Tag Archives: Friends

The Power of True Friendship

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As people, we all want to know that we are cared about by someone, family, friends, co-workers, and even strangers. It is what keeps me going when things are not going well. It is good to know someone cares about me and has my back.

This has become even more important since Jim (my husband) died over 11 years ago; when my life was thrown into total upheaval and turmoil, it was good to know that my friends, family, and strangers cared about me. It wasn’t that they asked how I was doing. That is such a loaded question. They included me in dinners and activities, usually one-on-one. We played games on the back deck. We went to dinner and the movies. We took walks on the beach or in the hills. We would take my RV to the bay and have dinner.

After moving into my RV, EmmyLou, I met many lovely and wonderful people. I have friends, not just acquaintances, all over this big North American Continent. We meet up and visit in the mountains, deserts, and the west coast. We catch up and strengthen our friendship bond. Some of us have been on overseas adventures together.

Lately, my friends have been reminding me how well they know me. It feels good to know that they think of me in so many tiny ways. Sandy and Pat remembered that I don’t like ham or lima beans; Mary knows the same thing. Other friends remember I cannot eat cheese, so they create meals that keep me feeling included and part of our community of friends. They encourage me to be more.

Melissa drove me around Seattle and showed me where her sister lives in a progressive care community. She finished it by saying it was only about a mile from her home. I am not ready to change my lifestyle, yet it reminds me that someone cares about me and would want me to live close to them and be a part of their lives.

Yes, we all slip up from time to time. We say the wrong thing and forget to show how we value others. Sometimes I forget to say thank you. More often, I remember. Friendships are not perfect; they are evolving and growing.

A part of my heart delights in these remembrances of inclusion. It tells me in the smallest of ways that I am cared about and supported. My friends know me. We laugh about our idiosyncrasies and joke kind-heartedly about each other. It is part of the joy of friendship. My friends have my back, and I have theirs.

Today, I am thankful for every friend and person I know. I am grateful for how they enrich my life. I am thankful for their support, no matter the distance and time.

Today I am Thankful.

The Best Laid Plans….

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You know how you make a plan that seems set, and then bam… something happens, and everything changes? Here I am, not even out of California, and things have changed. Sigh.

Santa Barbara

My friend Tina and I had a wonderful five days exploring Santa Barbara and Carpenteria. It was casual and relaxing, just what I needed, and I hope she enjoyed it, too.

Tina headed south on the bus/train on April 1, and I headed north. Something was not right with me. I had been feeling off for about five days, just a little, and it was easy to ignore or put it aside.

Lavender Fields at Sunset

I gave up after spending a lovely night at Hambly Lavender Farm in the Central California Coastal area. I decided to see a doctor to find out what was happening physically.

I called a Roadtrek friend in Salinas, CA. You might remember my adventures with Woody the Cat. I have house-sat for Mandy, Woody, and Rocky, the dog, a few times over the past few years. I wanted someone to love me a little and listen to me. I did not want to be alone.

I am in Salinas through the weekend, at least. I am now on antibiotics for an infection, and I get to rest, relax, and enjoy everyone’s company. I also have a soft big bed in which to sleep.

I have had problems with infections this winter, and I thought they had resolved, but they have not yet. Hopefully, this will work, and I can continue north. If not, I will decide what I am doing and when, on the fly. Plans might be changing for the summer. Stay tuned.

Sleeping in the Lavender Fields

I have often said that my RV, EmmyLou, saved my life after Jim’s death. My first trip, less than a year after he died, was a lifesaver. Everyone was waiting to greet me with open arms. I was loved, pampered, and more.

Traveling, seeing amazing and unique places, and meeting interesting and delightful people have been an experience. Meeting people and becoming friends with them is definitely the part of this experience that saved me when I needed it most.

These people are not just Roadtrek friends; I have become friends with diverse people. I feel so honored to call them my friends. We travel together. I visit them in their homes, house-sit for them, we meet in the desert in the winter, along the Oregon Coast in the summer, kayak together, go to Mexico, and more. My life has become richer and fuller due to these friendships. I have been reading quotes recently about the need for people to find their tribe. My RV’ing buddies are definitely part of my tribe, and I am so honored to have each and everyone in my life. I treasure these Heartfelt friendships.

This is the latest update. Travel is temporarily on hold. I am resting and enjoying an extended visit with Mandy. It is good to catch up. I get to take Rocky for walks. It gets me out and keeps me active on these rainy days. Woody snuggles in the evening. What more could I ask for? Well, I could ask to be well. I am working on that.

Meanwhile, I am thankful for so much today. I am thankful for the Nurse Practitioner who was kind and helpful this morning. I am thankful for the good medical care in this country. I am thankful for my Tribe—you know who you are. On a cold, rainy, and hail-kind-of day, I am thankful for Mandy, who has taken me in, loved me, and given me a big, comfy bed to sleep in.

Today, I am Thankful for Just About Everything.

