New Tires. New Mirrors. Truck checked out with oil change, new brake controller, and all the other things that are necessary to get on the move.
Everything we have done to this point was done with the intent of making a long trip in the Airstream. We now have a hard copy check-list to make sure everything is done properly (hook-up), and I wish it was possible to just turn it upside down to unhook it.
We have made several short weekend trips, practicing and trying to get comfortable with the equipment and all that goes with it. We still have a way to go to be proficient at everything, however, we have gotten REALLY good at Margarita consumption.
This trip was just Pat and I; no Maggie. It was difficult leaving her behind, but we felt it was the right thing to do.
We decided to avoid the freeway until we got past FT. WORTH. I swear, mile-for-mile, there is more construction on I-35 through Ft. Worth, than anywhere in the state.
We pulled out at 7AM in the morning headed toward Colorado Springs to visit Pat's son George and his family. It was going to be about a 900 mile trip, but we aimed to make it to Dumas, TX that evening--we were told they had a city park with free electric hookup for overnight parking. The price seemed right so we stayed there. The only thing we had to put up with was all the railroad tracks that went by within a block. The AC DROWNED that out.
We walked a couple of blocks to a fast food restaurant and fed our faces. IT WAS AT THIS POINT, we discovered the first major thing that we had forgotten. While we had the NEW flat screen TV and NEW HD antenna... NO COAXIAL CABLE!
So much for television that night.
Well, with an early start, we were on to Colorado.
We weren't to sure what to expect when we started climbing in New Mexico at Raton Pass. I'm sure Pat was much more nervous than I was, however, my attention was glued to the road. I was extremely happy to reach the top on the Pass, and I remember saying to myself as I looked at the traffic going the other way, Wow! That is going to be a Bitch to get up on the way back.
We made it to Colorado Springs without incident, and went directly to the RV park where we had reservations. We thought we had reserved a pull through space, which I was soooo ready to use, but no... NO pull through--just a crowded space that I had to back into.
Small ordeal but we got through it.
DID I fail to mention, it was 106 in Dallas the day we left and it was now about 80 degrees in Colorado?
Nice...
We were even able to sleep at night with the AC off and the windows open.
We got to visit a few days with our kids and beautiful grandchildren. Since they had jobs and the kids were in school, we went sightseeing in the daytime. Everything was beautiful and overwhelming. We saw The Garden of the Gods, Manitiou Cliff Dwellings, and beautiful mountain ranges; as well as visted quaint little shopping areas.
Pat had a spiritual reading and I TOOK PICTURES.
Everything was great... then the rains came.
We had backed our Airstream into this space, and we were right up against a creek bed with soothing light flow of water that was actually nice to fall asleep listening to it.
RAIN...RAIN...RAIN....I was getting a little nervous because it was about to crest. We would look out the back window, look at each other, and say "this doesn't look good."
I went to the office and inquired, and was told by the little oriental woman, "Nothing to worry about."
We didn't wash away and all was well with the world.
We DID have a little ordeal with a spider bite, but I'm not getting into that. Two days of pain and itching!!!
We left for the trip home Wednesday, dreading the Raton Pass that we were going to have to climb. To make this story short (too late), we were white knuckled and tense.
The incline actually pulled us down to 40 mph, and that was on the FLOOR. It was smooth sailing after that. We spent the night at the Free Park again, and were on to Hillsboro, Thursday night.
We had a little trouble backing into the driveway when we got home--it was dark and everyone in town stopped to watch. I think they were actually driving around the block just to screw up traffic.
To sum it up: We had fun, and I just loved it. We will be doing a lot of this traveling when we retire. There is so much to see in Texas, we could have a lifetime of travel.
BIG BEND anyone?????????
So until later this is what HE SAID, see what SHE SAID..........
