July 29, 2021

Marble Canyon, AZ to Dolores, CO

Since sleep was not in the cards, we brought the dogs over to swim one more time, then packed up to leave. It was back to 91 degrees by 8am when we got over to the coin operated showers. Damn. Who wants to live here? The wild horses were out again this morning so we watched them. It is beautiful here that’s for sure.

We tried to get a campsite at a place Kevin and Chris had suggested in Ridgway but we missed it while waiting on hold. No big deal, we weren’t sure how far we would get today and needed to find a campsite with a shower for tonight. I’m tired of being sweaty!

Our first stop of the day was in Page, AZ at the famous horseshoe bend. It took us 50 minutes to get here but it was less than 5 miles by the crow flies. It was a short walk but felt forever in the heat. The dogs haven’t really recovered yet from the night before and this was hard on them. Jason had an 11:00am reservation at Antelope Canyon X but since we were so close to Utah our phones kept jumping from one time zone to another and we were getting confused. We didn’t stay long at Horseshoe Bend but glad we stopped. The photos don’t do it justice.

The Navajo guidelines are stricter. Masks required even outdoors. No questions asked on their land. We arrived 15 minutes later to Antelope Canyon X. You may have heard of the Antelope Canyons. The pictures there are unreal as the water over time has eroded away the sides of this canyon with big swirls. The two bigger Antelope Canyons are booked months out. This new smaller version only opened this month so Jason was able to grab tickets. I pushed him to do this so I’m glad he took the opportunity. I looked for a campground and booked Dolores River Campground by recommendation of our friends. Jason came back 90 minutes later full of stories and amazing pictures.

It felt almost like a cathedral inside. You needed to be hushed and in the moment. He had a great convo with the Navajo guide parts of which were very eye opening to him. Another person overheard him say he worked in schools and they told him that we were all angels for what we did this past year.

It was about 12:30pm when we headed north into Utah. I know I know. I said we weren’t going..but it ended up being just barely out of the way that I wanted to make a stop and see Monument Valley and the Valley of the Gods.

The drive in was okay. We were navigating around storms to our west and south but we were heading Northeast so we were alright.

Monument Valley was impressive. These structures truly came out of no where. But we were there for… a specific purpose.

Remember in the movie Forrest Gump, when after years of running Forrest just stops… well here we are! Mile 13 road marker and when you look behind you can see it. Amazing! Other people were in the road too so we took our time and got our picture. Felt cool to go somewhere that was always so impressive in a movie and it turns out to be even better in person.

Okay so back into the car and on the road again, we took our friend Chris’s advice and didn’t do Valley of the Gods because rain was imminent. It was surprising we weren’t soaked yet. The skies were telling us to keep going so we listened.

More lightning strikes than I’ve ever seen in my life all together happened over the next hour. The thing is because you can see forever out here the storms weren’t right on top of us like back East. We felt good and safe and honestly weren’t getting much water so we kept going.

This next part of the story isn’t for the faint of heart. Mom, you should just skip forward…

The colors were changing in front of us. It wasn’t just grey another. There was an odd orange aura. It looked like a rain storm. That’s what it had to be. Maybe fog? Who knows.

When we were in it we knew. This wasn’t rain. This was a dust storm. All we could see was orange sand blowing to one side. It wasn’t much of a wind- the camper usually can’t handle much but we weren’t swaying at all. Some cars were passing us and they seemed okay. We used their lights to guide us. Jason kept going slowly and masterfully got us through it. Holy shit man!

We immediately texted Kev and Chris and sent them a video for confirmation that it was a dust storm. Kev sent us an article with advice on what to do it we encountered it again. While the lights had helped us, apparently that can be trouble in dust storms because people will veer off the road toward the car lights if they are trying to use them the way we did.

Equipped with new knowledge, thankfully we didn’t need to use it again. An hour or so later we arrived, totally intact, to Dolores River Campground. Parked right across from us was an Rpod 💜. Another sign that things were right.

The neighbor to our left struck up a conversation with Jason about his new hobby- mushroom foraging. They talked for awhile and I finished setting up and made dinner. Jason definitely has more energy and social skills to talk to people and I was still calming down from the dust storm high. I knew he wouldn’t mind if I stayed holed away. There was still a storm outside so Patch was glad I stayed with her though she stared out the window at Jason the whole time.

I made some tacos with mushrooms, onion, and peppers and added an enchilada sauce packet I had found. I cooked the soyrico in a separate pan to get some crisp on it. Little side salad and dinner was served.

We made some tentative plans for campsites for our next stop- Telluride!

July 27, 2021

Sedona, AZ to Sedona, AZ

Woke up with full batteries everywhere and we felt great! What a positive way to start the day!

We have incredible reception up in the campground. We’ve really lucked out to this point to always have service. Jason had found a hike by the water we wanted to do and our waiter at Sedona Beer Co had said it was definitely worth it, so we went. I forgot to mention that the waiter had a corgi/beagle mix and I saw the pictures- cutest dog ever. Can’t even.

