travel tuesday: carlsbad caverns

Cue the music from Vacation! In 1969, my family left Oklahoma for sunny California in the family truckster for a typical family road trip from hell. Just kidding, kind of. I’m the youngest of three, so I had to sit on the hump in the back seat with our family poodle Petite Jean Jacques Rousseau. (Dad was a philosophy major before law school.) If you’ve never ridden 3,000+ miles sitting on the hump between your older brother and sister, don’t judge me for calling it hell.

The air conditioning broke in Death Valley. And, apparently, back then motels would charge extra for families with more than four people, so I had to hide on the back floorboard under a sleeping bag with Rousseau every time we checked in. I recall hiding in the shower with him as well when someone came to the motel room door. Perks of being the youngest, I guess.

Feb 22

travel tuesday: camping on the flat tops

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Love where we live! This was one of our first camping trips with the Lance truck camper that we bought in 2017. We always try out our new campers close to home in case we forget something. This spot is in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area just an hour from our house. The Flat Tops are part of the White River Plateau with an average elevation of about 10,000 feet. Approximately 110 lakes and ponds, often unnamed, dot the country above and below numerous flat-topped cliffs. Roughly 100 miles of fishable streams are in the Wilderness.

Feb 15

travel tuesday: north clear creek falls

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This came from the archives! We were camped just outside of Lake City, Colorado, in July 2005 and took a day trip to Creede. The falls are located within the Rio Grande National Forest. North Clear Creek is a tributary of, and not far from the headwaters of, the Rio Grande River. The scenery in this part of the state is spectacular.

Feb 08

travel tuesday: riveria maya

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Five years ago, we spent a luxurious week at Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera near Playa del Carmen. It was our only visit to Mexico so far, but we hope to go back one day. The resort, the food, the entertainment, the service, we’d give everything 5 stars. Not a single complaint! The only time we left the resort was for a catamaran snorkeling trip to Isla Mujeres, which was a great experience. Highly recommend!

Feb 01

travel tuesday: denver botanic gardens

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The Denver Botanic Gardens are a real Colorado treasure. This is the Monet Pool and it’s probably my favorite spot there. Our visit last July was to attend the wedding of our best friends’ daughter, who we’ve known since she was born. It was the perfect setting to celebrate their union.

Jul 28

travel tuesday: take the long way home

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Aspen on Kebler Pass near Crested Butte, Colorado

Cottonwood Pass near Buena Vista, Colorado

We’re not kidding around when we say we’re taking the long way home. After weekend visits with our daughter in Denver and son in Colorado Springs, we took the scenic route back to our home in New Castle. This included some of my favorite scenery in the state. Continue reading

Jul 07

travel tuesday: newseum in Washington, D.C.

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The Newseum in Washington, D.C., is a must-see for anyone who loves the news and wants to learn why and how it’s made. Exhibit highlights include the largest unaltered display of the Berlin Wall outside of Germany, a touching tribute to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Boomer List and Pulitzer Prize photographs.