Rock Hounding

The age old hobby of rock hounding (ie. the art of collecting rocks) was recently introduced to me by a good friend. Adam and I had our first real adult experience rock hunting when she took us to a mine near Ft. Collins that was known to produce amethyst crystals. She showed us how to identify the crystals and we found them just lying on the ground. Though locating the crystals was not as easy as it sounds, it was a wonderful free activity spent outside on a beautiful day digging around in the dirt. This brought back nostalgic feelings of being a kid. I felt like a five year old swelling with pride that I found something pretty on the ground. What a wonderful feeling as an adult! As a kid I probably reveled in finding my favorite colored stone without realizing the value. Now I appreciate it differently. The only problem at this age was my lack of flexibility compared to when I was a kid. Crawling around in the dirt hunched over staring at the ground looking for shiny pointed stones took a toll on my back.

Amethyst Mine - Adam and Jennifer

Colorado is rich with various mineral deposits and known rock collecting sites. We recently purchased the Colorado rock hounding book which identifies sites (public and private) where different types of rocks form as well as fossils collecting locations. A site known as the easiest and most accessible place to collect geodes was not far from Pagosa Springs just up Wolf Creek Pass. We once again tested our nose for rock collecting. I don’t think it was the smartest move to stand on the shoulder of a highway without an orange jacket pounding a hammer and chisel into the bottom of a rock face of canyon type walls without wearing a helmet, but we kept our eyes open for cars and falling rocks. Those are two items I will look into acquiring for future expeditions. We did however come prepared with safety glasses, gloves a bucket and shovel to collect our findings. One thing I learned from collecting amethysts was the need for a container to store them. Pockets get filled up way too fast and some rocks are too big to fit. Besides, as an adult I can do without dirt in my pockets.

At the site we came across another individual hunting on the other side of the road. He stopped to talk with us and we learned that he was the former head of a gem and mineral club near Denver. He has been hunting for over 40 years and knew what he was doing, but was a bit disillusioned by closed sites and no trespassing signs of today. He passed along the knowledge he had about collecting geodes which we appreciated and we set off to collect. Locating them still often requires luck. The beauty of geodes is found inside a round volcanic rock. The problem is the crystals are hidden inside this rock so you have to break it open before knowing for sure whether you have found one or not. The book gave clues as to what color rock in which to start looking and the color of the outside of the geode. I actually found one just lying on the ground as if it had fallen out of the rock wall. A corner of the outer layer was chipped and exposed the awesome formation inside. The night before there was a heavy downpour of rain so that might have freed some stones. That was lucky! We were also able to identify some potential geodes embedded in the face of the rock wall. Chiseling those out was no easy task. I’ve now had a small glimpse of how miners in the early 1900’s felt using a pick axe and hammer to dig out tunnels for the gold mines. Tired!

Geodes from Wolf Creek Pass

In the end we came away with four good samples and are pretty proud of ourselves. None of the geodes are perfectly round, but each one is interesting. Now, we have to find a place to put our rock collection in the RV. Next, we plan to attempt to search for dragonfly fossils. We found one once in Beaver Creek that was selling for over $150,000. I’d like to find that one lying on the ground. It could happen. Rockhounders will tell you to keep your nose to the ground. You never know what you might find.

Sequoia Takes in a Show

Now that Sequoia is a certified service dog we continue to try and expose him to all kinds of situations. He’s building his stamina by carrying various weights in his packs and is more comfortable getting in and out of the car with his pack on. He’s experienced elevators, and has been to Walmart, Costco, and the movies. Ironically, the first preview he saw at his first film was the trailer to “Cats and Dogs” and he didn’t even let out a bark. He did however watch the screen. Shopping carts and action flicks are not his favorite because of the loud noises, but he usually adapts. Fitting between the movies seats is also tough for him but there is usually a good reward of popcorn on the floor.

Sequoia recently took in a live show in Creede, CO. Originally a mining town they now have a renowned theater which produces professional plays and musicals. After mining ceased in the early 1900’s (or maybe it was the 1970’s) the town intentionally cultivated the theater community to save it from extinction. We heard wonderful reviews of the theater and heard the golf course was one of the toughest mountain courses around (though I didn’t get to try it). Since it was only about two hours from the Sand Dunes we decided to explore it on a day trip. Arriving an hour before the show we spoke with the house manager to find out whether there were tickets which could accommodate us and our dog. Previously on the phone she had said that if he can fit in the rows at the movies, then he should be able to fit in front of our seats, but that proved not to be the case. We were able to purchase an aisle seat and Sequoia sat right next to us. There was only one problem; the cast entered and exited through that aisle, so I had to keep a close eye on him.