We headed to Crescent Park and paid to park. There were people online saying there was free parking near by but we couldn’t figure out where it was so we just paid. The walk was well worth it. It was busy with families making a day of it on the creek. It was great to see!

The pups were jumping in and out of the creek whenever they could. One spot though, was toooo deep. And they jumped in and had trouble getting out. No pictures because we were literally grabbing them by the harness and pulling them out of the water. They stopped jumping in without us giving permission after that.

With tired pups in tow we attempted to find a place to eat. Jason stopped at a first thrift shops on the way. We ended up at Cantina 89 and wooooooo. Best drinks of the trip! Mine was with passion fruit and a hint of spice and Jason’s had pomegranate. They also had salsa flights that were tasty. It was Taco Tuesday and they doctored up a taco for me so it would be vegan. Lots of instructions and they are the best tacos of the trip! Fresh ingredients, incredible!

We headed back to the campsite around 2:30 with the expectation to come back to see Sedona sunset. I took a video that I’ll try to post of the road up. I told Jason I think our friend Craig and him need to come out west to do some motorcycling. Great roads and awesome scenery!

I sat outside the camper and read for awhile and sunbathed. Perfect weather for it! Jason set up the hammock and took a nap!

Everyone else in Sedona was waiting for a sunset so finding parking was tough. I jumped out at a popular spot and tried to snag a few pictures but it was just too busy for me. We had to stop at Whole Foods so we did that errand instead. yay another grocery store!

We emptied the groceries and Jason praised me for “not going over the top” again. There was an incident when the vegan burgers fell out of the bag and I had to clean them all off, but I’m trying to forget it happened and just hope the grill will help it.

I’m really not sure what we ate for dinner. I knew we haven’t been as hungry the past few days and we’ve both been losing a little weight so it feels good whatever we are doing.

I stepped outside to see the start of a beautiful night sky. Then the Milky Way appeared!! And then two shooting starts. Well you’ve just taken my heart from me Sedona. Perfect night with sweatpants and a sweatshirt on. And all of the stars..

July 26, 2021

Sedona, AZ to Sedona, AZ

Yesterday was basically a rest day and that was great. We had plans to go into town at night but after all of the rain we didn’t want to risk moving the truck too soon.

Last night I had walked outside to get the external charger that we’ve been using that’s main purpose is a jump starter for car batteries. Apparently, something got in the way of the door closing. And from 8pm til 8am, the door was open….causing the car battery to die. Argggg.

Luckily Jason sprung into action and took one of the two batteries we have on the camper off and used it to jumpstart the 4Runner. Phew! Two close ones in just a few days time. We are far enough off the road here where getting help would’ve been difficult. We got off easy with this one.

Jason made banana French toast with my Just Egg and it was great. Time to get going into town.

The ride from the campground into Sedona was breathtaking! Jason was loving every minute of it. Tons of twists and turns!

We started off in the Tlaquepaque shops. Cool artisan shops and galleries. We poked into a few but spent the most time talking to Dustin at Spirits and Spice. They sold curated spirits, oils, vingers, and spices. Dustin was “mostly vegan” and told us spots around town to visit. He caught a glimpse of Jason’s octopus tattoo and they talked for awhile about taking the time to find the right artist, etc. We tasted some vinegars and oils and Jason tried some spirits. We liked this place a good deal. Jason tried a whiskey that put all whiskeys to shame apparently.

We drove around and did the sight seeing stuff. These pictures could never do justice for that Sedona truly looks like. Very inspiring place. There is talk of vortexes and energy fields here and no doubt you can tell that this place FEELS different than anywhere you’ve ever been.

We brought the pups over to a walk that seemed short and sweet. We didn’t factor in the heat for the pups and they were able to do just about a mile in and out. The views were beautiful.

We needed a place to get refreshments so a brewery it is! We went to Sedona Beer Company. They had a few vegan options listed for food so I was pumped! Several restaurants in town carry Flagstaff’s own Next Veg, which is like a meat substitute but they aren’t actually trying to have it taste like meat. The fries were salt and vinegar and I was in heaven. Our waiter’s girlfriend is vegan so he knew exactly what I could have. So lucky!

The Dude Imbibes- Jason had to get the Dude Float. I can’t. The Dude follows us everywhere!

We grabbed some merch and headed back up home. On the way, yards from our site, we heard a loud moo. Look at this huge bull that must’ve escaped and found his paradise. We named him Ferdinand 💜

July 25, 2021

Winslow, AZ to Sedona, AZ

Showers are everything I’ve decided. Free coffee doesn’t hurt either. We woke and split the jobs for the morning. I walked the pups while Jason put the laundry in and took the first shower. I was happy to oblige this because I was trying to FaceTime my mom to see if my nieces were all still celebrating birthdays together. Unfortunately I missed them but was able to talk to my mom for awhile when the dogs “walked” in the dog park. Patch looked back at the camper the whole time and Bear laid down. Sigh.

