R.A.T. Days 92 - 98; Colorado - Home away from home

Taking advantage of this year's hurricane season to rediscover America. We're calling it the R.A.T. (Rediscover America Tour). While Sanibel sits on dry dock at Safe Cove boatyard in Port Charlotte, Florida, Jimi and I will be traveling 49 of the 50 U.S. States. Along the way we're going to recapture what America's made of, visiting out-of-the-way and well -known places, reconnecting with friends and family and much more.

Day 92 - October 20th. We began driving through Moab. My activity level began to decrease as the pain in my lower back and right hip increased.

Total miles driven:  14,860

Wild horses along the way,

Day 93 - October 21st. Due to my continued and increasing pain, we put our trip in fast forward. Jimi had his heart set on spending some time in this area with his camera, but Mother Nature disagreed. The weather was foggy, misty and often raining. 

Total miles driven: 14,990

Jimi hiked in a ways to take this photo. Mesa Verde.

Day 94 - October 22nd. Jimi drove all day, more than six hours, as I laid in the back of the van during our travel, to arrive in Denver at friends, Brad and Ellen's residence.

Total miles driven: 15,370

Things we see on the side of the road.

Day 95 - October 23rd. Still at Brad and Ellen's, they took great care of me with trips to the inversion table in the basement and the hot tub in the back yard. I comfortably laid on the couch and was able to visit, after all my mouth still worked fine. 

Total miles driven: 15,370

Day 96 - October 24th. Jimi and I went our separate ways for 24 hours. He went to friend, Juraj's house, while "my Tammy", from Mead, picked me up and took me to her house.

Total miles driven: 15,380

I got my kitty fix at Tammy's house. She had three babies who snuggled, played and helped me knit. 

I was right at home.

Day 97 - October 25th. I knew Jimi was in heaven when he called to tell me he and Juraj were going back country snowboarding at St. Mary's Glacier. I was equally blessed when another great friend came from Thornton to visit me. Vicki B and her lovely daughter, Jayden.
Later that evening Jimi joined us and we ate a fabulous 
dinner Tammy and Greg cooked for us; Greek Stew.
After dinner Jimi and I said our goodbyes and we drove to Longmont where we stayed the next two nights with sorority sister Viktoria, her husband Mike and daughter, Grace.

Total miles driven: 15,428

Jimi

The guys: Jimi and Juraj

Juraj

The beautiful Colorado Mountains

Jimi

Tammy and Greg work in the kitchen while I rest on the couch.

Day 98 - October 26th. Jimi spent the afternoon with his high school buddy, Matt. Mike, Viktoria and I went to lunch. And feeling much better I went shopping with my BFF, Melody.
That evening Viktoria cooked us a fabulous dinner and then we watched some Sanibel home videos and some of Mike's home movies. 
We drank wine, talked and laughed until our belly's hurt.

Total miles driven: 15,438

A household of American and British pride.

Beta Sigma Phi sisters reunited!

While the guys do guy stuff.

I love Colorado and still hope we'll move back one day. This is where all my friends live and I'm sad I wasn't able to see everyone, but the people we did see was priceless. Thank you to all for your love and hospitality.

R.A.T. Days 85 - 91 in the desert

Taking advantage of this year's hurricane season to rediscover America. We're calling it the R.A.T. (Rediscover America Tour). While Sanibel sits on dry dock at Safe Cove boatyard in Port Charlotte, Florida, Jimi and I will be traveling 49 of the 50 U.S. States. Along the way we're going to recapture what America's made of, visiting out-of-the-way and well -known places, reconnecting with friends and family and  much more.

Day 85 - October 13th. This was our second day in Las Vegas. We only left the room a couple of times to get something to eat. We find ourselves more and more exhausted as time goes on. A chance to recoup and get some much needed work done is a must.

Total miles driven: 13,577 

We talked about going to a Las Vegas Wedding Chapel to renew our vows, but the prices were a bit steep for us.

Driving out of town, we saw this building. Neat, huh? I would love to see the inside.

Day 86 - October 14th. We spent the day touring the Hoover Dam including the new bypass bridge and then made friends with the wild burrows in Oatman, AZ. Oatman is a historic mining town from the 1800's and it still holds on to it's history.

Total miles driven: 13,890

Jimi in photo taking mode, yet kind enough to stop what he's doing to let me take his picture.

Wild burrows left years ago by the miners now roam freely throughout the town. They like attention and I really enjoyed petting them. We must have see two dozen and at least ten of those were a few weeks old to a couple of months. it was fun.

Here's a mine from long ago.

An old time fuel station on old Route 66 towards Oatman.

Now this is a cool diner.

Welcome to Oatman!

Route 66 didn't seem the same as I remember. It's so desolate.

Day 87 - October 15th. Jimi's birthday! And we spent the day in the wondrous Grand Canyon. We originally planned to visit the North Rim, but at the last minute decided on the South Rim.

Total miles driven: 13,995

Lorie looking over the Grand Canyon.

Jimi's turn to look out and over the Grand Canyon.

Elk grazing as if we weren't there.

The lookout tower.

Jimi's panorama.

Just a breathtaking sight.

Smokey - my childhood friend.

Day 88 - October 16th. We enjoyed the Navajo Nations, Horseshoe Bend, Page, Az and the Grand Staircase of Utah.

Total miles driven: 14,150

The local Indians setting up their stands for a day's work.

Horseshoe Canyon is another breathtaking site.

Settled in our camp for the night, Jimi is enjoying his birthday meal of T-bone steak 

and loaded mashed potatoes.

This was the view from our camp spot.

Day 89 - October 17th. We drove to the Bryce National Park, but the rainy weather and thick fog prevented us from seeing anything on the overlooks. We then went to Escalante Grand Staircase National Monument.

Total miles driven: 14,430

Day 90 - October 18th. We drove to Green River, Utah, checking out some Petroglyphs along the way. When we arrived in Green River, we found a laundromat and then checked in to a 
hotel to get all shiny and clean.

Total miles driven: 14,544

Petroglyphs

Day 91 - October 19th. We went through Arches National Park; however part of the park is closed due to flooding from excessive amounts of rain. We then drove over to Canyonlands National Park where we took some nice pictures. 

Total miles driven: 14,679

Titled "The Three Gossips" in Arches National Park

 
I napped in the van while Jimi hiked to take a few photos.

After my nap, I made friends with this little guy.

The drive between Arches and Canyonlands

A new addition to the van. We either get strange looks (which is when I bow my head and hide) or "that's cool" looks (which is when I still bow my head and hide).

Lorie's panorama

Jimi's panorama

Jimi talking to a fellow photographer at the Grand View of Canyonlands. 

This was our last stop for the day and then we were off to find a camping spot for the night.

During the evening hours and throughout the night it rained and thunder stormed. We even had pea size hail, which sounded like huge chunks of rock falling on the van.