KOA campground with enough time for the kids to swim. While amy took them swimming, I made a dinner of corned beef and rice. Full hookups at this place mean nice long showers and A/C.
Tomorrow begins the final leg home.
The morning air was cool, and the weather perfect. I looked in my rear view mirror at the towering mountains that grew smaller with our descent from altitude. There was that sinking feeling, foreign, yet familiar as the realization of our return to our Lives was here.
The free RV dump provided by the city of Durango was closed for renovations. We stopped at a local commercial campground and paid the 10 dollars to dump 4 days of waste water. The Endeavor needed to ride herself of as much weight as she could for a long day of driving at altitude. I handled the sewage while Amy got the kids teeth brushed and their clothes changed. From there, we headed down into town and stopped at the local independent grocer and got some hot breakfast burritos. They were just as delicious as I remember.
Bellies full, we headed across the high desert and down towards Albuquerque. The mountains gave way to high desert, and we took it easy, trying not to stress the motor. The children completed more Mad Libs, and even convinced the adults to join in. Howls of laughter ensued from the typical nonsense that are Mad Libs.
We made it to Albuquerque, and beat the traffic. We made our turn East and headed across the high hot desert toward Amarillo. I took a break for a while, turning the helm over to Amy. We put on some storytelling podcasts and settled into the drive. Suddenly, the Endeavor began to shudder violently. There had been some rough pavement and at first we believed that to be the cause. The shuddering worsened and I looked over to see Amy's knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel. I asked her to pull over and confirm what I thought to be the case.
Indeed, we had a blowout. The right rear tire was nothing but shreds. The asphalt was scorching as the weather was over 100 degrees. I commenced the hot dirty job of changing a tire on the side of the interstate. Cars whizzed by at 80+ mph ans I quickly changed the destroyed rubber. We were back on our way in about 25 minutes. We kept the speed low the rest of the way as another flat would render us crippled with no other spare.
We made it to Amarillo at around 8pm. There are Discount Tire shops here, so the flat will be replaced under warranty. We made it to the Amarillo KOA campground with enough time for the kids to swim. While amy took them swimming, I made a dinner of corned beef and rice. Full hookups at this place mean nice long showers and A/C.
Tomorrow begins the final leg home.
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Day 8
We had to get up and move the trailer to a different site. We had to piece together our camping reservation as the holidays had the campground at capacity. We found our new spot and quickly packed up the trailer and moved it down . We had a whitewater rafting trip planned and we had time to burn. We headed down for one last round of fishing. Harris caught one fish before we called it quits.
We headed into town to the outfitter. We lined up with a group of people waiting to meet our guides. They arrived in a old school busses that were painted white and towing trailers stacked high with rafts. The guides seemed to be a rag tag band of college aged kids, many of them long haired and dirty in thee way that young hippie types are. They told many corny jokes, but these seemed to entertain the younger patrons greatly. We entered the river on the North side of town. The float was relaxed and had just enough rapids at parts to keep the children entertained. They were all smiles. The older ones took turns setting on the front of the raft and jumping into the water. At the end Nate was crying because he didn't want the trip to end.
We left from there and visited with my old buddy from residency. It is always good to see them. They also had several friends over and we enjoyed chatting and eating a good meal. The kids had a blast as there were a whole herd of children running and playing. As usual, as the evening wore on and the children tired, the bickering increased. We headed back to the campsite, our bellies full. Tomorrow begins the long journey home.
We had to get up and move the trailer to a different site. We had to piece together our camping reservation as the holidays had the campground at capacity. We found our new spot and quickly packed up the trailer and moved it down . We had a whitewater rafting trip planned and we had time to burn. We headed down for one last round of fishing. Harris caught one fish before we called it quits.
We headed into town to the outfitter. We lined up with a group of people waiting to meet our guides. They arrived in a old school busses that were painted white and towing trailers stacked high with rafts. The guides seemed to be a rag tag band of college aged kids, many of them long haired and dirty in thee way that young hippie types are. They told many corny jokes, but these seemed to entertain the younger patrons greatly. We entered the river on the North side of town. The float was relaxed and had just enough rapids at parts to keep the children entertained. They were all smiles. The older ones took turns setting on the front of the raft and jumping into the water. At the end Nate was crying because he didn't want the trip to end.
We left from there and visited with my old buddy from residency. It is always good to see them. They also had several friends over and we enjoyed chatting and eating a good meal. The kids had a blast as there were a whole herd of children running and playing. As usual, as the evening wore on and the children tired, the bickering increased. We headed back to the campsite, our bellies full. Tomorrow begins the long journey home.
Day 7
July 4th. The annual ape of American summer. We were supposed to get up and go on a hike North of town, but the kids begged us to go fishing. We decided to Tyra our luck since we only had four caught fish in the freezer, and to cook fish for all but one child would surely end in a disaster. We headed down to the lake and wet the lines. Within an hour, we had caught three more fish. The children were excited and made plans to eat them for dinner.
We headed into town for the July 4th festivities. We decided to walk through downtown and find lunch. We stopped to eat at a cafe downtown. It was busy and the service was absolutely terrible. Amazing how a poor service experience can absolutely ruin a meal.