We went back and I made a real breakfast. I needed to fix the energy and the attitude I had from midday yesterday. This wasn’t serving me or us right now. I made a Just egg sandwich for myself and Jason’s breakfast. He came back looking like a new person. Large glass showers he said. He had switched the laundry and he told me to take my time. Oh sweet shower, how I’ve missed you so.

Showered, laundry done and folded, and with a plan in hand, we got ready to leave. A nice man walking his beautiful Akitas came to talk to us about camping life. He and his wife had met at an RV park 50 years earlier. They’ve been camping together ever since in everything under the sun. They have a huge 5th wheel now but he reminisced about having a small one like ours. It is a great reminder that this is for the long haul for us. We love camping and I made the commitment to this camper because I wanted this in our lives. Here we are more than 2 weeks into our trip and over two thousand miles of travel under our belts.

Dump Station was the last stop and we are truly pros at this now. Quick and easy and on the road. We only had 75 minutes of driving today. It felt like nothing. With a full tank of gas, we were on the road.

Now today we were trying something different for us. Dispersed camping. This is where there are sites… but no campground. No camp host. Park rangers come around as a safety moreso to ensure you aren’t making fires or anything stupid. You have no hook ups here. No bathroom besides Mother Nature (or your self contained unit). Having spent the time in Madrid off grid we knew we could handle this. We have a propane tank that runs our stove and our fridge. And we have two 12V batteries in sync with each other that will run our lights and water pump. That’s all we need. We had bought a solar panel but returned it due to its size and the fact we were so new at this we didn’t know if we would really need it. We had been offered one for cheap on the road in Tennessee too by one of the airstream owners but we declined. This is the type of camping we ultimately want to be doing. We cannot run the AC on propane or battery, so some people buy a generator. They are loud, expensive, and really weren’t in our budget this time around. But in these areas, we wouldn’t need AC. The nightly temps get down to the 50’s. Open the windows and let the cool air in.

We had 4 places to look at between Flagstaff and Sedona. We stopped at the first location in Coconino Forest, 535. It was a fun little ride in and we saw some places, but there was rain only hours away so we needed to find a spot that was as dry as possible and as level as possible. We were nestled under ponderosa pine trees and crept up past the second switchback in the road. We saw a few great sites that we couldn’t get to due to water so continued on. We felt good about this place though. Lots of people camping here but pretty spaced out.

We finally found a spot and it looked perfect besides a slight drop in the road to get in. We just needed to be sure that the pipes or jacks didn’t hit the ground. Jason went nice and easy, through some mud, but got us in! He nestled us behind some bushes for privacy and we had fun unhooking and trying to get this puppy level. 😳

With all tasks at hand complete, we watched the skies light up with a storm. Rain poured down and we watched little streams form all around the camper. I had wanted to go to Sedona today but that was out of the question.

We enjoyed some quiet time reading books and looking at places to go and see the next few days. I had very much wanted a massage on this trip but the places I tried were either not open yet due to Covid or booked out. Jason wanted to hike and take pictures so that was easy.

For whatever meal we actually ate today I just finished the leftovers from the night before. Jason, not ever looking at pasta sauce the same way again, decided to make a vegan ham and cheese melt. I had a bite and it was delicious!

Today was a much better day than yesterday. I went to the truck and got out the emergency charger we brought with us because I was out of phone battery. Since we didn’t drive to Sedona I didn’t get a chance to charge it in the car. Sleep came fast under the cool night sky. Arizona is looking up.

July 24, 2021

Madrid, NM to Winslow, AZ

We have spent the last few days debating on where we go next. Do we go north to Colorado? Or west to Arizona? Today we are heading west.

Our hope was to get to Flagstaff or Sedona but we weren’t sure what the day would bring so we just took our time heading out because at the end of the day, neither of us really wanted to leave our campsite here in Madrid.

We were hooked up and ready to go by 8 so we took the pups for one last morning canyon walk. J the owner had told us there was a turquoise vein somewhere on the property and if we found it we could keep some. I was on the look out! Mostly we found cool cacti, but Jason also found an arrowhead! Awesome.

Back to the car by 9 we texted the owner to say we had a lovely time and were heading on the road. This is certainly a place to remember!

I forgot to mention that Jason even helped me drive up the mountain the night before! I really wanted to try to do it and it was so much easier from the first time we went up! I’m going to miss this place.

We tried to find a dump station because we obviously used the toilet in the camper while we were in NM and we didn’t want to carry all that with us all the way to our next location. We kept swinging and missing though at 3 different locations. Arg!

While Jason drove, I tried to find a place to stay in AZ. More swinging and missing. We switched positions and Jason made some attempts but we just kept failing. We had one stop today and when we arrived at the Petrified Forest we still had no where to sleep that night.

Now it goes without saying that I am not the most flexible person. I get pretty anxious and quiet when I’m nervous or upset. After almost 13 years together Jason knows the signs and knew there wasn’t much we could do at this point besides keep trying. I wasn’t in the best frame of mind while being here so Jason took over with picture taking.

