Must share photos: Palo Duro Canyon, Texas

I have already posted the love I have for our last stay and I figured while we are driving with 4G I would get some photos of our stay up. If you guys are ever in the northern part of Texas check this place out. Crazy beautiful and soul enriching. 

First night's hike.  

I love seeing Andrew with his camera out. He's not always so snap happy but this trip seems to have coaxed him into an armature photographer. 

I took this picture standing in our camp site. Dang. 

Why yes, sunflower trail sounds lovely. 

Cacti! Everywhere. Totally new terrain for all of us but I think most challenging for the pups...the occasional stray from the main path could be confusing and painful. We did have to pull a thorn from Rosie's paw.  

Yeah, that kind of thorn. Poor Rosie girl. 

Now, lets just focus on the pretty...

Ah pictures are never the same as being there. How do you share the texture of the wet clay under our feet and rubbed between our fingers or how we felt like we were walking through our own adventure, or the strange creeped out fascination at finding a dead tarantula rapidly being taken apart piece by tiny piece by the ants swarming all over it? Well, maybe a little taste of it can be shared through words but still... 

And now for a truly homey addition: honey I washed the kids soap by the camper sink for our hands. I was treated to a Lush gift from Mama Nora and we decided this was a must have. Thanks again, Mama N :) 

We can think of this as "what's outside Traci's window today" photo series. And this was the last two mornings. 

Walk up to the bathroom. 

Walk down from the bathroom. Lots and lots of water drinking had me up and down this hill at least six times one day...the good thing was that health and strength have improved and made this an easy jaunt. Also, there was a little lizard that seemed to be using the sidewalk there for a sunning spot and we saw him or her nearly every time we got up there. 

SEQUENCE! 

Wi-fi, air conditioning, good coffee and a whipped cream topped hot chocolate made for a pleasant and productive part of our afternoon. 

Driving down into the canyon.

Light house trail hike from this morning. 

Panorama shot with my awesome iphone. I love this little device. 

And as I prepare to publish this we are nearly to our first campsite in Colorado. That will be the next update though...and the photos and stories that are behind us will be finished up soon too. AND a map - where we have been and where we are going. 

Because it couldn't go without saying...

Texas is awesome.  Way, way more so than I had thought was going to be possible. We are camping at the bottom of a canyon.  A CANYON.  Real, gorgeous, reaching into the sky in glorious reds, browns, whites, and greens kind of canyon.  One of my jobs on the trip has been to find our locations to stay.  Hats off to the internet and google reviews for your help in choosing locations.  Our last site in Oklahoma was mildly disappointing.  One of those cases where “the brochure made it look great!”, reality, not so much.  It was nice for the two nights we stayed there, water and electricity and bathrooms close by equal a decent spot.   Sadly, there was nothing to inspire us to stay around the campground and park.  Two nights was enough for us and we packed up yesterday  morning to start our trek to the next spot, Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas. 

          With the not so great impression Oklahoma had left on me I really hoped that the images that had aided my decision making process would be everything they claimed to be.  And holy bejeezus, it totally is.  We had to drive down, very slowly, into the bottom of the canyon.  A steep, switchback trail that allowed us to be close to the canyon walls without feeling like you were too close was the path we took to get to our campsite…in the BOTTOM OF THE CANYON.  I simply can’t get over our location or the all encompassing beauty of this park.  It is incredibly well laid out, thoughtfully taken care of and the showers…oh, the showers!  I am a pretty easy going girl and I have certainly showered with my fair share of spiders and stink but these showers have the absolute minimum of both those things.  And a water saver shower head!  Rock on State of Texas and your amazing park!

          We finally arrived at a campsite when it wasn’t dark out…although, I shouldn’t say finally, this is really only our fourth camping experience and each set up is significantly better than the one before.  We learn from our mistakes and make adjustments so the next time we won’t reach the same level of frustration as the time before.  This journey is not always a piece of cake.  I believe there’s a mark twain quote about how you will know whether or not you really love someone after you have traveled with them.  Wow. No joke.  There are tests that you never prepared yourself for, or at least we maybe thought we had but the reality, again, very different from what your expectations are.  Sometimes better, sometimes worse, all learning experiences.    

That said, I LOVE my family.  Love them.  Couldn’t do this without them and wouldn’t want to.  Yesterday we took down the camper in the morning and set it back up that night.  This is the second time doing this.  I want to say it took us just short of two hours to pack up (we are NOT morning people and it takes time to get us all moving), but when we arrived at Palo Duro we were set up in 30 minutes with just the organizational aspects that we have implemented left to set up.  But first a hike! 