From there we left and headed to an outdoor festival in downtown Durango. The music was nice and the children quickly joined forces with other kids and ran around the park playing games and tag in the way that kids do.
Shortly after, we met up with the cousins and got ice cream at a local spot. The parade would pass right by the shop. All of the kids lined up on the curb for prime viewing. It was your run of the mill parade with fire trucks and local floats. The kids enjoyed it and had fun catching the candy. We said goodbye to the cousins and headed back to the campsite.
Before we left, I had soaked the fish with lime and salt. We rinsed them and then I laid out a piece of foil for each child. I threw a dab of coconut oil on each piece and then laid a fish down on each. I brought out spices and had the children season the fish. By this time, the campfire was nice and warm. We laid the foil wrapped fish over the grate with hot coals underneath. They cooked to perfection while we prepared the rest of the meal. The fish were bony, but tasted delicious. The kids had smiles on their faces, deriving satisfaction from eating their catch. We then made s'mores and slept well, bellies full and exhausted from the days activities.
July 4th. The annual ape of American summer. We were supposed to get up and go on a hike North of town, but the kids begged us to go fishing. We decided to Tyra our luck since we only had four caught fish in the freezer, and to cook fish for all but one child would surely end in a disaster. We headed down to the lake and wet the lines. Within an hour, we had caught three more fish. The children were excited and made plans to eat them for dinner.
We headed into town for the July 4th festivities. We decided to walk through downtown and find lunch. We stopped to eat at a cafe downtown. It was busy and the service was absolutely terrible. Amazing how a poor service experience can absolutely ruin a meal.
From there we left and headed to an outdoor festival in downtown Durango. The music was nice and the children quickly joined forces with other kids and ran around the park playing games and tag in the way that kids do.
Shortly after, we met up with the cousins and got ice cream at a local spot. The parade would pass right by the shop. All of the kids lined up on the curb for prime viewing. It was your run of the mill parade with fire trucks and local floats. The kids enjoyed it and had fun catching the candy. We said goodbye to the cousins and headed back to the campsite.
Before we left, I had soaked the fish with lime and salt. We rinsed them and then I laid out a piece of foil for each child. I threw a dab of coconut oil on each piece and then laid a fish down on each. I brought out spices and had the children season the fish. By this time, the campfire was nice and warm. We laid the foil wrapped fish over the grate with hot coals underneath. They cooked to perfection while we prepared the rest of the meal. The fish were bony, but tasted delicious. The kids had smiles on their faces, deriving satisfaction from eating their catch. We then made s'mores and slept well, bellies full and exhausted from the days activities.
Monday, July 3, 2017
Day 6
Grant and I got up early and attempted to fish the lake. We were skunked. Watching others fish gave us ideas on some different approaches for next time. We came back to the trailer to find a breakfast of French toast and coffee. We ate until our bellies were full and then packed hiking supplies.
The hike was North of town. It was a several mile round trip hike to the base of "Engineer Mountain". One of the highest peaks North of Durango. The trailhead was just off the highway, and judging by the parking lot, it was popular. The hike started out in an alpine meadow and followed multiple steep ascending switchbacks into the mountains. The scenery was beautiful. The alpine wildflowers were in bloom and the weather was perfect. The children did remarkable well. I only had to carry the littles for a short while off and on. The hike terminated at a beautiful alpine lake where we stopped to eat lunch. The peacefulness of this time only marred by a random text from my company asking me to work more. I declined. The kids, rejuvenated by peanut butter and jelly marched down to complete the hike. They were pleased by the remnants of the snow pack and snowball fights abounded.
We left the trailhead and headed to Purgatory resort to allow the kids to ride the alpine slide. The resort turns one of the slope into an mountainside slide in the summer months. We rode it last year and the kids begged to do it again. July 3rd was of course busy and we had to wait approx 45 minuted to ride. It was fairly hot for the mountains at 90 degrees. The slide was fun. The children ended up discussing who won what race and all of the usual pre teen braggadocio.
We left the resort and headed into Durango. We were almost out of clean clothes and laundry needed done. I dropped Amy and the kids off at a park in town, while I went to a laundromat to do laundry. I left during the various wash and dry cycles to procure various provisions like milk and eggs. Amy and the bunch ate at a local brew but but ordered me a bangers and mash calzone to-go. It was delicious.
The Corps of Discovery and its respective crew of 6 cousins were camped nearby at Mesa Verde NP. They happened to be in town for resupply as well. The decision was made to link up at a local park. I met them all there. 11 children running and playing was fun to watch. I enjoyed watching the kids trade stories and tall tales of their journeys and life since the last time they met up. They all played until dusk and we then headed back to our respective campsites.
Tomorrow is the Fourth of July. More hiking, and a parade and festival in the PM. The kids have proven hard to get to bed as they are still excited.
Grant and I got up early and attempted to fish the lake. We were skunked. Watching others fish gave us ideas on some different approaches for next time. We came back to the trailer to find a breakfast of French toast and coffee. We ate until our bellies were full and then packed hiking supplies.