At the beginning of the show he settled down and lay right next to the seat. Once the show opened he watched just as he watches TV at home. I don’t think he knew quite what to make of it. I think he wondered why those people in front were talking and no one else was. I kept scooping his tail closer to his body to be sure it was not reaching too far into the walkway. He didn’t mind. By the end of the show, he was sprawled out on his side with his feet pointing into the aisle passed out asleep. I just hoped at the finale the cast would not take a running exit down this row and trip over him.

He survived the entire experience without being trampled or tripped over. Our fellow theater-goers all wanted to talk about him; what kind is he, their dogs could never sit still like that, he’s so good, oh how cute, etc. Once the theater emptied out and the lobby cleared, the cast came back in from the front doors where they had saluted the audience upon leaving. They all rushed over to him, surrounded to pet him, hugged and kissed him. I thanked them for not stepping on him the entire show and they all said they saw him from the start. We all knew he was the true star of that show. Maybe soon he should make a stage debut.

The Beauty of Silence

Everyday life is filled with so much noise and commotion between the traffic, radios, televisions and video games that it’s no wonder that the great outdoors seem so quiet. Today’s younger generation may think it is boring and if an item doesn’t have a motor or computer chip it must be antiquated. We’ve seen some kids along our journey; some run around the campgrounds on their bikes or scooters while others play with their remote controlled cars and hand-held video games. Parents are usually pretty conscientious about the fact that there are other people trying to enjoy the quiet site and generally keep their kids under supervision. When we visit the national parks we intentionally want to hear the silence and take in the scenery. Often we will leave the campground at sunrise or sunset because photographers know that the best light is at the beginning and end of the day. Wildlife is also abundant at these times. In the early morning or upon returning in the late evening we are usually the ones trying to keep quiet so as not to wake the other campers.

One morning we arose at 5am to reach and hike the Sand Dunes before sunrise. Adam wanted to reach the peaks for a particular photo shot. There were a few other people hiking the dunes who, because of the acoustics, we could hear speaking clearly even though their location was probably a mile from us. They looked like ants from our standpoint. As we sat waiting for the morning light and huddled together for warmth we looked for changes in the dunes shapes with any blowing wind and watched how their colors rotated with the changing light. Then we heard an echoing sound. It was the crackling of a motor. Someone dressed in motorcycle gear and a helmet rode towards the dunes on an ATV (all terrain vehicle). I had never seen anyone else riding one of these vehicles here and the noise was distracting. Trying to ignore him to return to our view was impossible. He was as addicting to watch as an action film. We could not take our eyes off of him because we wanted to find out what he was going to do next. He drove towards the dunes, climbed and descended some lower dunes and then took off to the south of us. The motor noise faded and we thought he was finished ruining our visual and auditory scenery. Was that thing even allowed in this park? I wondered.

The sun finally came up and the photo shoot began. Adam positioned himself facing North with the sun illuminating the mountains and dunes alike. The shots were gorgeous and the light magical. Reeeeeerrrrrr…putt putt putt…..reeeeeeeeeerrrrr! The sound of a giant weed whacker was back. It was the ATV heading our way. Still located towards the base of the dunes he was not in our immediate view, but the noise grew louder as he came closer. We could not believe that he was allowed to disrupt this peaceful site with his noise pollution! Isn’t anyone going to complain and do something about this annoyance? Where are the rangers when we need them? He continued on his trajectory towards us until he was out of site again behind a dune now directly ahead of us. We thought that he couldn’t be as insensitive as to drive up over a dune right in front of our view and ruin the pictures. He must be going around our area. No one is that oblivious to the goals others may have when visiting a park like this one. But, up the dune he came and headed right towards us. Maybe he thought he was being considerate by taking a wide tour around our location to circle back to his original path. Without a hint of wind his tracks were left imprinted in the sand in front of us permanently marring Adam’s shot. The sound faded and he was once again out of site and range. Unbelievable! There is a time and a place for ATV’s and it’s not in a National Park in my opinion; maybe they are ok in a national forest if they serve a useful purpose, but mainly they are noisy, smelly motorcycles on four wheels. I wouldn’t drive my car up the dunes, why should he be allowed to drive a bike?

As we gathered the gear and wrapped up the morning photos the noise and the annoyance returned. This time, three rangers headed towards him. Finally! Someone complained or he had been spotted and hopefully they were going to redirect his misguided notions that ATVs belong on the dunes. They corralled him and made him cut the motor and get off the bike. I still couldn’t tell his age even after he removed his helmet, but he looked older than a teenager and possibly an adult. The next thing we know he was pushing the four-wheeled vehicle manually from the spot in the sand and heading towards the parking lot. That was a long haul and a more than fair punishment for breaking the rules and the silence. Hopefully he was taught a good lesson. Silence is golden. You break it, you pay.

