Change of Plans heading to Santa Fe

After an enjoyable breakfast this morning--Jerry and I decided to hit the
road and drive to Santa Fe, to help cut the length of the day drives for Jerry.
Oh my gosh, what a beautiful drive through the mountains, plateaus and various
terrain with ponderosa pines, aspen, cliffs, and mountain streams----
this natural majesty truly drove Jerry bonkers today!!! I don't think he
even noticed the breathtaking views of the La Plata Mountains, the hiking trails,
all the lush ranches, and flowing rivers! Don't ever listen to "the guy from OKLAHOMA!"
he told us this short cut and the roads are so good!!! Ha, he must have been drunk
and on drugs and had someone driving his RV for him! Poor Jerry was shifting gears all day,
climbing mountain after mountain, going down hair pin turns, breaking, and climbing...
he was so worn out when we arrived I gave him a couple of beers, fed him fajaitas and
I went to the gift shop, walking up hill all the way--by flashlight, to buy Dylan and Jude gifts!
Needless to say, we arrived safely after our 6 hour drive in horrible conditions! We are figuring
out so many things on our RV and the little jeep, makes us feel almost one step above amaturs!
Tomorrow we are not going to have a daylong adventure going down hiway 25---we plan on
getting up late and try to enjoy the plains and plateaus as we journey on flat land across New Mexico!

The Jeep earned a badge today!

Jerry and I took off in our little Jeep Wrangler to explore Lemon Lake and Vallecito Lake! What a beautiful drive up into the mountains and occasionally rain and even hail! We stopped at a unique place on Vallecito Lake that was a Costa Rica Restaurant in the mountains!!! The food was unreal, the view of the lake and mountains was awesome---but, what was so funny....they had decorated it all with none other than our guy---"Jimmy Buffet!!" We headed home to have our afternoon cocktail and then head out again with Guy and Girlfriend in the Jeep! We drove up to the infamous "Baker's Bridge" where Robert Redford and Paul Newman jumped into the river in the movie, "Butch Cassisdy and the SunDance Kid!" We are sitting outside wearing sweatshirts, drinking wine, watching the pink clouds float over the mountain. Of course, Jerry is smoking his cigar and I am thinking of you! Tomorrow is our last day in Durango, we are planning to hit the golf course, if the weather is good. This is the life, so cool--today it was 64' and I mean it is truly God's country!! We have our air conditioner running in the RV, because we are so use to it, however, the RV behind us is running their heater!!!! You would not believe how huge some of these RV's are in our park---ours has 3 slide outs, there is actually some here with 6 slideouts----so, we might be considered white trash with all these enormous RV's that have matching golf carts!!!!! No mishaps with the RV and we are doing just great, wish you were here with us!!!

4th Grade Reunion a Success

What a tremendous experience and terrific memories we made this weekend
reuniting as one class under the most astonishing teacher in history!  Everyone was a
little nervous driving up to the old Quonset Army building that was to hold our
19 classmates and spouses for the afternoon.  Everyone had a name tag with their
4th grade photo on it---that really helped in recognizing a couple of people that
had changed soooo very much!  However, the rest of us just have a 61 year old aged
look from our 4th grade photos, along with a few extra pounds and we were recognizable!
 Awards were given, hugs and jokes, laughs and tears were shared.  Mrs. Erikson, who is 95,
was our teacher for 5 years, sat in a gracious state of awe as we reintroduced ourselves
and retold stories about her!  Willie and I were nominated Class Favorites and we given
beautiful gifts and paper crowns, we were so honored!  Our  4Th grade class ran off
2 teachers before October and the third teacher lasted almost a week!!!! Then Mrs. Erikson
arrived as the boys were turning of desks and have put a birds next with real birds in her
desk!! She whipped us all into who we are today!!!  We shared stories, bragged about our
children, and reunited again in the evening for dinner and drinks to toast the 3 guys that
found us all from California, Tennessee, Texas, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas,NV, CO, FL, and AZ
on the Internet! Of course, I still had my 5Th and 6Th grade Scrapbook that everyone
enjoyed reminiscing over.  This was an experience of a life time, so much better than
a High School reunion---it was so personable and so unique.  I am blessed to have
had this opportunity to be reunited with my friends and Mrs. Erikson .