The hike was North of town. It was a several mile round trip hike to the base of "Engineer Mountain". One of the highest peaks North of Durango. The trailhead was just off the highway, and judging by the parking lot, it was popular. The hike started out in an alpine meadow and followed multiple steep ascending switchbacks into the mountains. The scenery was beautiful. The alpine wildflowers were in bloom and the weather was perfect. The children did remarkable well. I only had to carry the littles for a short while off and on. The hike terminated at a beautiful alpine lake where we stopped to eat lunch. The peacefulness of this time only marred by a random text from my company asking me to work more. I declined. The kids, rejuvenated by peanut butter and jelly marched down to complete the hike. They were pleased by the remnants of the snow pack and snowball fights abounded.
We left the trailhead and headed to Purgatory resort to allow the kids to ride the alpine slide. The resort turns one of the slope into an mountainside slide in the summer months. We rode it last year and the kids begged to do it again. July 3rd was of course busy and we had to wait approx 45 minuted to ride. It was fairly hot for the mountains at 90 degrees. The slide was fun. The children ended up discussing who won what race and all of the usual pre teen braggadocio.
We left the resort and headed into Durango. We were almost out of clean clothes and laundry needed done. I dropped Amy and the kids off at a park in town, while I went to a laundromat to do laundry. I left during the various wash and dry cycles to procure various provisions like milk and eggs. Amy and the bunch ate at a local brew but but ordered me a bangers and mash calzone to-go. It was delicious.
The Corps of Discovery and its respective crew of 6 cousins were camped nearby at Mesa Verde NP. They happened to be in town for resupply as well. The decision was made to link up at a local park. I met them all there. 11 children running and playing was fun to watch. I enjoyed watching the kids trade stories and tall tales of their journeys and life since the last time they met up. They all played until dusk and we then headed back to our respective campsites.
Tomorrow is the Fourth of July. More hiking, and a parade and festival in the PM. The kids have proven hard to get to bed as they are still excited.
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Day 5
We spent the morning packing up everything and cleaning to trailer in preparation to push off. It would be a long day of slow going, as most of the driving was mountain passes. We turned course South and headed over the high desert to the mountains. We drove over the Rio Grande gorge and some sort of artist community in which the desert adobe homes seemed to be painted an eclectic mix of colors and adorned with mirrors and trinkets. We then slowly wound our way over the mountains. The steep grades often limited our progress to 35mph or slower, while I again coaxed the ship as she struggled.
We decided to stop for lunch at a pullout high in the mountains for lunch. Cabin fever had set in and the children had begun fighting and hitting. The usual sort of thing that happens on such road trips. As Amy and I ate, I sent the children to explore the surrounding area. Deep in some underbrush, they found an old welded bench with a mans name on it and a sort of shrine to him. I suspect the deceased had his ashes spread at this spot. The children had fun creating theories on what may have happened to him and why.
We continued on at a snails pace and turned North into Colorado. We headed into the town of Pagosa Springs for a stop at a bakery for some treats and a resupply stop at the local Wal Mart for various dry goods. Then West to Durango and our usual camping spot on the lake North of town. The campground host was not very friendly. We set up and cooked chicken tacos in the pressure cooker. The children begged to fish after supper so we took them down to the lake where we tried our luck. Nothing. Tangled lines to show for our troubles. We lit a quick campfire so the kids could roast marshmallows and then to bed. Tomorrow is another day of hiking.
We spent the morning packing up everything and cleaning to trailer in preparation to push off. It would be a long day of slow going, as most of the driving was mountain passes. We turned course South and headed over the high desert to the mountains. We drove over the Rio Grande gorge and some sort of artist community in which the desert adobe homes seemed to be painted an eclectic mix of colors and adorned with mirrors and trinkets. We then slowly wound our way over the mountains. The steep grades often limited our progress to 35mph or slower, while I again coaxed the ship as she struggled.
We decided to stop for lunch at a pullout high in the mountains for lunch. Cabin fever had set in and the children had begun fighting and hitting. The usual sort of thing that happens on such road trips. As Amy and I ate, I sent the children to explore the surrounding area. Deep in some underbrush, they found an old welded bench with a mans name on it and a sort of shrine to him. I suspect the deceased had his ashes spread at this spot. The children had fun creating theories on what may have happened to him and why.
We continued on at a snails pace and turned North into Colorado. We headed into the town of Pagosa Springs for a stop at a bakery for some treats and a resupply stop at the local Wal Mart for various dry goods. Then West to Durango and our usual camping spot on the lake North of town. The campground host was not very friendly. We set up and cooked chicken tacos in the pressure cooker. The children begged to fish after supper so we took them down to the lake where we tried our luck. Nothing. Tangled lines to show for our troubles. We lit a quick campfire so the kids could roast marshmallows and then to bed. Tomorrow is another day of hiking.