Sand Dunes

Great Sands National Park & Preserve is located next to the middle of nowhere and on the edge of somewhere. We camped at San Luis Lakes State Park which is actually the middle of nowhere and 10 miles from the dunes. The park ranger informed us that San Luis is the lowest part of the valley which was clearly under the sea at one time. It feels like you are standing in the middle of the desert. There is sand everywhere, cactus, and a few low bushes that hide tiny rodents and large jack rabbits. The lake that is still filled with water is only five feet deep now, but has “Swimmer's Itch” so swimming is not allowed. It is a national wildlife refuge for several species of migratory birds though I have only spotted a few different ones so far.

Actually located near Alamosa, CO, the sand dunes are here because of a phenomenon of the wind patterns that occur due to being surrounded by the mountains. It’s amazing to find dunes of sand located in Colorado backed up against forest-filled mountains. The contrast is shocking. People actually travel here to “ski” down the dunes. At a nearby campground just before entering the park you can rent sand boards that look like snow boards and can get up to speeds almost as fast as on snow. They are made out of a hard plastic and come with a stick of wax that you are supposed to use in between each “run” down the slope. Of course we didn’t discover this option until after we visited the dunes this morning, but I’ll keep it in mind for next time if I feel ambitious. To give you an idea it probably takes at least an hour to walk up to the top of the dunes. They can be compared to small mountains.

Just walking towards the dunes can be a hike. It’s like walking on a very dry, sandy beach. In the Fall there is a river running in front of the dunes which is shallow enough to walk through to cool off just before reaching them for a hike. At this time of year in August there is no water. Adam, Sequoia and I started on our journey at 6am in the morning. We wanted to take advantage of the best light for photographs and the coolest part of the day. Planning just to scout out the site for the best vantage shot we found several fabulous landscapes before we even entered the park. Surrounded by ranchland the fields were covered in yellow flowers that look like daisies with black centers. We think they were Black-Eyed Susans which, ironically, is the Maryland state flower. Because of the location of the sun the shadows showed us every footprint and well defined the dune peaks. It was beautiful.

Though we weren’t really supposed to let him off the leash, there was too large an expanse and so few people around not to let Sequoia run. We ended up watching him tear it up in the sand. He used to do figure eights in our old backyard and he did the same thing here on a much larger scale. I think he thought it was like snow because he kept trying to dig and eat the sand. He was happy once I gave him water and by then it was only 7am. I don’t recommend bringing dogs on a hike up the dunes. The sand gets very hot once the day warms up.

If you find yourself in either the Pueblo or in the other direction, the Durango area, you are actually only a few hours away from this unique park. It’s calm, serene, and interesting to discover the oxymoron of sand dunes resting against the Colorado mountain ranges. Sometimes it’s nice to go to the middle of nowhere and hear the silence, listen to yourself think, and while you are at it, maybe take in a sand slope or two. 

my view of Adam taking pictures

The Fruit Stand Lady

Have you ever driven a road in farm country road where there is not a car in sight and come upon a produce stand by the side of the road? They usually have the best produce because it generally comes straight off the farm. Driving into town the other day we spotted the largest watermelons we have ever seen at a roadside fruit stand. Adam is a connoisseur of watermelon, so we had to stop. The salesperson told us they had sold an 80 lb watermelon just that morning. We weren’t looking for something quite that big, but we knew there was something special about them.


The lady running the stand called herself Blondie and she was a character. She was a heavy-set, dirty blond chatterbox from Texas. In the first five minutes after talking to her we knew that her fruit came from Texas, she ran this stand in the summer and a landscaping business in the winter. Her gait was slow and she didn’t seem in the best health, so I really couldn’t imagine her working as a landscaper hauling large trees, planting flowers, or laying down grass. Though, she was probably a great foreman. She spoke in poor English, both loudly and quickly, and would turn any subject discussed into an entertaining story about herself or someone in her family. We know that she has nine kids, eleven or so grandchildren, likes malts, and doesn’t sleep much because she’s so busy (chatting at the fruit stand I think). I didn’t catch half of what she said because of her accent and the speed with which she spoke.

When we asked her how the inflated watermelons tasted, she gave us what I call a “Southern answer”; it was a metaphor. She likened them to the Lexus of watermelons and said the rest of her fruit were Toyotas. We didn’t understand exactly how that translated into taste, but decided to take her word for it and buy one anyway. She also introduced us to yellow and orange watermelons that were just as sweet as the red ones. I recommend trying one if you get the chance.