We arrived at the Petrified Forest and immediately you’re taken aback by the landscape. It changes constantly throughout the Painted Desert. We stopped at every outlook because they seriously all looked so different from each other. Jason went wild with pictures here.

There were petroglyphs in one section too. Another bucket list item checked off! We wondered about how important these were to societies that lived here and what information they gleaned from the pictures.

A raven was far too friendly searching for food so we took some pictures with him. He didn’t seem to mind. No feeding the wildlife though!

The last part of this National Park is the Petrified Forest. These are the oddest things you’ll ever see. They look just like wood, but they are as hard as stone. Some are crystallized and very psychedelic. One groovy Forest that’s for sure. Nature gave us more of a show as well with a lightning storm on both sides of us. Oh yeah, my anxiety was not doing well. No place to stay and having to set up in a storm? Come on.

Jason went into the gift shop at the end and I did one last search, closer to where we were in Arizona. Found one! Made the call. Phew! We had a site. We were staying at the Meteor Crater RV Park in Winslow, AZ. Such a fine sight to see!

We weren’t too far away and we were tired and on auto pilot. Follow the directions and go forward. We weren’t paying attention to the one thing we should’ve been….the gas tank.

Check in was by 7:00, which we were sort of rudely reminded of with a 6:15pm phone call seeing where we were. Arizona is on its own time zone essentially as they do not observe daylight savings time (smart!). So we gained an hour today and were still behind schedule. Whoops.

There was a restaurant in town I had wanted to stop at but time wouldn’t allow. I was having a day where I felt like nothing was going right and then I ask Jason “when do we need gas?” And his response was not what I wanted to hear.

You guys might remember that during our last road trip we did run out of gas. And we got to meet a very handsome police officer with the most beautiful eyes who brought Jason in the cruiser to go buy gas. Sigh. Memories. Well tonight we watched as the miles on the GPS and the miles on the gas tank sunk lower and lower. The next gas station was ahead of us right where the campsite was. The others would require us to turn around and there was no exit to do that at. We were at the whims of the gas tank once again.

To say Jason and the 4Runner haven’t gotten along might be an understatement but it’s definitely a story for another time. Today, we needed this car to get us to the gas station. We had 5 miles to go per the GPS and the tank said 1 mile left. We were screwed. Jason just kept going. We put good vibes out there. We needed it. And we…. MADE IT! Woo!!!

At 6:48pm we pulled in, on time and before the storm. Jason got gas while I got us checked in. Phew. That was way too damn close again. We had been filling up at 1/4 of a tank. We discussed later on that the 4Runner had earned a name- Winslow.

This campsite was pretty empty actually. She told us we could stay as many days as we’d like. There was a laundry and a shower and I was more than happy to just partake in those activities right away. But my parents always told me you can’t shower in a lightning storm, so I would have to wait til morning.

We talked about how today sucked with not having a plan and we can’t do that the day of again. We set a plan for tomorrow- we had 4 sites that we could stay at but none took reservations so it was first come first serve. We knew which ones we would hit in which order.

Because we had electricity, we could cook using the microwave. I originally heated up some rice to have with the Chile BBQ I made the night before but Jason wanted pasta. He started making it, cut up some onions for it, added some vegan sausage, and added what he thought was pizza sauce because we didn’t bring glass spaghetti sauce with us. I didn’t want to clean that if it broke. But this pizza sauce was in a hot sauce container….because it was actually pizza flavored hot sauce. And it was HOT.

I told Jason I could salvage it but he didn’t even want that attempt. He took some out and washed it completely, then ate it. Not to waste anything, I went to work. Cashew Queso? Yup. Follow Your Heart Parm? Yup. All the other cheeses I had in the fridge that I don’t remember? Yup yup yup!

The end result was still hot but actually not terrible. We’ve established that I have a high tolerance for heat in food so it was in a good range for me. Hot food on a hot night was harder actually.

We knew we could take our time in the morning with a noon check out so we just soaked the pans and went to sleep. I am so very very much looking forward to waking up and taking a long shower.

July 23, 2021

Madrid, NM to Madrid, NM

Today was our last full day in New Mexico. Our plan was to explore Bandelier National Park, Chimayo, and find some hot springs to hike to.

We slept in little bit today and only saw the sunrise from bed. Still not a bad view in sight here. On the road to Santurio de Chimayo, the church I referenced a few days back that Jason bought a painting of, the scenery kept changing on us. Different mountains, different colors.

Jason went into the church and spent some time roaming around. Some areas you cannot photograph. The sands here in this church are somewhat mythical in nature. It is believed to have healing powers and allow miracles of health to occur. You are encouraged to take some with you so he took some.

We got slightly turned around on the way out. We stopped at an overlook to check the maps. What. An. Overlook.

We were deciding if we should add Nambe Falls to our day since we passed signs for it. It was 25 minutes out of the way and we feared there would be no water when we got there so we decided to go to Bandelier National Park.