Saturday, July 1, 2017
Day 4
We decided to forego hiking today and test out the fishing at the local fishing hatchery. The Red River fish hatchery produced something like 175,000 pounds of trout to stock local rivers and streams. Next to the hatchery, there is a small lake that they keep stocked with trout. This lake is to be fished by children 12 and under and seniors over 65. We took the children and let them fish. A cool and scenic morning netted us two trout. For the adults, keeping lines untangle and baiting hooks was a full time job.
We then headed back into Red River to check out a local burger eatery and perhaps ride the ski lift. The youngest three were in a special kind of mood and bickered and fought the whole time I suspect the late nights and such are catching up with them. We ended up taking most of the food to go and skipping riding the ski lift.
I texted my former colleague to set up a time to meet to fish. He invited us down to his families place just North of town. It was a nice adobe home, in the classic New Mexico fashion. Bright Southwestern colors adorned the rich Southwestern architecture and the courtyard offered 360 degree views of the mountains and high desert. We chatted for a while and he and I went to fly fish the Red River while the children and Amy went into Taos and the local toy store on the Plaza.
Fly fishing was an amazing experience. It was completely new to me and the learning curve was steep. I am not sure I can go back to gulag fishing. The experience of wading into crystal clear water surrounded by mountains, while casting the locally made fly in that rhythmic way seemed to melt away all of the stresses of life. In that moment, the water flowed, the trout were biting, and the air was clean. These perceptions all blended into one sense and I achieved what I was looking for, if only for a short while. I only got hung up on trees and slipped and fell in the water a few times. The mosquitoes came out and we called it a day. The number of fish caught did not matter, only that the river flowed and would always flow.
We hiked out the the river area and met up with Amy and the kids who had returned to the hatchery pond. They had had no luck yet, but as the sun sunk, Alex and Grant both landed trout. The light slowly faded and we packed up. There were a few tears from those who did not catch fish but the tears faded to sleep as we headed back to the campsite.
We push off tomorrow and set course for Durango. We will have to check the reports and there seems to be a forrest fire awfully close to town. We shall see.
We decided to forego hiking today and test out the fishing at the local fishing hatchery. The Red River fish hatchery produced something like 175,000 pounds of trout to stock local rivers and streams. Next to the hatchery, there is a small lake that they keep stocked with trout. This lake is to be fished by children 12 and under and seniors over 65. We took the children and let them fish. A cool and scenic morning netted us two trout. For the adults, keeping lines untangle and baiting hooks was a full time job.
We then headed back into Red River to check out a local burger eatery and perhaps ride the ski lift. The youngest three were in a special kind of mood and bickered and fought the whole time I suspect the late nights and such are catching up with them. We ended up taking most of the food to go and skipping riding the ski lift.
I texted my former colleague to set up a time to meet to fish. He invited us down to his families place just North of town. It was a nice adobe home, in the classic New Mexico fashion. Bright Southwestern colors adorned the rich Southwestern architecture and the courtyard offered 360 degree views of the mountains and high desert. We chatted for a while and he and I went to fly fish the Red River while the children and Amy went into Taos and the local toy store on the Plaza.
Fly fishing was an amazing experience. It was completely new to me and the learning curve was steep. I am not sure I can go back to gulag fishing. The experience of wading into crystal clear water surrounded by mountains, while casting the locally made fly in that rhythmic way seemed to melt away all of the stresses of life. In that moment, the water flowed, the trout were biting, and the air was clean. These perceptions all blended into one sense and I achieved what I was looking for, if only for a short while. I only got hung up on trees and slipped and fell in the water a few times. The mosquitoes came out and we called it a day. The number of fish caught did not matter, only that the river flowed and would always flow.
We hiked out the the river area and met up with Amy and the kids who had returned to the hatchery pond. They had had no luck yet, but as the sun sunk, Alex and Grant both landed trout. The light slowly faded and we packed up. There were a few tears from those who did not catch fish but the tears faded to sleep as we headed back to the campsite.
We push off tomorrow and set course for Durango. We will have to check the reports and there seems to be a forrest fire awfully close to town. We shall see.
Friday, June 30, 2017
Day 3
After two long days of travel, I allowed the children to sleep in. In fact, I enjoyed sleeping in almost as much. Sleeping in meant getting up at 0730 instead of 0600. I got up and made some breakfast tacos for the gang. I figured such food might provide the appropriate energy for our first hike of the trip.
I started the generator while we cooked to charge up the ships batteries a bit. The trailhead was only about 5 minutes away at the next campground up the river from us. We made the trip and pulled in next to what looked like a horse trailer. To our amusement, tied to the side of the trailer were a pack of llamas. Apparently you can hire a guide an take pack llama trips up into the mountains. We set out on the hike, a relaxing but uphill hike 3 miles to a turnaround point. On the way up, there was the usual whining but they kids quickly set into a rhythm. I would occasionally carry the smaller two boys but it wasn't a bad hike. The first hike is always somewhat difficult with the altitude and such. We found a turnaround point and had lunch at a water crossing. The kids enjoyed playing in the water and trying to spot salamanders.