How could you be in a place this beautiful and not want to get out and be a part of it?  The dogs needed a nice long walk from being in the car all day and so did we.  Something to get us moving, our blood flowing, endorphins palpitating (or whatever the heck it is that endorphins do) – we needed to absorb our environment.  Dogs on leashes we headed out and found one of the trails that had been pointed out to us by the super (and I mean SUPER) helpful guy at the main office for the camp.  Our first choice in paths was far too wet and clay like for my sandal’s capabilities and I redirected us to what turned out to be a drier and much more upward section of trail.  This turned out to be an incredibly fun trail to take, especially with Miss Crumpets.  She is so strong and explorative and HAPPY to be dashing up clay covered hills and I was elated to be able to join her.  My footing felt so solid and my momentum secure.  I didn’t slip once.  The fact that I am strong enough and healthy enough to revel in this experience has me glowing in perma-smile land – at least today.  Sometimes I’m a real grumpster…

The terrain around here is different from anything I’ve ever been in.  Wet and dry and RED.  So red.  There seems to be a constant breeze carrying coolness which we are highly grateful for whether we are inside or outside of the camper.  Today feels like a Sunday.  Aydan is painting at the table, Andrew is napping on the couch and I’ve got my laptop on my lap, sitting at the end of the couch by my husband’s feet where I can observe all and feel a part of it.  A family day of rest and relaxation and healing from some of the rather frantic endeavors we have undertaken.  This is not entirely a trip of leisure.  We have deadlines to meet and, when we get to our destination on Vancouver Island, I have a baby to help deliver.  I could not be more honored to have been invited to be a part of this wondrous moment in the lives of people I hold so very close to my heart.  Leah and Adrien, we are on our way and you had best be ready for coffee, and tea, and sequence nights because that’s what we are going to do.  As often as we can.

This is the end of my rant for the moment.  No pictures.  Not even in order of events as they happened.  But it was just time to share…something.  But we must find a location where i can use wi-fi - right now the left hand corner of my phone says "no service" but I suppose, when writing from a canyon that's what I would expect.  

PS: Obviously we found a wi-fi spot, a coffee shop kind of coffee shop in canyon Texas, Palace Coffee Company.  And the coffee is...good.  Sigh of happiness kind of good.  I love a Sidamo for coffee and this one is bright and berry like and exactly what I would hope for in a cup of coffee.  Life. Is. Good. 

                                                                                                                

And....wait for it...just a little bit longer...now...go?

Yep.  Still in the Fort.  We took a larger amount of time getting packed up yesterday than we had planned but I think that's just how we roll.  None of us are so hard lined about anything that we can't take a break and do something else...this can throw off plans, certainly, but it generally opens a less stressful and more enjoyable path to accomplishing our goals.  So packing and organizing the camper on a hot day is so much more pleasant with intermittent breaks for Rock Band in a highly chilled AC run house.  Thank you Lisa for your brilliant central air system.  That said, we were also able to spend a few extra hours with Lisa and Mike, play some Rock Band all together, I got a ukulele lesson from Mike, and Lisa made a scrumptious mannicotie dinner with a side of steak, followed by a game of Risk before all heading to bed.  Now I am awake.  Really awake.  Fresh pot of coffee and head streaming with ideas and wants to do kind of awake...but there's really nothing TO DO.  Packed and ready we are, as in grab the dogs and our day bags and off we go.

All that said, it's been a pretty heavy Gabapentin use kind of week as well.  I don't know what sets my body off but this week has not been happy.  Tightness in the shoulders and back, chest, throat, several dizzy/near fainting spells. I can get so busy that I barely notice what's happening but then when I pause for a moment...it's right there.  Shrug.  This is life now.  I am not giving up and saying I guess I have to deal with this but I am so new to learning and living with my MS that I have to accept and inspect whatever my body does right now.  I have been keeping a journal over the last few weeks to track things.  I hope that it will help with figuring out how I can help myself and how to tel doctors they can help me as well.  I feel like I'm my own experiment which is actually a fascinating way to feel.  At least, I think so.  

BUT...the week here has been very, very nice.  Here come the pictures! 

Pop up camper set up at Lisa's for the week. 

Rosie hiding in my mostly unpacked, strewn wherever I feel like it bag.  Cute. 

This gathering of magical people (not all of them in the photo) needed to be photographed.  Our friend, John, mentioned that what we were heading towards must be something truly great to leave behind so much love.  He is right.  Not an easy choice to make with all these amazing people to learn from, spend time with, and love.  Thank you friends for the pieces of you that have been shared and will be coming with us as a part of who we are because of you. 