With our Annual National Park pass in hand (called America the Beautiful), we drove into Bandelier. This place is gorgeous right away.

The hike into the Pueblos of Bandelier was short so Jason was going to go first to check it out and see if I could do it. Bandelier doesn’t allow dogs on the trail so we sat in the picnic area and I looked for a place to stay in Arizona the next night. A raven decided to caw at me for the next hour or so. Lovely.

Jason loved the hike but between the time of day, what looked like an impending storm, and ladders needed to navigate the Pueblos, I opted to go to the gift shop and cafe instead.

They had a plant burger on the menu and after a few questions to the chef about the bread, I ordered the burger to share with Jason.

I was so hungry. I’m sorry! The fries were amazing too!

The drive out of Bandelier to Jemez Hot springs was stunning and unreal. A few years ago there was a massive fire and it destroyed 60% of the park. The devastation was easily seen but there was still so much beauty.

Another hot tip from the Kennedy’s was Jemez hot springs, which was right outside of Bandelier. It was a short .7 miles in to a beautiful set of hot springs. It had rained earlier so the going was wet. Bear and Patch didn’t mind! There were many people at the hot springs but we found a spot we could have to ourselves and be able to hold the dogs. There was even a secret cave that was hotter that Jason went into.

Great hot spring, but they were a bit too busy for us on this day. It was time for home.

Home from our long day of adventures, we decided to stay in. Jason started a fire and it was my turn to cook. Since the burger I had earlier was just okay, I was still craving what I wanted. I set out to make it.

I cut up hatch Chile’s, jalapeños, onion, and mushrooms and sautéed them. I had another pan with broccoli and zucchini squash steaming down with sesame oil and soy sauce. Then when they were done the beyond meat burgers went on with a little vegan worcheshire sauce, liquid smoke, and maple syrup. In search of sauce to hold the Chile mixture together, I took some BBQ sauce and added that.

Jason had gotten the fire going and I was heading outside to out the napkins and such out when I GASPED. And ran!

My camera was still in the car from Bandelier. I couldn’t miss this. Jason looked up and knew, checking on the food in the kitchen I left on the stove.

The moon was a rust orange. I remembered the settings I used the night before and aimed. You don’t have much time when the moon is full and in bright color. I acted fast and was so excited with the results.

We ate by the fire and talked about the trip so far and the things still to come. We tried to play glow in the dark lawn darts but remembered we forgot to solar charge them (get it!). We really didn’t want to leave New Mexico. We were deciding our next move- Colorado or Arizona. We drowned the fire because Smokey the Bear taught us well. The full moon illuminated the sky as we cleaned up and packed up for leaving in the morning.

July 22, 2021

Madrid, NM to Madrid, NM

Happily today started much like yesterday. 5:30am and I’m up watching the sunrise. Just Bear decided to come with me today and boy did he look handsome in the glow of the sun.

Jason did his yoga and I tried out the Blackstone for the first time by myself. What a machine! Would’ve been better if we had leveled it first because the oil kept finding its favorite corner to go into. I made us a lovely breakfast of Just Egg, Sweet Earth Bacon, and toast. I even added some of our leftovers from the nights before onto this just to see how they would do.

Today our plan was to tour Madrid. This fun and quirky town had a lot of different galleries and shops so we look our time taking turns going into stores unless they told us to bring the pups in. This is the hardest part of vacationing with them. They do not like to be separated from the pack, which means Patch pulls and whines to go into the store and Bear finds the most difficult spot to lay down in and plops himself there. Every time. No fail. We went into Gunky Folk Soap and Sundries and had a great conversation with the staff. She also happened to have taken our drink orders the night before at the Mine Shaft so she remembered us by our drinks. She is a native to Madrid and is in college for education, minority in sped and sociology. You can imagine we had a lot to talk about. We grabbed some lovely gunky soap and were on our way. We got a coffee at Java Junction and they had both almond AND oat milk! Woo-hoo! They also made their ice cubes out of coffee so that was a nice addition.

We wandered for an hour or so but nothing was catching our eye. With limited space in the camper we have to be mindful at this point in the trip what we can transport home.

We headed into Santa Fe again, this time for the museums. We both picked one to go to separately and one we would both go into. Jason chose the International Folk Art Museum. I waited in the car with the pups, having tried to bring them to the Botanical gardens across the street but they didn’t allow pups. There was another rain storm brewing in the area. Close enough to make noise and darken the sky, but no rain. Patch wasn’t happy until Daddy returned.

Jason loved the museum. There was a lot of different items to see and even a whole display about different masks worn around the world during Covid.

Next it was time for lunch. We headed to Annapurna which is where I was trying to go the night before when the flood warnings came in. Jason ordered an ABLT with avocado and vegan bacon. Carrot soup came with it as the soup of the day. I ordered the veggie lasagna and grabbed a slice of vegan Pecan pie. 😋

We headed to my museum of choice- Georgia O’Keeffe. What I didn’t realize was that it was by ticket only and all tickets were sold out as of now. Arg!