The hike down was a different story. The younger two children ran out of energy and devolved into crying messes. I ended up swapping the two of them on my shoulders to give them a break. Halfway down we encountered another family. They turned our attention to an abandoned gold mine that was sort of hidden up a rock slide. Amy and Alex continued on, while myself and the boyse went to explore. Harris had brought a head lamp and we ventured into the cave. The temperature suddenly turned cold and damp. We walked in about 50 yards and that was enough. The kids became scared and my common sense got the better of me. No gold was found.
We completed the hike to find Alex and Amy waiting. We decided to head into Taos, about 45 minutes away for some fly fishing supplies and dinner. As we pulled out and headed West, the beatiful mountainside gave way to a barren waste land as the Forrest had been sold off to some sort of strip mine. It was sad to see. The children asked why that sort of thing would happen. I explained that this was why I was so adamant about protecting our countries public lands. Once they are taken in such aa way, they will never come back.
Taos was an interesting city with an interesting vib. It felt like a Southwestern South Austin in a way. We found the fly shop and I procured my flies for fishing tomorrow. The shopkeeper informed me of a pond that was good for fishing with children near the local fish hatchery. We had been given advice from a colleague to check out the up attached to the local NPR station. KTAOS is an NPR affiliate that is completely solar powered on the edge of town. The interesting part is that there is an attached pub with a kid friendly outdoor area. The whole thing overlooks TAos mountain and had a spectacular view. The station had an interesting assortment of hippies and local families. The DJ was broadcasting live from a studio in the middle of the bar encased in soundproof glass. We found the outside and the kids had fun hula hooping and playing tag while Amy and I absorbed the view and atmosphere. This Friday was also a special family night. They had a large movie screen set up in the pavilion in which they were going to show Jim Hensons's "Dark Crystal". Families are encouraged to attend and bring a mat to lay down and enjoy the show. There was families, couples and dogs al enjoying the signature puppetry of Jim Henson. We ate dinner while watching the show. The kids were engrossed in the film and left with all smiles.
We headed bad with enough daylight to start a campfire. Harris lit the fire today and they again enjoyed s'mores while Alex, Amy and myself provided music with the drums and ukele. The kids were a bit hyper after all the soda at the pub, but all in all a fantastic day. Taos seems to be worthy of a repeat visit in the future.
After two long days of travel, I allowed the children to sleep in. In fact, I enjoyed sleeping in almost as much. Sleeping in meant getting up at 0730 instead of 0600. I got up and made some breakfast tacos for the gang. I figured such food might provide the appropriate energy for our first hike of the trip.
I started the generator while we cooked to charge up the ships batteries a bit. The trailhead was only about 5 minutes away at the next campground up the river from us. We made the trip and pulled in next to what looked like a horse trailer. To our amusement, tied to the side of the trailer were a pack of llamas. Apparently you can hire a guide an take pack llama trips up into the mountains. We set out on the hike, a relaxing but uphill hike 3 miles to a turnaround point. On the way up, there was the usual whining but they kids quickly set into a rhythm. I would occasionally carry the smaller two boys but it wasn't a bad hike. The first hike is always somewhat difficult with the altitude and such. We found a turnaround point and had lunch at a water crossing. The kids enjoyed playing in the water and trying to spot salamanders.
The hike down was a different story. The younger two children ran out of energy and devolved into crying messes. I ended up swapping the two of them on my shoulders to give them a break. Halfway down we encountered another family. They turned our attention to an abandoned gold mine that was sort of hidden up a rock slide. Amy and Alex continued on, while myself and the boyse went to explore. Harris had brought a head lamp and we ventured into the cave. The temperature suddenly turned cold and damp. We walked in about 50 yards and that was enough. The kids became scared and my common sense got the better of me. No gold was found.
We completed the hike to find Alex and Amy waiting. We decided to head into Taos, about 45 minutes away for some fly fishing supplies and dinner. As we pulled out and headed West, the beatiful mountainside gave way to a barren waste land as the Forrest had been sold off to some sort of strip mine. It was sad to see. The children asked why that sort of thing would happen. I explained that this was why I was so adamant about protecting our countries public lands. Once they are taken in such aa way, they will never come back.
Taos was an interesting city with an interesting vib. It felt like a Southwestern South Austin in a way. We found the fly shop and I procured my flies for fishing tomorrow. The shopkeeper informed me of a pond that was good for fishing with children near the local fish hatchery. We had been given advice from a colleague to check out the up attached to the local NPR station. KTAOS is an NPR affiliate that is completely solar powered on the edge of town. The interesting part is that there is an attached pub with a kid friendly outdoor area. The whole thing overlooks TAos mountain and had a spectacular view. The station had an interesting assortment of hippies and local families. The DJ was broadcasting live from a studio in the middle of the bar encased in soundproof glass. We found the outside and the kids had fun hula hooping and playing tag while Amy and I absorbed the view and atmosphere. This Friday was also a special family night. They had a large movie screen set up in the pavilion in which they were going to show Jim Hensons's "Dark Crystal". Families are encouraged to attend and bring a mat to lay down and enjoy the show. There was families, couples and dogs al enjoying the signature puppetry of Jim Henson. We ate dinner while watching the show. The kids were engrossed in the film and left with all smiles.