Before we could leave with our monstrous fruit Blondie started chatting with Adam. She bluntly asked him about his medical condition. He volunteered some information which then turned into a very long conversation. We learned you can’t shop at this stand if you don’t have an extra hour on your hands. She seemed genuinely interested in learning about his issues. Sometimes she would interject her own medical knowledge passed down from her great-granny who was a nurse. This information came from a woman who thought the cure for a snake bite was putting salt pork on the wound (which didn’t work by the way and landed her daughter in the ER). She took quite a liking to us, though it was probably because we stood around and listened to her.

She was sweet, but the rest of her crew was unbelievably rude. Not rude with mal intent, but they had no manners! They personified people who would answer “yes” to the question “did you grow up in a barn?” I think they did. Their hair was unkempt, their clothes dirty, and all of them smoked like chimneys. Her kids, who were at least in their 20s and old enough to know better, would yell her name from one side of the stand to the other like a three year old would repeat her mother’s name just to get attention. Their strong need to ask unimportant questions was inexcusable, or maybe they just wanted attention like a little child. If the question pertained to customer service, then I might have halfway understood their need for an immediate response, but it was totally unrelated. Another child (or hired hand and more like a man) interrupted our conversation by blatantly speaking over us. He didn’t even preface the sentence with “excuse me.” I was shocked. But, I guess that’s how you learn to have your voice heard in a barnyard full of animals.

Even with her rude crew, Blondie’s gift of gab gave the fruit stand a certain flavor. It was like she welcomed you right into her home and she hid nothing behind closed doors. She took an interest in her customers, remembered them when they returned, and ultimately entertained the entire stand with her stories. She made the business memorable just by being her. Oh, and the watermelon was pretty good too.

Foreign Doctors

When you are on vacation the last thing you want to have to do is take your kid to the doctor. If it’s something minor like a runny nose, then you might wait and see whether they seem to get better or worse before you research who to go see. If they do get worse it is bound to be at the most inopportune time. Sequoia is my furry kid and he pulled this stunt on me. He’s been scratching his ears for a few weeks and has had a drippy nose, but he’s a dog, they scratch and their noses are always wet. I figured it was not worth worrying. He’s got long, floppy, furry ears that can be prone to ear infections, but they did not look red. So, I’ve been watching it. At 6am the other morning he scratched and let out a high-pitched yelp! I jumped out of bed to find one of his ears bleeding. That was my cue. I had to find a local vet; the dreaded foreign doctor.


Dogs, like kids, get anxious about going to the doctor and especially one they do not know. I used to have a dog that would cower under the chairs in the Vet’s office. I didn’t know how Sequoia was going to react. We were still in Pagosa Springs, the land of large animal doctors who mainly care for horses, cows, and buffalo, so I looked for an established veterinary clinic that would see small animals. Like most parents with intuition I knew this was probably an ear infection, but I couldn’t diagnose it myself. I needed someone to get down there with a scope and tell me what they see before treating him with the medicine I have left from the last bout of infection. We were supposed to be heading out of town that same morning…bad timing as predicted.

I called first thing and got the earliest appointment available. Sequoia was a champion! The vet technician came over to weigh him and he just wanted to jump on her instead of the scale. Once we got into the room he let the vet poke and prod those ears without a flinch. The vet couldn’t believe how he kept still. The only nerves I saw were from the fact that he was lifted into the air and put on a high table. I praise our vet from home who was wonderful with him since he was a puppy. Keeping the experience positive is the key. She gave him a treat after his exam or shot. A woman with treats; what could be better for a dog? A pinch here and there is worth it if there are treats in the end! This vet didn’t have treats, but he was a big dog about it and didn’t sulk.

After a clean bill of health and no infection to be found he was diagnosed with seasonal allergies. As suspected, it was really nothing to worry about and nothing a little Benadryl can’t cure. That’s a relief. All the time we spent worrying that Adam was going to be allergic to the dog, and we got a dog who has allergies! Hope he’s not allergic to Adam. How’s that for irony?

Lone Cowboy

There’s no one better to lead a horseback ride than a cowboy. We pulled up to his red barn and saddle/hat shop with the stables nearby and a pick-up truck parked in front. Music that sounded like it was from an old western film blared from hidden outdoor speakers. He sported his Wrangler jeans and cowboy hat, spoke with a true southern drawl and had a dog named Rosco (pronounced Roscoo). He plopped cowboy hats on our heads and horses under our butts. Now, we were cowboys too. Wait…pose for the picture. Okay, so it was a little hokey, but he was the real deal.

