SPRINGTIME ADVENTURES
Unbelievably it has only been 3 months since we left Estes Park and we are so behind in our blog. We’ve had quite a time since leaving Estes the end of February. We loved working there and will be back in 2015.
Estes Park pictures:
We headed to Arizona with the intention of spending a week or so visiting friends and family and then heading down to San Carlos, MX. However, the timing didn’t work out for a place to stay in Mexico so we decided to just hang out in Arizona. Ended up spending six weeks….where’s the time go….even more amazing when we realized it had been two years since we’d been back that way. Time does truly fly when you’re having fun.
Along the way we stopped to visit with friends Jim and Bren at their homestead outside of Window Rock, AZ. This is reservation country which most everyone is somewhat familiar with if only thru the movies and pictures.of places with names like Monument Valley, Canyon De Chelley, Chaco Canyon and so on. While there’s the raw, natural beauty of the land ( pictured in our previous blogs ) visiting the reservation (REZ for short) can be like a step back in time. Culturally it’s akin to visiting a foreign country in customs, food and traditions. We experienced the difference in food thanks to Jim who suggested we try the Sunday breakfast bunch at the Quality Inn in Window Rock. Along with the usual fare like eggs, bacon and hash browns there were mutton ribs, fry bread and blue corn mush….yummm…. we had seconds!
Heading south our next stop was at Camp Verde,AZ. to visit with long time friends Jim and Sandi and John and Wendy (new friends of ours from the experience at Amazon) who happened to be staying in the area. We went jeeping up in the Bradshaw Mountains to Crown King and on to Prescott over the Senator Highway. Visited the historical Palace Saloon on Whiskey Row in Prescott and just enjoyed time spent kicking back with friends old and new.
We also hooked up with our friends from Buffalo, WY., Jimmy and Nadine who winter in Queen Valley, AZ. We had a great time out in the desert riding on Rzrs ( high octane quad runners ) and Jim is hooked! We’d have one by now if we could figure out how to tow it and still keep the Jeep.
Next stop was Phoenix,AZ. where we were so busy Becky had to keep track of everything on a calendar! Time spent visiting with many, many old friends….Jim lived in the area for 20 + years….working at daughter Melanie’s house doing yard work and enjoying grandsons Jack and Harvey (our newest grandson), visiting with Jim’s big sister Norma Jean ( yes she looks like Marilyn) the time seemed to fly by, Pictures of Harvey and Jack
Since going to Mexico this spring didn’t work out, we decided to go diving at the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico with our friends Jim and Brenda. We all needed to get wet and check out our dive gear as we were going to Cozumel the end of April. It was dry suits and a very unique form of “shore diving” at altitude. They introduced us to their friend Sarah who is into diving and most all things outdoors ( a very cool young spirit ).
Leaving New Mexico we headed north to Cotopaxi, CO. to start our summer job on the Arkansas River. It was still freezing at night and we had a snowstorm on the 14th of April. It is wonderful to be back here and we are looking forward to a fun summer April showers?
We spent Easter in Denver with kids and grandkids and managed to sneak in a side trip to visit with Wendy and Shelley at River Spruce. You’ll recall that we worked there this past winter during the months of January and February and loved the experience. They’ve since offered us a more permanent position so it looks like we’ll be there three months on and three months off year round starting with our return in January. This is very exciting for us since it means we’ll have a place to call home after years of living on the road. Plus Wendy and Shelly are the absolute best and home will be adjacent to one of the most beautiful places on earth….Rocky Mountain National Park….how cool is that! While there we helped them stack sandbags along the banks of the Big Thompson River which flows thru their property. The community is very concerned about flooding associated with spring runoff especially after the horrific flooding they experienced last fall. Please say a little prayer, cross fingers and toes….anything in hopes the area is spared further damage and do make plans to come visit us.
We flew to Cozumel to go diving on April 25th and spent a week there. More on that in the next edition so please stay tuned….
Returning to Cotopaxi for Mother’s Day weekend we were greeted by 8 inches of very wet snow which began falling Sunday night accompanied by below freezing temps. Forecast calls for weekend temps. in the 80’s. Seems like one extreme to another but that’s springtime in the Rockies. The hummingbirds are eating or is it drinking a feeder full everyday and the trees are beginning to bloom. Mother's Day snow
We are ready for winter to be over and welcome in spring time. Many thanks to all our wonderful friends…. old and new…. along with our family….seven amazing children and a whopping twelve beautiful grandchildren….and counting.
.”As I walk, As I walk,
The universe is walking with me.”
- from the Navajo Rain Dance ceremony
Until next time….many blessings….Jim and Becky