Jason swung back around and picked me up so we could go to our last Santa Fe destination- Meow Wolf

I am going to start this by saying everyone needs to go to this place. I walled around for an hour and a half and I could’ve stayed for hours more and still not seen or experienced everything Meow Wolf has to offer. Meow Wolf is an immersive interactive art experience. You are encouraged to play with and manipulate the items in the rooms. Turn things over, open doors, go behind walls.. whatever you need to do to solve the puzzle. We chose not to worry about the puzzle and just enjoy the experience. I texted Jason midway through and told him to get ready!

Colors made music. Animal figurines made noises. Sounds and sights were intertwined in ways I couldn’t try to describe. It was dreamlike. Like falling into your very own Alice in Wonderland scene. You opened the fridge and went inside to another room. Everything messed with reality. I will 100% go back to this experience if I can find anything like it again. I had fun in the gift shop and texted Jason to get his ticket for the next opening and switched spots.

Bear, Patch, and I found a park a few blocks away that was a playground and a loop trail. It was wide open so I would be visible throughout the walk. The pups and I jumped out and explored. This park was right near El Camino Real.

We set off to find coffee and then back to Meow Wolf. Jason loved it too! He grabbed some videos of inside which I’ll try to share.

We went back toward Madrid but neither of us wanted the night to end. We searched for a brewery where I might be able to eat. We chose one we thought may be less busy called Beer Creek Brewing Company. What a find!

BCBC looked, I’ll say it, a little like a dive bar from the outside. Typically those are our favorite places but they don’t usually have food for me. Jason told me to jump out and check the vibe to see if the dogs could handle it and I was blown away. Behind this very bland exterior was a beautiful oasis with huge trees and nice seating spread around. I signaled him to come in.

We walked up to the bar to order so I grabbed us two flights of whatever they made that didn’t have lactose or honey in it. This is one of the rare breweries where every beer was good. None of them were throw aways.

They had pizza on the menu but no vegan cheese. No problem. I ordered mine with hatch green chiles , jalapeños, red onion, and pineapple with olive oil base. The flavors were great, loaded with veggies, and great crust!

The sky began to get dark so we headed back to our campsite. I definitely am glad we stopped at BCBC tonight. The owner was awesome too, came over to talk to us about the dogs and the trip.

We arrived back to the campsite to see the moon huge overhead. I wanted to practice photographing the moon. I have always wanted to get a great one but there is so much light pollution at home. Tonight I was going to take my time and figure it out.

Got it.

July 28, 2021

Update on why I’m so far behind 🤪😬

Good Morning! It is 8:40am and we are between Sedona and Flagstaff leaving our campsite and heading to Grand Canyon.

Apparently on these sites you can only upload 3GB worth of pictures. And I’ve exceeded that! Woohoo! But the site didn’t tell me that right away and I assumed the pictures weren’t loading because we had no WiFi. So I had written out a few days and was waiting for a place with WiFi.

I finally got a message that I needed to upgrade so I did but it didn’t save my drafts in the process. Ahhh. So I need to rewrite those days and catch up.

After we see the Grand Canyon today! Don’t worry, we are definitely having fun!

July 19, 2021

Shamrock, TX to Moriarty, NM

Waking up was easy today because some how the night before about 10 flies got into the camper before the storm began. Bear was doing his best to.. well eat them. That’s what he wanted to do. And the sound of him snapping at them early in the morning woke us up.

We did our best to get them out but our attempts were futile. Every time we opened the door to get one out several others got in. I decided it was time to shower and get away from this all. Opening the door, two more got in. Sigh.

The bathrooms here were not update at all yet. I met a few insect friends inside before I showered. Hello little guy, please don’t touch my leg! I got into the shower and the shower head was below my head…. Now I’m 5’3” so this has never happened to me before. I laughed thinking about how Jason would deal with this later in the morning.

Jason had taken the dogs for a walk around the park meeting the other animals. I started unhooking and packing to leave along side the camper van from Massachusetts. Turns out they were heading to Santa Fe too. Jason returned and the conversation went where it always does in this situation… what do you do that you are able to be traveling this summer? Well our camper van friends had similar careers! Their daughter was a teacher in Wisconsin, and the wife was an occupational therapist in a collaborative. She even went to BU like Jason and they knew and loved the same professors. Amazingly small world. I talked to their daughter about teaching in a non union friendly state like Wisconsin and it made me feel so much better knowing that everything I had done the summer and year before was not common in other places of this country. It puts a lot into perspective. She said they fought all year just to have a meeting with the Superintendent. I thought to myself about all of the meetings we had, all of the phone calls and text messages, and felt a small bit of relief and pride about the work we did the year before.

They gave us some suggestions on places to visit and then we were both on our way. New Mexico, here we come!