Originally from Texas, he seemed kind-hearted and soft spoken and took an immediate interest in Adam and his health. He was interested in natural remedies and didn’t believe in modern pharmaceuticals. I gathered he thought they were for the weak. He was strong. At 65 years old working these horses didn’t seem to be difficult for him at all. Hard work seemed to come to him naturally. We learned that he built his own home across the street from the barn, though the barn still appeared to be his home, work and play area. Riding a horse was effortless for him. He broke almost all his horses himself. Now that takes a strong person to survive the bucking of an unbroken horse. We should all be as hard a worker as this cowboy. [On a side note, did you know you can buy a mustang in Canon City for $125? It is almost worth it if you weren’t going to get your neck broken yourself teaching that horse to allow people to ride him. The cowboy said they are on the small side but are sturdy horses. You don’t have to shoe them because they already have tough feet. Species so systematically adapt to their surroundings. Course, if you didn’t want to break the horse yourself, then you could always buy one that a prisoner has broken for you.]

We continued our ride up the mountain and down the gullies yelling “yah” to our horses to get them to “lope.” In Cowboy’s vocabulary “lope” was another word for canter. I would have guessed it was derived from gallop, but he said it was actually slower than a run/gallop. He inquired some more about Adam’s health, complimented him on having a good spirit, and was impressed that Adam wanted to get out and see the country instead of “staying drunk all the time” as he knew many others would have done in his situation. I don’t think that idea even crossed Adam’s mind.

We came to know about his outfit from a woman we met at the hot springs. She was an attractive, single mother of three travelling with her disabled daughter. Once the cowboy learned her marital status he told us he set her up on a dinner date with a “wealthy cowboy” down the way. I thought how sweet and endearing he was to think about her happiness and try to connect her with a gentleman! I guessed he himself did not have a lot of money because he made another comment during our ride that his wife cleans houses for some “rich folk.” He also revealed he had previously come upon hard times and had to sell the home he built. Now, he lives in his barn looking at his house across the street. That must be heartbreaking to have to look at his sweat equity each day. Though the cowboy did not seem bitter, but rather he appeared content with his life.

He could also appreciate our RV experience because he and his wife used to travel by RV to the nearby Indian reservations selling saddles and trading for horses. I had no idea that way of business was still going on in the Native American culture. As I looked closely at the barn I noticed he had camouflaged his trailer and RV behind panels and now cleverly used them as part storage and part home addition. To the outside world he was still the authentic cowboy with a big red barn. His home kept up the outward appearance of the true rustic lifestyle with the internal look of a log cabin that was recently modernized. Again, as I looked more closely I noticed he had all the comforts of home. It was just covered by the rustic exterior. It appeared as if he had recently installed electricity with only a single light bulb on one wall. He told us he keeps up on current events by listening to talk shows and is a self-proclaimed Republican. I assumed this was on the radio, but then I noticed a large TV and VCR in the corner and a computer on a desk hidden behind a couch. He even had a dishwasher and a refrigerator but it looked like an old ice chest. He was a real modern-day cowboy: horse-trading, RV driving, trail-ride leading, matchmaking, current event following, computerized cowboy.

I took from this man’s story that even though someone’s life may not always be initially accurately portrayed, it can still be a good life. The cowboy exuded a horse-whisperer calm demeanor even after experiencing life’s pitfalls. He continued to show genuine kindness to others and to his animals, but more importantly he seemed happy. Our challenges come in different forms, and we consciously try to appreciate each and every day not in spite of these challenges, but because of them. We were fortunate to have been able to sustain a two-hour horse ride when there are days that it is not even a possible for Adam to sit upright in a chair. So, for that I am grateful. The scenery was gorgeous, the air smelled fresh with pine tree scent, and I was reminded how perseverant and resilient my husband is by a man whose stamina could outlast us both. I thought I was just going out for a leisurely horseback ride but instead I was reminded how life is difficult for many people, but what matters most is how you live it.

RV’ing vs Trailer Parks

Many people think when I say we are living in an RV that we will be living in trailer parks. Stereotypical images of men in tank tops, drinking beer and yelling at their wives, letting their dirty children run amuck, living in run down trailers that should be mobile but would take a crane to move with broken white picket fences around a dirt yard and faux flowers under the windowsill, may come to mind. This is not the RV lifestyle we are living. Trailer parks are meant for long-term, stationary living. Sure, you can park an RV in one of these mobile home parks and use it like a permanent home, but with our choice to travel the country we seek something much different. We look for beautiful surroundings and serene landscapes for our evening rest stops. That’s not to say that mobile home parks are not located in pretty locations, but by nature of the permanency of these homes they take on somewhat of an aged appearance and not much grass.

I’ve learned there are several types of RV parks. There are the parking lots. Because one of the markers of a good park is a level space some owners simply clear an area and try to pack in as many tenants as possible. Generally this type of park is good for an overnight stay where you might plan only to sleep in the home and take in the scenery by car. The spaces tend to be close to one another. Sometimes there are picnic tables and fire rings, but even with these small efforts of an outdoor living space you cannot get away from the fact that your neighbor is five feet away and your peripheral view is of another RV.

