Deryl's (much belated) Runabout April-May

Deryl's Runabout Blog update for last six weeks (yikes)




I think I was so concerned to get Elena updating relatively regularly, I neglected my own..

At this moment we are driving out of the taller Rockies through some passes from Southern Colorado up to visit our good friend, Evan, in Denver. It's a six plus hour drive from Durango to Denver, so on a drive day the usual routine is to do some school, lunch, and let kids watch a movie. The children are on our bed watching their show and we are driving down a loonng straight highway. Plains with cattle to the right, fields with cattle and some small mountains to our left then directly in front of us are snow capped mountains as far left and right as we can see, all fronted by low dark clouds. Ominous but interesting viewing. I have every confidence in our stellar RV pilot. I'm Cruise Director.



Soooo, it's been a while. Too much for chronological order. Highlights and interesting events:

Peter Robson family in Atlanta, Ga. Wonderful visit and Peter in aquarium tank w/ whale sharks, visiting museum where the Great Train Robbery train is on display, spending more time reading about Generals Lee and Grant and visiting Vicksburg Natl Park, site of monuments and battle discussions and info movie, watching Dave and kids truck down path to pond with fishing poles over their shoulders, spending time w/ Robbie in New Orleans- he played with a band on Bourbon Street which I wasn't around for, Dave taking apart and fixing toilet (!!!!), nice, Muslim, gas station owner who gave me some greeting cards because I was “cheerful”, Cirque du Soleil “Love” show from Beatles music (amazing and too much to absorb in one viewing), visiting with Katie and Erik in San Diego including but not limited to pizza and wine, ice cream, tapas and jazz band in Gaslamp, and the world famous San Diego Soap Co. tour and sampling. I love my/ our Kate and was truly saddened to leave her. Finally seeing inside a B 17 “Flying Fortress”, Palm Springs cactus garden -who knew there were such amazing variety of species?, hearing wild burros, meeting Carrie, Trevor, Kiah and Trae Allen from Calgary in Cottonwood RV park. We shared dinners, exercising (ran twice w/ her- super runner and actually lasted for an almost 2 hour run in the desert), a rodeo, and caught up with them again in Page, AZ. For more meals and canyon exploring. (we miss you guys!) Birdwatching: Yellow Warbler, Broad Tailed Hummingbirds, Great Blue Herons, Turkey Vultures, California Condors, Golden Eagles, Pheasants, Crows, Red-winged Blackbirds, Ravens, Canyon Wrens, and Animals: Desert Cottontail, Black tailed Jackrabbit, Red Squirrel, Rock Squirrel, Elk, Mountain sheep, Bison, Bats, Mule Deer and a lot of lizards., Platform boating through Lake Powell into slot canyons, the red rock against green golf course grass, tour of Glen Canyon Dam, reading Lord of the Rings with Dave and kids in evenings, walking through Lower Antelope slot canyon w/ Allens, dinner and lunch on floating restaurant at Antelope Point Marina, racing boys up hill and down to edge of Horseshoe canyon to beat sunset, up with sun to see Grand Canyon in the early light, sandstorm in desert driving to Mesa Verde, Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, esp ladders!!!, Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge RR trip., visiting Mr. Johnny Seares goat farm complete with three recent moms with twins and triplets along Lightner Creek CO. And now, just enjoying time with my Honey up front seeing our country..