We searched on and off all night but to no avail. We had no idea where we were staying yet. We wanted to be in New Mexico for the entire week so the hardest part was the length of the stay. But also, we hadn’t decided between boondocking and staying at a campground. Most state park campgrounds didn’t seem to have toilets and showers so it would be basically boondocking anyways besides electric. Jason wanted an off the grid campsite with a short walk to a small town but close to Santa Fe. I was doing all that I could to make this happen but we were getting late into the day and still nothing. The GPS stayed set on Santa Fe and we kept moving.

I had some work calls to make today so I took over driving from Jason for awhile and let him look for a site. We stopped right over the border in NM at a town called Tucumcari. Jason saw a “lake” on the map which ended up not being a lake at all. He took the pups out for an adventure and I made my calls.

After visiting the disappointing lake of grass, we drove up Rt 66 a little while before getting back onto I-40 so we could get some pictures. Vastly different communities from what we live in but full of life and love all the same.

Jason drove again and directed us to Santa Rosa where there is the Blue Hole, basically a very small lake. It stays at a constant 61 degrees and people were swimming in it. While he went to explore it, I checked one last app called HipCamp….and a found a perfect place! Thing is- it wasn’t available until Tuesday but we could have it through Saturday. I can’t wait to show you this place because it is amazing. 5 minute walk from a quirky town (holy quirky!), 30 minutes from Santa Fe, but basically a straight shot (as straight as mountain roads can be) and it’s basically secluded on top of a mountain. Heaven.

Jason grabbed some pictures of the Blue Hole and came back to the camper filled with happy pups and a happy girlfriend. He was pretty excited about the find and we decided to go to a Harvest Host location for the night to save some cash. There were 3 possibilities, but one was only 1.5 hours away and we would be there by 3:30pm so it was a no brainer. GPS set to Sierra Blanca Brewery in Moriarty, NM!

I drove this part although I wish I hadn’t. We hit construction on the highway on the way there so it was stop and go for almost two miles. At home, we couldn’t taken a different exit and figured out a way to get where we wanted to be. In NM, that isn’t a reality. These exits are few and get between and the towns are even further. We stuck it out and got to the location around 4pm.

Our bartender was Matthew, someone who just moved to NM a month ago at the request of a friend, leaving the city of Chicago behind. He had great stories and was very kind. They had a green chile beer that I had to have. New Mexico is known for their hatch chile and I get it whenever it’s vegan. You’ll be hearing me talk about this lovely dish often.

Soon after two more Harvest Hosters came by, Barb and Craig from Tucson, AZ. They were heading to a pilot convention in Oshkosh, WI- with over 100,000 campers and pilots gathering together. I’m definitely not ready for a crowd of that size. They were extremely nice people and we hung out with them until closing. Craig even played tether ball with me because I never have, but he had a total unfair height advantage as he was well over a foot taller than me. We talked dogs, Disney movies, travel, and everything in between. Before the pandemic Jason and I would love to go sit at a bar and just talk to the people around us. This was the first time in a long time that I felt normalcy returning again.

Jason had gone out to the camper to get set up so it was ready when last call happened at 7:00pm. Crazy early, but these small towns can’t stay open late on weeknights.

We drove over to the local grocery store because we had no bread for burgers and honestly one of the weird things I like about traveling is going into grocery stores. Always different foods to look at and brands that we don’t have back east. Without a doubt I will buy more than I really need because I just want to try things out. I’ll find room in the camper for three things- vegan food, art, and puppies. (You knew I couldn’t leave that out- but trust me two dogs is enough walking through these cities!)

A third Harvest Hoster had pulled in right before closing and had bought a few growlers to drink outside and share with everyone. Jason stayed out and conversed but I was hungry. I got to work on the Beyond Meat burgers we had in the freezer and threw together a salad on the side. Totally not a pretty meal but functional all the way.

Since we were Harvest Hosting for the night we were also boondocking. No need for the AC tonight though! The nights in New Mexico get down to 60 degrees!! Windows open, a slight breeze, and we were fast asleep.

July 21, 2021

Madrid, NM to Madrid, NM

As I hear Jason fumbling into the bathroom with all of the grace any of us have when walking in the middle of the night, I crack my eye open to see an orange sliver of light against the kitchen cabinets. I peered out the window and was awestruck by the most beautiful sunrise just beginning to take over, barely after 5:30am.

I threw on a sweatshirt as it was 60 degrees outside this early in New Mexico and with Bear and Patch and my camera in tow we sat on the rocks and gazed. This is why we chose this place.

Jason crept over to us and grabbed some photos too. We already feel so much better after the running around since leaving Nashville. What a start to the day.

J, the owner, had told us about the canyon hike and the property lines, and with a map in hand we took off before 7am to explore. Anyone who knows me is probably very confused right now. I know. I am not a morning person at all. Ever. But New Mexico challenges everything you think you know about yourself.

The pups were off and exploring as this place has a very reasonable leashing policy of having them under voice command. We kept them fairly close as we didn’t want them to meet a rattlesnake friend (spoiler alert: we saw no rattlesnakes while in NM).