Another type of RV overnight destination is a campground. The sites we prefer are located in state and national parks and tend to be more rustic than private parks. They might include tent spots and free standing bathrooms sometimes with showers. Often they restrict overnight use of a generator and may even limit the size RV that can park in the spot. Clearance and entry routes may be difficult for some larger rigs like ours at 39’ so the campground is not always a viable option. Because these areas don’t want to encourage people to set their homes there permanently they limit the length of stays. We like campgrounds because they are often scenic and quiet (meaning off the road, but not without hoards of kids). Cost is usually less than private parks and your money goes towards preserving the park instead of into someone’s profit pocket.

RV Communities are private parks with a social atmosphere. They offer a social gathering spot where RV’ers can get to know one another through sponsored dinners and activities. It’s nice to stop and mingle with other people in the same situation picking up tips about where to go next, what parks to avoid, etc., and they are great resources for questions about the mechanics of your RV. Recently, we could not figure out how to get our cable TV to work inside our home and one of the community hosts had seen another RV of our same model that same day, so he was able to help us get it working. Costs can vary in these communities depending on what types of amenities they offer.

Seqoia at Wolf Creek Run
RV Community in Pagosa Springs

Finally, and most extravagantly you have the resort parks. As it sounds, these parks are similar to hotel resorts, only you bring your room with you. They offer swimming pools, golf, and other recreational activities. They are a destination in and of themselves. Costs can be exorbitant some upwards of $200 a night. We have yet to stay at one of these places, but I’m curious to check one out someday. It sure beats sleeping in the dirt in the woods.

So, for those of you who still have the idea that we are living in trailer parks, I hope you now have a better picture of the various RV options out there. We’ll probably plan to spend most of our time in the campground or RV Community type of rest areas to combine living in nature with a social component.

The county fair…8/7/10

I have never attended a county or state fair that I can remember. I knew there would be livestock and rides, and cotton candy, but I didn’t really know what else to expect. It was much like the Western Stock Show in Denver, but on a much smaller scale. We brought Sequoia to help carry some of Adam’s oxygen equipment which he had previously successfully done. However, this time he got spooked by the tubing and kept stopping. I think I may have traumatized him before we went by trying to connect the O2 pull cart to his backpack and he couldn’t get away from it. Oops. I need to work on that one.

From the minute we walked in to the fair Sequoia was the hit of the whole show. People were stopping us asking his breed and commenting on how he’s so well-behaved. Everyone wanted to pet him. Then he spotted the lambs. It was love at first sight. He has always had an affinity for bunnies, and he gave the lambs the same lovelorn look he affords the bunnies. Of course he wouldn’t know what to do with them if he caught any of them. We continued into the tent where there were livestock in open pens. Those were the cleanest cows, pigs, and goats I have ever seen. We passed one cow who must have been herded by dogs because she spotted Sequoia and was promptly spooked, but she didn’t take her eye off him. The pigs on the other hand were all lying down in their pens just working on getting plumped up to go to market. They didn’t pay him any attention.

The fair didn’t offer much else. I guess there was a rodeo earlier in the day and some animal showing, but nothing much was happening during our time there. We hear from the locals that they go there for the food…dinner for $10 all you can eat and a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Cowboy Church. I never knew there was such a thing. It is just as it sounds; a kind of roaming congregation for the local cowboys. I wonder if the pastor is a cowboy as well. Adam did want to make a run back there tonight for a funnel cake dessert, but there had been a downpour and it looked closed when we got back. That meant we also missed the square dancing! Darn. Do you know I actually had Square Dancing lessons in gym during kindergarten? I could have finally put that knowledge to good use.

Our first stop…8/6/10

Since the tail end of our preparation period resulted in my need for total rest and muscle relaxers, we thought heading to Pagosa Springs, CO and soaking in the natural hot springs was an appropriate first stop. During our preparation period we had been camping at Cherry Creek and Chatfield State Parks near Denver, but we were ready to hit the road and venture a little further away from home. Knowing that we are going to circle back in a few weeks to hopefully see our unborn niece and pick up other on-order items, we were able to get out of Denver with relatively little anxiety. Pagosa Springs is this little oasis of a town situated at the base of Wolf Creek Pass (that gets the most snowfall in the state each year) and very near Durango. We love it because the resort that cultivated the natural hot springs has created the most gorgeous pool area where the various pools are encircled in stone and identified by temperature. The lowest pools run directly into the ice-cold river below which is a great natural cold plunge. A lot of natural hot springs that are cultivated for the public are simply Olympic sized pools and lack the character of nature. This spring’s natural beauty has been tastefully preserved and more than adequately modernized so you can enjoy the outdoor beauty without having to hike in and carry your own towel.