We headed bad with enough daylight to start a campfire. Harris lit the fire today and they again enjoyed s'mores while Alex, Amy and myself provided music with the drums and ukele. The kids were a bit hyper after all the soda at the pub, but all in all a fantastic day. Taos seems to be worthy of a repeat visit in the future.
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Day 2
The crew slept well. I got up early and mad everyone cream of wheat. I had the kids help me get ready to push off as they are getting old enough for that sort of thing.
The journey North carried us through the usual seemingly endless miles of high plains. What once nourished millions of buffalo and Native People, now reduced to corporate farms. What a thing it must have been to see, the endless prairie, uninterrupted by fences or large irrigated fields.
We decided to take a different route West this time. We would skip the usual lunch spot at Capulin Volcano, and take a course directly West. The road was much smaller, but it seemed to travel along some parts of the old SantaFe trail. There was really only one stop on the desolate stretch of road. The "stop" was really just a collection of a couple of buildings and a local mercantile. Amy had looked up this shop on her phone and multiple travelers had raved about the home cooking and hospitality. This would be our lunch stop. We pulled in, letting the travel weary children run about for a bit. Inside the store was a motley collection of local, jams and honey, jewelry, blankets, soda, and a counter from which you could order food. There was no menu. The lady behind the counter simply responded, "We have burgers and brisket sandwiches today". A quick query of the children revealed that all but Grant would opt for the burger. They were made to order and we made our way outside where they had a lone picnic table that overlooked the interminable grassland. There was an arid breeze blowing, providing a sort of relaxation that was simple and elegant.
As we had gone into the store, we encountered an elderly man. He smiled at the antics of the children, pleased to remember the simple jubilance of childhood. The food was delivered to the table, and even Luke, who is normally picky made short work of the mean. The brisket sand which was delicious, and the pinto brand that accompanied the meal was just as good. They had a hint of the green child flavor in that New Mexico way.
We finished our meal and headed back to the rig. The old man stopped us and asked us where we were from. We discussed our travels and inquired some about his history. He had moved to the area 65 years ago as a boy and has lived there since. His face was sun beaten, weathered and tough in that old rancher way. He seemed to have a softness there as he discussed years of ranching and memories. He still ranches, but said he is to old to get up on his horse anymore. He asked us about Austin, all his life having never traveled further than the Northern part of Texas. We finished the chat and he wished us a genuine safe trip, and we promised to stop back by in the future, should life carry us this way. He eats lunch at the mercantile daily and has done so for the past 20 years.
The route then carried us along the plains until it slowly climbed into the New Mexico mountains. Various podcasts filled the speakers to the children's delight. One podcast in particular from an NPR segment told the tragic tale of a young man who had a severe head injury and the emotional roller coaster as the family decided to withdraw care and let him die. It was a powerful piece and made for some interesting conversation in the car.
As we finished our trip, we had one last climb up a steep grade. The Endeavor struggled mightily with this, all the while I vocally coaxed her struggle. A machine cannot hear, but it seemed the thing to do. Our campsite sits along a flowing river and two small lakes. We decided to take the kids fishing, but this ended in disaster as there were any tangled lines and tears.
We returned to the campsite and cooked dinner. A nice quiet evening was relaxing and we ate our stomachs full. There was some bickering as the kids ran out of steam. Alex has since learned to play the Ukelele. We got the campfire going and Alex decided to play "Riptide" on her instrument. Harris joined in on the Bongo drum and the rest of the family on vocals. It sounded surprisingly good and I just sat back and smiled. Great family moment. We allowed the fire to burn down and as I sit here typing, I wait for t
The crew slept well. I got up early and mad everyone cream of wheat. I had the kids help me get ready to push off as they are getting old enough for that sort of thing.
The journey North carried us through the usual seemingly endless miles of high plains. What once nourished millions of buffalo and Native People, now reduced to corporate farms. What a thing it must have been to see, the endless prairie, uninterrupted by fences or large irrigated fields.
We decided to take a different route West this time. We would skip the usual lunch spot at Capulin Volcano, and take a course directly West. The road was much smaller, but it seemed to travel along some parts of the old SantaFe trail. There was really only one stop on the desolate stretch of road. The "stop" was really just a collection of a couple of buildings and a local mercantile. Amy had looked up this shop on her phone and multiple travelers had raved about the home cooking and hospitality. This would be our lunch stop. We pulled in, letting the travel weary children run about for a bit. Inside the store was a motley collection of local, jams and honey, jewelry, blankets, soda, and a counter from which you could order food. There was no menu. The lady behind the counter simply responded, "We have burgers and brisket sandwiches today". A quick query of the children revealed that all but Grant would opt for the burger. They were made to order and we made our way outside where they had a lone picnic table that overlooked the interminable grassland. There was an arid breeze blowing, providing a sort of relaxation that was simple and elegant.
As we had gone into the store, we encountered an elderly man. He smiled at the antics of the children, pleased to remember the simple jubilance of childhood. The food was delivered to the table, and even Luke, who is normally picky made short work of the mean. The brisket sand which was delicious, and the pinto brand that accompanied the meal was just as good. They had a hint of the green child flavor in that New Mexico way.