During the hike Jason reminded me that he slammed the door shut in the middle of the night. At the time, I didn’t think much of it as the door is difficult to close from the inside. He tells me the tale of how he heard coyotes howling and chattering so he shut the door so the dogs wouldn’t wake and let their presence be known by returning the chatter. So we have some company!

Jason and I brought yoga mats with us to help stretch out after these longs drives. Yoga Daddy, as Patch refers to him when he does his stretching routine, came out this morning and Patch was just as intrigued as always. Jason looked peaceful and kept encouraging her so she was happy too.

Our plans for the day were to head back into Santa Fe to the Plaza. This is a great area filled with shops and restaurants along with the Palace of the Governor’s where merchants sell their wares outside under a covered patio.

On the way home from Santa Fe the night before we noticed some overlooks we wanted to stop at today (without and impending storm up our butts). We stopped at this structure and Jason had as able to get some great shots of bird nest nestled into the openings.

Jason let me drive into Santa Fe as he looked up information and places to go. We arrived at the Plaza and I needed to parallel park this monster of a truck. By some stroke of true luck, I was able to accomplish the task with more grace than expected.

And I was immediately rewarded for my good fortune. Instantly, I spot an owl painted on the barrier across from where I parked. Yessssss. This is a good sign! Then, we’re not even 20 ft away and this gorgeous yellow butterfly swoops in front of me and lingers to say hello. Ahhhhh I can’t even! Just a few months back I had a yellow butterfly tattooed onto me with gemstones representing my friends who helped me through a difficult year last year. In Maine last summer, while working up to 70 hours a week in preparation for back to school, a yellow butterfly was constantly around me. I meditated on the moment each time, ensuring that I reminded myself that no matter how stressed I was, I needed to find moments to breathe. Right now, I feel pretty. Euphoric. I’m in my favorite state to visit, with my pups and Jason, it’s a gorgeous day, I’m wearing my vegan Adidas Superstars, and I’ve just passed a beautiful painted owl and interacted with a yellow butterfly. We turn the corner and all I hear Jason say is, “Is this for real?” We are staring right at a store called Good Folk and the entire two windows of the shop are FULL of owls. I made him take a picture of my bliss.

We wandered the Plaza for a short time before Jason spotted some artwork that he liked. We spoke to the creator and his wife and himself both made types of art. He walked away for now but I knew he would return for the painted piece of the church in Chimayo that was on his NM bucket list.

We met some nice people and had good conversations but nothing jumped out at us to buy. I’ve been on the lookout for skirts and Jason, eclectic as always, has been on the hot pursuit of vintage clothing.

Jason returned to the artist and bought the painting. The pups and I watched from a park bench as Jason also looked at what the merchants were selling in the Palace of the Governors. Returning empty handed, we headed back to the car in search of delicious food.

Our lovely friends Kevin and Chris had suggested a place close by, La Choza. It had outdoor seating and strong drinks, so naturally we took their advice. Jason hates waiting but we did today for about 30 minutes until we could sit outside with the pups. They guided us through a flowery oasis to a back patio and we totally forgot about the wait.

We grabbed the chips with salsa and guac to start. Then, I took an odd route and went with the pozole. I have never had hominy before but I will absolutely be trying to find these beans at home! Deliciousness! It was hot soup on a hot day, so I went with the vegetable tostada for my meal. Crispy and packed with flavor! Also featuring myself as a glutton for punishment with my jalapeño margarita!

We stopped next in the Ghost Town of Cerrillos on the way back to Madrid. Maybe a mile away, it’s pretty barren of a town. We drove around and grabbed pictures, loving the unique doors on some of the houses. Jason also found a cemetery and took some pictures there too.

Back at the campsite, we took a short siesta before heading into town for dinner. We don’t typically want to be eating out twice in a day, but we missed out on going out last night due to the flood warnings so we didn’t want to miss out totally on the local places.

We went to the Mineshaft Tavern/ Cantina because it’s one of the very few places to eat here. No vegan items on the menu so I was going to be winging it. Walking up, we hear Bingo numbers being called out. Oh man. I like bingo. I do. I have many memories of playing bingo with my grandmother and asking her if she won whenever I talked to her. But sometimes, Bingo can be quite boring. I wasn’t totally up for this but still we took a seat and I began my fun game of “how do I make this vegan?” The waitress was busy and I felt slightly annoyed with my line of questioning. I ended up being able to have a sandwich with grilled veggies and avocado so I took the chance.

Okay, back to Bingo. This wasn’t Grandma Corey’s church bingo. This was drunk bingo. All of the locals were here, and they were bouncing from table to table greeting each other and calling each other out on things. Two dogs roamed freely around, happily accepting pets or scraps. The atmosphere was vibrant, but wow! We didn’t play right away, choosing to people watch while we ate. As the hour went on, the commentary got more comfortable and slurred. Definitely more of a stand up comedian than a usual bingo caller. They announced that the money was all going to their community garden so Jason and I jumped into the game. I’m glad we stuck with it because we had a blast!