Hmm, now where was I last week? Sometimes I have to read my own updates for the previous week to figure out where to start the current update post!
I spent all of the last week at Boyd Lake State Park, north of Denver about an hour, where I have some family I wanted to visit with before I headed east for the summer.
My cousin, Judy, drove me to nearby Pelican Lake, and ta-da, we saw American Pelicans (the white ones) which was quite cool. Seeing pelicans always makes me happy. I would have a photo to show you except (1) they are very camera-shy and (2) I didn’t bring a telephoto lens so they just look like little white dots on a big body of water. Oh, well. So here’s a photo of the pelican sculpture outside the Pelican Lakes country club.
Friday was an attempt to see the Benson Sculpture Garden in Loveland, with Judy and my sister, Lyn. It didn’t work out so well for me, as I picked up some kind of stomach bug and had to bail. Spent most of Friday and Saturday just hanging out and not doing much, willing myself to recover because (1) I hate being sick and (2) Sunday was going to be a big day.
Felt well enough Sunday AM I decided to go for it, so drove down to Denver for two very disparate events: (1) alpacas and (2) baseball.
Alpacas are one of the most endearingly shaped animals: a lovable, shy cross between (1) My Little Pony and (2) really furry sheep.
Less furry were the baseball players, except for that one guy on the Rockies team that had a full beard, reminding me of the 2004 Red Sox team. It was a great day for a baseball game, at least until the 8th inning, when two factors intervened in our enjoyment: (1) thunder and lightning quickly followed by (2) hail. Since the Rockies had hit like a zillion homers in the last few innings, the game was no longer in doubt and we headed out.
Coors Field is a cool park, though, and my nephew treated his mom and me to club-level seats and lunch. Of course I had a hot dog, that’s the only proper food to eat at a baseball game. It’s also the only time I eat a hot dog, except for (1) county fairs and (2) beach cookouts.
Monday was a bit sad because it was time to send Flat Eliza back to Wisconsin. She’s been my little traveling companion for a month and a half, and I kind of miss her already. We did have a pile of stuff to send back with her, so I hope the real Eliza enjoys that vagabond-inspired birthday box.
After the Post Office run, I had a little plan for the rest of the day: (1) see Devil’s Backbone, which I did, and (2) take a hike, which I did not because as soon as I got there, the thunder rolled. One of the signs in the parking lot is a dedication of a shelter area to a runner who was killed by lightning a decade ago. I took that as a hint and headed home.
I stopped at the Safeway and about two minutes after I got inside, it sounded like the roof was going to fall in. Just hail, said the guy behind the meat counter. Oh, hell, hail. One of the things that can really screw up a car. Or a trailer. I got lucky though, and both were fine. 50 miles south, two people my nephew knows got their vehicles totalled by 2.5-inch hail. Yikes. Time to leave Colorado. But not before one last lunch with my cousin and a long and wonderful visit with my niece, Brianna and her family. They have a new baby girl, Helena, and it was a treat to hold such a tiny, new person for a while; kind of puts this crazy world into perspective.
Today, I got up early and tried to outrun (or outdrive) the storm, which was mostly a successful strategy. And then there was fog. Wow, haven’t had fog in months and suddenly all of western Nebraska was fogging itself in, just for me. I did catch the state line signs, though.
Now it’s raining, but I did get a walk in earlier. This place, Lake Minatare SRA, is beautiful, at least if (1) you’re a photographer and (2) you like half-dead, half-drowned, or really weird trees. Which I do. Expect some of that in the next few posts, fair warning.
Not sure if I’ll stay here 2 or 3 nights, I’m winging it as far as campsites go until next Thursday, when I get close to Kansas City, MO and have reservations for the weekend. So far at this place, it’s 3 long-term trailers (all slides in and outdoor stuff stowed) and me. I’ll take it.
There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.
C. S. Lewis
Thank you Anny 🙂