We finished our meal and headed back to the rig. The old man stopped us and asked us where we were from. We discussed our travels and inquired some about his history. He had moved to the area 65 years ago as a boy and has lived there since. His face was sun beaten, weathered and tough in that old rancher way. He seemed to have a softness there as he discussed years of ranching and memories. He still ranches, but said he is to old to get up on his horse anymore. He asked us about Austin, all his life having never traveled further than the Northern part of Texas. We finished the chat and he wished us a genuine safe trip, and we promised to stop back by in the future, should life carry us this way. He eats lunch at the mercantile daily and has done so for the past 20 years.
The route then carried us along the plains until it slowly climbed into the New Mexico mountains. Various podcasts filled the speakers to the children's delight. One podcast in particular from an NPR segment told the tragic tale of a young man who had a severe head injury and the emotional roller coaster as the family decided to withdraw care and let him die. It was a powerful piece and made for some interesting conversation in the car.
As we finished our trip, we had one last climb up a steep grade. The Endeavor struggled mightily with this, all the while I vocally coaxed her struggle. A machine cannot hear, but it seemed the thing to do. Our campsite sits along a flowing river and two small lakes. We decided to take the kids fishing, but this ended in disaster as there were any tangled lines and tears.
We returned to the campsite and cooked dinner. A nice quiet evening was relaxing and we ate our stomachs full. There was some bickering as the kids ran out of steam. Alex has since learned to play the Ukelele. We got the campfire going and Alex decided to play "Riptide" on her instrument. Harris joined in on the Bongo drum and the rest of the family on vocals. It sounded surprisingly good and I just sat back and smiled. Great family moment. We allowed the fire to burn down and as I sit here typing, I wait for t
Day 1
Another year has come and gone. It seem the gap between The Escapes are growing shorter and shorter. In that time, as I described last year, I started a new job. It was a necessary evil. The reset was nice, but as is usually the case, there is the good and the bad. For the past year, I have worked primarily in a smaller town North of my old job. It is a town that is full of poverty and despair and all of the problems that go along with that. It is a stopover for most. Many live there, but many do not call it home.
This environment makes for an interesting job in the ER. It is quite a thing to provide compassion and care for those who provide none for themselves. Do do this job properly, truly correctly, one must dedicate a part of their soul to the Light. To deal with the Darkness that comes from such an environment of costs some of your Light with every encounter with it. "Compassion Fatigue" I am told it is called. I suppose that's what it is, although I am not much for labels. Nonetheless it is difficult to sustain such an environment long term, while avoiding self and mental destruction in the process.
I am to move to a different hospital in August. Perhaps, the change will again help. I suspect I am nearing my shelf life in this thing and have begun to think of an exit strategy. The annual mental reset of our adventures only grows more important year after year.
The Endeavor
The families vessel for our adventures of rebirth and self discovery was dubbed "The Endeavor" last year after Cpt. James Cook's famous vessel. Separately she is a Toyota Seqoia and a travel trailer, but once lashed together as a unit she constitutes "The Endeavor".
She has aged quite a bit, and this will likely be her last ship. I often ponder fitting way to put an end to her. I daydreamed about setting her afire, as if that would in some way be fitting. A homage of sorts to the scuttling of a ship once she is no longer useful. She will likely be sold off and used for parts.
In preparation for the trip and the annual refitting, she required extensive work. Hatches and pipes had dry rotted and crumbled, and seamed and studs gap and leak. I studied the living quarters extensively noting the aged appearance of the aluminum, years of use leaving scars and pits, wounds from strikes from hundreds of tiny rocks. The powerplant, of the ship stands at 264,000 miles. Hard earned work in which she performed admirably. As I went over the powerplant studying each wire and hose, studying the fluids, I smiled gently and asked her for one more trip. As we set out, The Endeavor groaned and roared, feeling the weight of what was once an effortless job. But she still pulls, as the powerplant roars, God she still pulls.
The Trip
We attempted to pack lighter this year. It will be a shorter trip and we plan to save on some weight for the engine. We loaded up as usual, batteries charged and tanks filled.
My nephew is joining us on the trip this year. He and Nate are three months apart and almost function as brothers. Surely some extra fighting, but hopefully not too much.
The usual route carried us through the familiar Central Texas terrain. Interestingly, there seems to be much for green vegetation this time around. I suppose there has been good rainfall. The children behaved well on this leg. They have discovered the age old wonder that is Mad Libs. Amy and I chuckled to ourselves as the children laughed hysterically at the often obscene and absurd concoctions of a story. We stopped for lunch at the city park in Sweetwwater Tx as is usually the case. It was slightly cooler and breezier than usual. After some playground time, we loaded up and made the long and barren drive to Amarillo.
The first stop was Pablo Douro canyon. We arrived early in the afternoon, arrived and checked in. We made the winding descent into the canyon only to find our assigned campsite was already occupied. We had to drive all the way back up for a new campsite. Thankfully, the new site ended up in a better spot. We noticed wild turkeys marching through the campground and a nice shaded picnic table.