First Day to Really Relax

Oh my gosh, we actually slept in and didn't have to hit the road at 6:30 AM!!! Following breakfast, I sat outside in my yard recliner and read my book, of course I had to sit with my jacket on! Guy and Girlfirend are loving it, there is an enormous Dog Run---so much to sniff just wears them out! We drove into Durango today for lunch and shopping. I took Jerry on a quick tour of Ft. Lewis College, found the golf course and found all my parents rentals they had. The sun was shinning and the weather was about 78'--totally awesome! Jerry grilled a steak for our dinner and we baked brownies on our Traeger grill!!! Tomorrow is my big 4th grade reunion---I am so excited and nervous about how old everyone will look!!!! Of course my 96 year old teacher will probably look better than all of us!! Have a great weekend everyone---I know we will.

We are in Durango, Colorado

Yeah, we arrived in Durango!!  Jerry is exhausted after driving our huge RV and towing our little jeep over 1,000 miles (I have read every magazine I brought---know the state of NM and CO maps by heart)!  Ya know---RV's are great for gals about my age----when ya gotta pee...you don't have to beg, hint or plead anyone to stop---you just walk like a drunk back to the restroom and take care of business---they don't even know you are gone!!!  We will be here until Sept. 1st --- I told Jerry I would drive for him the next 5 days in the jeep!! The day was beautiful driving through New Mexico and into Colorado.  We did stop in Albuquerque to do a little shopping at none other than "Camping World!" Then on the road to drive through the Indian Reservation.  Arriving at our wonderful 4 Star, (not a 5 Star---we don't get ESPN!!!) and sitting out in our yard , while wearing jackets, in our new lounge recliners and drinking a couple of beers with the cool breeze blowing was awesome!  We finally got up and drove into Durango and had a wonderful authentic Mexican Dinner and Wonderful Margaritas.  We are in our abode with Guy and Girlfriend, and ready for a good night sleep and hopefully, Jerry will let me sleep in tomorrow---I told him to get up and get his coffee, throw the dogs in bed with me and shut the door!!

Until tomorrow----goodnight! 

Totally a negative 9 on the RV park!

Arrived in Eastland, TX around 3:00PM---to face our nightmare--no star RV park!!!  Jerry walked around the park for 45 minutes trying to find an electrical outlet that was connected and didn't have bird nest with cherping baby birds in the  switch boxes!!!  After lots of sweating and patience we finally got our lovely RV connected and the air conditioner blowing a full speed!  We ate dinner with my mom and dub who had cake and ice cream for Jerry's birthday!  We were loaded down with pecans, garlic, pears and tomatoes before we returned to our RV.  Guy and Girlfriend greeted us with great affection!!!  Wednesday, we woke up to Jerry celebrating his 70th birthday!   We stopped twice today and literally froze to death in  Snyder and Lubbock.  Bless his heart he had to drive for 9 hours today in order to make our reservations in Santa Rosa, NM--the photo is taken outside Santa Rosa!!!  We parked, pushed out all the slides, turned on the air and had a couple glasses of wine in his honor!  He had several birthday wishes from friends and family that thrilled him and made his day.  I took Jerry out to dinner in the RV cafeteria and dined on paperplates---we didn't care, we were tired and hungry!  We plan on an early night and up again at 6:30 AM to drive through Albuquerque and up to Durango, Colorado. See ya in Colorado!

Our Itenary from Aug. 24th-Sept. 3rd, 2010

Hello everyone, 

It's RV Blogging time again!  Jerry and I leave Lake Jackson, TX on Tuesday, August 24th enroute to Eastland, TX.  That will be our first full day, and we will visit my mom and Dub for dinner.

Wednesday, August 25th we will be traveling through Texas into New Mexico and have reservations at Santa Rosa, NM.  On Thursday, August 26th we will drive into Durango, Colorado.  We will stay in Durango from the 26th-Sept 31st and begin our route home.  I will keep you updated as we travel through 3 states.  Along this wonderful trip we will get to visit my mom, Dub in Eastland----Haley and John will join us in Durango, along with Zac--who goes to Ft. Lewis College in Durango.  As you all know, we are making this awesome trip to Durango for my 4th grade REUNION!!!!  I am so excited, I wake up at night thinking about everyone!!!  Stay tuned... we will be keeping you updated!!!  Coni