the hot springs

Since Pagosa is a 4 ½ hour drive (6-7 by RV) we split it into two days. I planned to stay at Pueblo Lake State Park in Pueblo, CO the first night. That didn’t go as planned (this is beginning to be a theme). We got off the highway in Pueblo and were following my Google Maps directions on my Blackberry. It turned out my directions were taking us to the South entrance of the park and the camping area was at the North entrance. Pueblo Lake is very long and it was already dark by the time we reached the city so we were driving blind. My directions were correct, but by we passed the small, unmarked dirt road on which our directions intended for us to turn. My “rig” is 50’ long with the tow car and completely unable to make a u-turn on a two lane road! Did I mention that Pueblo Lake is very long? We were not getting to the North side easily or quickly. Eventually, another brown state park sign appeared and we turned into the park. The road was again two lanes without a shoulder, but the state parks we had visited to date were not dissimilar. It was the “Dead End” sign that freaked us out. We prayed that there was a parking lot at the end of the road where we could at least turn around so we weren’t forced to back up all the way back to the main road. Backing up is not even an option because the tow vehicle would jack-knife and ruin the equipment and car. Lucky for us, there was a wide turn around spot…just not wide enough. So, in the pitch dark, we had to drop the car, move it separately, reposition the RV and reattach the tow car. The only thing that could have made this situation worse would have been rain. We figured, we made it to the park, but we just didn’t make it to the campground, so we were staying there for the night. If a State Ranger came over to us and asked us what we thought we were doing camping there overnight, we would just tell him of our little RV train debacle and hope he let us stay. It worked out just fine. No rangers knocked on our door, we got a little sleep and in the morning I awoke at first light to see the campground directly across the lake from us. Of course!

It was a beautiful place, but I didn’t stick around long enough to enjoy it because I was too afraid we had broken the law. At 630am I drove out of there and took myself to Village Inn for breakfast. Adam was wiped out from the last night’s tow car festivities, so he was still asleep. From then on it was a beautiful drive to Pagosa until I missed the turn in to the resort. I found a fire station just down the road with a big area in which to turn around, but it proved to be insufficient. Again we had to drop the tow car! This time we knew what we were doing and it was daylight, so we thought it would be no problem. Wrong! The car was dead. Something killed the battery during our drive. The day before, Adam and I had an argument about bringing jumper cables with us, and luckily his perspective won. We pulled those babies out of the car, hooked them up to the RV battery and jumped ourselves. Another potential disaster/delay adverted. I learned some valuable lessons: 1) don’t turn around unless you know you can get all the way around (especially in a fire station where I blocked the engine bays), 2) always carry jumper cables, 3) how to jump a car from an RV, and 4) listen to Adam because he’s usually right…always carry jumper cables.

In the beginning...July 2010

If you want to know what it is like to sell your home, store or give away all your worldly possessions, and full-time it in an RV, here’s a little glimpse into my experience of doing just that all in five weeks time. A smile and a lot of stamina are required to survive the process.


We began simply with the idea that we had the perfect opportunity to take some vacation time between moving our home from Colorado to Maryland. First we thought we would take a few weeks, and then we said maybe we should go for a month or two, and finally it resulted in let's see if we could do it for a year. It's become increasingly difficult to travel by plane with Adam's oxygen needs, so driving cross-country and taking our home with us in the form of an RV seemed like our ideal situation.

The RV Search…

We started out thinking we could pull one of those trailers with our Toyota Hilander, but quickly found out that because of the 3500 LB tow capacity on that car that the only thing we could pull would be a lightweight pod. It had no storage and a bathroom/toilet/shower/closet all-in-one combination that was less than ideal given the equipment and necessities (food and clothes) we would need for one year. Next we looked at the "Class C" motorhome. This is the drivable RV on a truck chassis. The front cab feels like you are sitting in and driving a pick-up truck. The bed is sometimes above the cab, so we would have to climb up to go to sleep, and the front seats were tight like in a car. Again, we felt that this was not going to be very comfortable for long drives. Adam's a tall guy!

So, we ended up considering a "Class A" motorhome which is built on a bus chassis. Yes, I am now a bus driver! No, I did not have to get a special license to drive this thing since it's not a commercial vehicle, but we did take a test vacation renting a 32' Class A vehicle to go to Yellowstone National Park this past May. When you rent one of these vehicles you are not allowed to tow a car, so I drove that thing everywhere! Needless to say, if I was recommending this idea to any of you, I would not recommend going to Yellowstone for your first driving adventure. The roads are two lanes with no shoulder, so if I veered even the slightest off to the right I was in the ditch. Luckily I had some experience already driving a "big-rig" of sorts when my friend Meredith a few years ago when we drove a moving truck back from Atlanta to Denver.