Dog time!  Crumpets loves the days when she gets to be a true dog-dog.  

Blurry but must have.  Elisa and Pearl in dance mode inside the Shack. 

Pearl still dancing. 

Andrew with Rosie and Holly (beautiful lady in the yellow scarf) with her daughter Amina.  I loved Amina's naked little body and smiling soul as she ran around all day, in and out of the water, being an example of how good life REALLY is.  Blessings to you little one.  

So is it just me or does traveling suit Andrew?  I love this picture of my handsome, handsome husband. 

Video game break time with Rosiekins at Lisa's. 

Fourth of July dinner!  This series of photos cracks me up. Megan (middle) had been Miss Serious Face until she couldn't anymore.  I love the interactions in this photo! Lisa playing Betty Crocker, Megan cracking up, and Christopher being a happy participant in the silliness.  

And this one!  Ha! 

The kitchen is always the gathering spot in any house I'm in.  Lisa was learning how to whip cream from Megan and I think Mike just wanted to hang out with the pretty women :)  Or, he was asking about when it was time to get meat on the grill.  The best picture of the evening isn't even in existence but it would have been of the six adults that were hanging out standing around devouring meat from the grill like the carnivores we all are.  Mike marinated some rockin' good steaks and Megan and Christopher brought over ribs (from one of Megan's dad's pigs!) that they had made a cherry rosemary marinade for.  Oh so good! 

Aw!  Happy newlyweds :)  Christopher and Megan were one of the couples we couldn't miss getting married and they had an absolutely beautiful wedding.  Grand Traverse Yacht club was certainly a lovely setting for lives joined together.  

Rock Band!  Have I mentioned this game enough?  I think we may need to look into purchasing it at some point in the future.  Two guitars, two mics and a drum set make for an entertaining night for sure.  Megan was doing a great job on the drums and the smile on her face cracked me up so bad, especially compared to the absolute concentration Christopher is giving to his job as a video game bassist. 

Lisa on vocals. 

Mike and Andrew.  

Mike and Lisa.  I have actually seen them do this same thing without the video game.  Mike plays guitar and Lisa sings along with him when she knows the song...which seems to be a lot of the time...which is awesome and fun to listen to.  Way to be awesome, friends. 

Fun for the whole family!  We were able to get a weekend in with the faux bros.  They will be deeply missed by us all. 

Risk at Megan's.  Are you sure you want to do that? 

Board game in full swing. 

When you ask a smart phone a question, you never quite know what answer you are going to get.  I have to say, this is very good advice. 

Lisa and Nadia hanging in the camper.  Candy crush saga and the "great outdoors".  How spoiled are we? 

Color choices for the someday renovation/personalisation of the camper. Any suggestions are welcome! 

Darlin' ukulele that I've been dreamin' of...This little ukulele is the perfect thing for me in so many ways.  Small enough that I can play it in the car and easily carry it around and  the best part (well, they might all be best parts, who knows) is the amount of hand strength and dexterity I will gain from playing.  My hands are so important to me and they are the first thing that seems to go in a flare up situation.  I have had times where I couldn't open and close my hands. My physical therapist said the best thing I could do would be to exercise and strengthen my hands.  She gave me putty to squeeze, Conyers gave me a ukulele.  What an amazing gift, little brother! I can't thank you enough for the generosity you have shown me and my family.  

Did I mention packed and ready to go?  

Oh.  And I asked Lisa if she would let me redecorate her kitchen...just a little bit.  The brave girl said yes.  

And this is what she got.  Aw yeah.  Projects like this give me so much happiness and a vital sense of accomplishment.  Joy and Mike hung out with us for a while that evening as well and we knocked out the rest of the things that needed done to pull everything together. 

Celebratory Risk game and snacks. 

Lisa agreed to let me cut up her green table cloth and re-cover her chairs.  Not bad, huh?  

Even Aydan is excited. 

Lisa :) 

Silly.

Another finished picture of the kitchen.  I am just so pleased with how it turned out :) 

Packing things up and this was the basket that came together.  So thankful that Aydan is still in that in between boy and young man phase.  

First lesson with Conyers!  

Making music.  Sort of. 

That son of mine.  

At this time, I am in Evansville, IN.  We were able to get on the road by about 1:00 yesterday and arrived here close to 9.  Good drive for the most part. I believe it is just beginning to sink in.  The fact that we won't be going back.  Well, we will at some point but it will be so different.  Thank you to friends who hosted us, fed us, partied with us and have loved us so well.