We set up and Grant noticed another boy in the campsite across the road. They made fast acquaintances and began to play, throwing a football and telling each other stories. Meanwhile, Amy got dinner prepared in the electric pressure cooked. Lentil tacos were on the menu. I finished setting up the trailer and we went for a short hike along a creek that skirted the campground. We returned and Grant asked to go and make s'mores with his new friend. As we ate, the boy ran back over and invited the whole family to make s'mores. We finished dinner and made our way over. They were a nice couple from Midland with two children. I suspect he or perhaps both of them were a firefighters as she was wearing a fire department sweatshirt and he had the handlebar mouse ache common among firemen. They offered the younger children marshmallows and s'mores and we traded stories about camping trips, past, present, and future.
We thanked them for their kindness and headed back to the trailer to put the children to bed. There was only moderate fighting over the sleeping arrangements. It was a long day, but tomorrow brings the mountains.
Another year has come and gone. It seem the gap between The Escapes are growing shorter and shorter. In that time, as I described last year, I started a new job. It was a necessary evil. The reset was nice, but as is usually the case, there is the good and the bad. For the past year, I have worked primarily in a smaller town North of my old job. It is a town that is full of poverty and despair and all of the problems that go along with that. It is a stopover for most. Many live there, but many do not call it home.
This environment makes for an interesting job in the ER. It is quite a thing to provide compassion and care for those who provide none for themselves. Do do this job properly, truly correctly, one must dedicate a part of their soul to the Light. To deal with the Darkness that comes from such an environment of costs some of your Light with every encounter with it. "Compassion Fatigue" I am told it is called. I suppose that's what it is, although I am not much for labels. Nonetheless it is difficult to sustain such an environment long term, while avoiding self and mental destruction in the process.
I am to move to a different hospital in August. Perhaps, the change will again help. I suspect I am nearing my shelf life in this thing and have begun to think of an exit strategy. The annual mental reset of our adventures only grows more important year after year.
The Endeavor
The families vessel for our adventures of rebirth and self discovery was dubbed "The Endeavor" last year after Cpt. James Cook's famous vessel. Separately she is a Toyota Seqoia and a travel trailer, but once lashed together as a unit she constitutes "The Endeavor".
She has aged quite a bit, and this will likely be her last ship. I often ponder fitting way to put an end to her. I daydreamed about setting her afire, as if that would in some way be fitting. A homage of sorts to the scuttling of a ship once she is no longer useful. She will likely be sold off and used for parts.
In preparation for the trip and the annual refitting, she required extensive work. Hatches and pipes had dry rotted and crumbled, and seamed and studs gap and leak. I studied the living quarters extensively noting the aged appearance of the aluminum, years of use leaving scars and pits, wounds from strikes from hundreds of tiny rocks. The powerplant, of the ship stands at 264,000 miles. Hard earned work in which she performed admirably. As I went over the powerplant studying each wire and hose, studying the fluids, I smiled gently and asked her for one more trip. As we set out, The Endeavor groaned and roared, feeling the weight of what was once an effortless job. But she still pulls, as the powerplant roars, God she still pulls.
The Trip
We attempted to pack lighter this year. It will be a shorter trip and we plan to save on some weight for the engine. We loaded up as usual, batteries charged and tanks filled.
My nephew is joining us on the trip this year. He and Nate are three months apart and almost function as brothers. Surely some extra fighting, but hopefully not too much.
The usual route carried us through the familiar Central Texas terrain. Interestingly, there seems to be much for green vegetation this time around. I suppose there has been good rainfall. The children behaved well on this leg. They have discovered the age old wonder that is Mad Libs. Amy and I chuckled to ourselves as the children laughed hysterically at the often obscene and absurd concoctions of a story. We stopped for lunch at the city park in Sweetwwater Tx as is usually the case. It was slightly cooler and breezier than usual. After some playground time, we loaded up and made the long and barren drive to Amarillo.
The first stop was Pablo Douro canyon. We arrived early in the afternoon, arrived and checked in. We made the winding descent into the canyon only to find our assigned campsite was already occupied. We had to drive all the way back up for a new campsite. Thankfully, the new site ended up in a better spot. We noticed wild turkeys marching through the campground and a nice shaded picnic table.
We set up and Grant noticed another boy in the campsite across the road. They made fast acquaintances and began to play, throwing a football and telling each other stories. Meanwhile, Amy got dinner prepared in the electric pressure cooked. Lentil tacos were on the menu. I finished setting up the trailer and we went for a short hike along a creek that skirted the campground. We returned and Grant asked to go and make s'mores with his new friend. As we ate, the boy ran back over and invited the whole family to make s'mores. We finished dinner and made our way over. They were a nice couple from Midland with two children. I suspect he or perhaps both of them were a firefighters as she was wearing a fire department sweatshirt and he had the handlebar mouse ache common among firemen. They offered the younger children marshmallows and s'mores and we traded stories about camping trips, past, present, and future.
We thanked them for their kindness and headed back to the trailer to put the children to bed. There was only moderate fighting over the sleeping arrangements. It was a long day, but tomorrow brings the mountains.
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