Once, I felt like I was comfortable driving this style RV we began our search for one of our own. It took us about three weeks of constant searching, but we are now the proud owners of a 2003 Newmar Kountry Star 38 1/2' motorhome. The extra footage greater from the rental gives us a hanging closet, washer dryer, and a few feet of room behind the passenger's seat for Adam to recline. I always said I needed to be a country singer in order to live in one of these busses! It is complete with a living room/dining room, separate bathroom area and corner shower, and a bedroom fitting a queen-sized bed. It has three slide-outs so the space inside gets more comfortable once we open the slides. The living room grows to about 200 sq ft. We have leather captain's chairs up front, a sofa bed and recliner. It sleeps about four-five people given that the sofa and dining booth convert to beds. Granted, we don't have the fancy finishes a real country star would have, but it's very comfortable for us.

Sigh...so now that that vehicle was purchased, we needed a tow-car. The RV community refers to this as a "toad" or "dinghy." Most full-timers tow a car rolling on all four wheels so they don't have to deal with a car dolly. We discovered that we could not tow our Hilander because it's an AWD hybrid and would ruin the transmission. So, that meant we were off to research cars. In recent months it has been determined that an electric wheelchair will be beneficial to Adam given his energy deficiency and other medical needs, so knowing that we may have a 2-300 LB item arriving in the upcoming months we chose to purchase a mini-van. The wheelchair need led us to look at mobility adapted vehicles. Did you know that they make mini-vans with lowered floors and raised ceilings and installed ramps to accommodate people in wheelchairs? We figured a way around purchasing one of the highly converted, very pricey vans and purchased a used Toyota Sienna minivan. Of course, this was not without hassle either.

The “Toad”

I was convinced that we would end up with an American-made van simply because of the price, but once that first dealer put us in a Honda I was in heaven. I became obsessed that we had to get the Honda Oddessy. I even found the perfect used car on Craig’s List that had been posted only for a few days (so was still available) and was driven by a woman who loved it like it was her own child. She put down store-bought carpets and runners to protect the carpets for goodness sake! Just as we were about to purchase that car we stopped at the Honda dealer to be sure we would be able to tow it on four-wheels. They strongly recommended against towing it on four wheels. Even though we had researched and found this aftermarket company who said the Honda should be towable as-is, we couldn’t bring ourselves to buy it.

Luckily, there was a Toyota dealer across the street. The Sienna was as comfortable as the Honda and priced comparably. I was determined to buy a car that day, the salesperson said he had one that had just come in, it was top-of-the-line, but had not been cleaned yet. It would be certified by the dealer, but we had to purchase it right away to push them through the process. The car was a mess. It had a dumped out bag of Cheetos in one of the compartments and three dollars in another. Obviously it was a mom-mobile with two car seat indentations on the back seats. The sales guy promised it would be like new once we picked it up, so we took a leap of faith. He called us a few days later and said it was a bad vehicle and the dealership has decided not to sell it to us since they were not going to invest the money in certifying it. We were back to square one. So, it has now been one week of constant car shopping, and we thought we had the perfect one, not once, but twice! We were back to the drawing board. To summarize this long story, we ended up back at that dealer, who we felt was obligated to find us the perfect car at this point, and we ended up with something much better than what we were originally going to buy. (Sigh of relief).

You might think that we are now ready to go, but not quite. We still had to get the car and the RV connected. Keep in mind that every time I moved the RV to a new location my mom (since Adam can no longer drive) had to come meet me and take me back to my car so I could move it as well. (Thanks, Mom!) The tow connection was actually relatively easy but when we price-compared all the components we ended up going with two different installation companies to keep costs down. Nothing is ever easy, but you know what they say, “Nothing worth doing is ever easy” or something like that.

This is the point at which I hurt my back and was flattened for the next week unable to roll over let alone walk. It was actually good timing because we had a place to park the RV since it was in the shop. We didn’t know whether I had a bulging disc, or just pulled back muscles. One week of R&R and I was back on my feet, but Adam is now taking on most of the heavy lifting. We are still hoping it was just sore muscles.

Somewhere in the middle of all this we packed up and sold our house, moved out, stored our stuff in three locations, moved into the RV and took care of Adam and my health, and got Sequoia trained and certified to be Adam’s service dog. Needless to say, the last month has been overwhelming! I couldn’t have done it without my former employer’s flexibility, my parents’ constant willingness to help, and Adam’s perseverance to help me complete all these tasks even when he was feeling unwell. I have the best husband in the world. Now we are ready to begin our adventure.