Travel and Stuff

Those of us who are not world travelers this summer are on a "working" vacation with Jeff. We wanted to get away from the usual to enjoy one more family vacation with Nikki before she heads off to college. But with saving for the adoption and gas prices as they are, we decided we couldn't spend a lot. Since Jeff had several agencies around the state he needed to visit this summer, we coordinated and Nikki, Mara and I are tagging along as he visits local agencies in Southern Colorado.

We spent Sunday driving to Cortez and spent Monday and Tuesday touring Mesa Verde. What an amazing and mysterious place. As does everyone, I want to know what possessed these people to build their homes in holes on the sides of rock walls. And how many of their children died as a result of falling? If Mara had lived there it would have been for a very short time. I was a nervous wreck by the time we completed tours of two of the ruins and I'm thankful she doesn't have a spiral fracture in her arm from one of us grabbing and yanking her back from a precipice. On the other hand she was great at climbing the log ladders to get back to the top of the bluff after the tours were over. Mara and I toured ruins on the Mesa top while Jeff and Nikki did the largest, most dangerous cliff dwelling tour. Much more relaxing for me, if a bit dull. Anyway, quite a tribute to "the ancients." They were an amazing people.

On the evening of the 4th we drove to Durango where we met up with Tom, Mark and Alex who had spent their weekend climbing three of Mark's remaining Fourteeners. They were taking a break before heading out for two more. So we enjoyed a dinner together at Francisco's Restaurante Y Cantina then headed outdoors to watch the city's fireworks display. The weather was perfect, we didn't have to be in a certain part of town or at the Stampede to watch them and the company was great. A wonderful, small town 4th of July.

Wednesday Jeff had to actually do some of the work he came for while Nikki, Mara and I enjoyed wandering the streets of Durango with Tom, Mark and Alex. We perused many of the small gift shops and snacked at "designer coffee and ice cream joints." (Tom's term--quite descriptive I think.)

Yesterday we arrived here in Alamosa and after checking into our hotel, headed out to enjoy the Great Sand Dunes. I love this place and it is as much fun as an adult as it was as a child. The wind was a little annoying (and painful as it drilled the sand into our legs and arms) but the temperature was perfect for climbing to a fairly high dune to "see what we could see." I, wanting not to be a sheep, decided we should try a different one from where everyone else was headed. It also was closer and less steep climbing which I thought would make it easier for Mara. Nikki and I got to our goal and could see a bit of mountain on the other side, but mostly just more dunes. Wrong choice but still amazing. Mara begged to be carried at first and fussed when we refused, however when I requested she adjust her attitude she did!! Soon she was running, laughing, giggling and suggesting we all lie down and make "snow" angels. I thought that was an especially creative and observant idea, though I declined to join her. I did take pictures of her and Nikki doing so, however. Mara and Jeff decided 3/4 of the way to the top was adequate and made sand castles while they waited for us.

We miss Katelynn on this trip, but she is taking every opportunity to have fun herself. She is seeing many amazing things in China and is right now making her travel plans for her week-long vacation from classes. Looks like she plans to head to Beijing for a few days and then on to Xi'an. Since she had been to Beijing before she decided she didn't want to spend her entire time there. I don't know what is in Xi'an but something very cool, I'm sure.

She spent her first weekend in China traveling by train to see the Shaolin Temple and the Longmen Grottos. Somewhere along the way she also took a trip to a place called "Hanging Bridge" on Mt. Song. The bridge could be accessed only by a "path" which I am so glad I saw the photo of only after she had safely returned to Shanghai. She has given me permission to post the photos here. My first response to the picture was, "YIPES!" My second response was, "how the heck did they build that thing?"

No news on referrals but the outlook seems positive. China insists it plans to not go beyond 12 months referral time. That would put us getting a referral for Christmas. It would be great to see it sooner but we are going to expect to travel in January or February.

All for now--gotta get back to vacationing. We're headed home tomorrow and I don't want to miss anything.