GETTING READY…..

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I have spent the whole winter, five months, in San Diego. This is an unusual event for me. Usually, I arrive in the fall and head for the desert in January.

This year, I changed it and chose to stay in “the City,” so I could be close by to help a good friend, Tina. Her husband and partner of over forty years died in early December. I have decided that even if it is at times difficult for me, I want to help those I care about, through the initial phases of grief. Grief is such a personal journey, and it can be a very lonely one as well. I don’t want those I know to tackle it alone.

It has been an interesting experience for me. I have confronted some long-standing issues of my own grieving process in helping to support Tina. I also recognize how far I have come. It has been a healing and growing experience, and I am so glad I stayed to offer support. We have developed a strong and hopefully lasting friendship.

I left my home by the bay in early March. I am housesitting for a friend who is traveling in Mexico. I have this beautiful, large home to enjoy. I was here about five years ago; at the previous stay, they had chickens, but not now. It feels like a retreat, and I am blessed.

I am getting ready to travel, and at the end of this month, I drive north to Washington State to visit friends before meeting my traveling peeps for the summer. Where am I going? I am going to Alaska. This is a trip I have wanted to do since I bought EmmyLou, my tiny home on wheels. I know things can change. Hopefully, this is the year.

I will meet up with two others and their canine companions in Canada, and together, we will loosely caravan to the forty-ninth state. When venturing into the wild country, having a few others with whom to travel feels good. I hope we will become friends along the way.

The van is getting the Mercedes once over so that the engine and all things Mercedes are in shape and ready to go. The next step will be a five-day stop in Santa Barbara, California, so EmmyLou can visit the RV doctor and get her and my house in order.

My friend Tina will be traveling with me to Santa Barbara. This trip will be about people in small doses, followed by much-needed time alone.

Alcan Highway

I meet my Alaska-bound traveling companions at Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Then, the adventure begins. Traveling the TransLabrador Highway last year has given me the confidence to try Alaska. My rig was in good shape, and she sailed through the week in the backcountry. This year will be less stressful as I will have people to fall back on most of the time. As I said, this will be a loose caravan. Nobody is tied to the other people. My kind of trip.

Alaska means so many things to me. Adventure, Wildlife, Friends (in Anchorage and Juneau), and more. I am ready to get into exploring mode.

After five months of stability, I am ready to put my foot on the pedal and find new places to explore and meet new people. Please come along for the adventure. It will be fun; my camera will be working overtime to capture this adventure.

Come along for the ride. You are always welcome.

Today, I am thankful for my adventurous spirit.

The 2023 Roadtrip-Revisited

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In the winter of 2023, I decided to visit family and friends in my tiny home on wheels, EmmyLou. At the end of March, we packed it up, departed from near Santa Barbara, California, and began to meander east, stopping to visit friends, see places I had never seen before, and visit favorite places from past travels.

Adventure

An undertaking usually involves danger and unknown risks. The encountering of risk. An exciting or remarkable experience.

It began as a trip and became an adventure. I had plans, loose plans, but plans nonetheless. I was visiting my friends in Florida, my sisters and nieces, and other East Coast friends. I knew I was heading to the Canadian Maritimes, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland before pointing the rig due west again.

When did it become an adventure? It became an adventure when the unexpected showed up, and my direction changed. It became an adventure when I left the rig for two weeks and departed to the Amazon with friends for an amazing journey on the rivers of Brazil.

The adventure continued when I changed plans to Nova Scotia when an opportunity presented itself. I went to the north shore of the Gulf of St Lawrence in the Province of Quebec to photograph North Atlantic Puffins in a workshop with Christopher Dodds, a professional wildlife photographer. I did not expect to explore the national parks in New Brunswick on my way north. It was a fantastic adventure finding myself in unknown lands.

Thanks to Christopher’s suggestion, I continued north and east on the TransLabrador Highway into remote lands for a week. Along the way, I saw so much and met nice people, locally and others like me, who were passing through. It was well worth the effort to decide to head into the unknown.

I spent a month on “The Rock” (Newfoundland), exploring all the byways and seeing many exciting things. The locals were always so kind and helpful. The traffic was never in a hurry, and people were courteous. One day, I got stuck in soft rock, and the first truck that came by stopped and helped me dig out of an unpleasant situation. I just never learned.

My favorite part of Newfoundland was all the free and amazing campsites everywhere I went. The beauty was profound. The birds were amazing, and I got to photograph round two of the Puffins in Elliston, NL.

My adventure continued, and I traveled again through the province of Quebec to the United States. I began to head west, meeting with family and more friends. I took time to explore caves in Ohio and Illinois before arriving to spend a week on The Great River Road on the Mississippi River.

As fall arrived, I knew bird migration was starting, and it was time to go in search of the Sandhill Cranes. First, I arrived at the Bosque del Apache in New Mexico. My most noted part of this three-day visit was the women I met, with whom I connected immediately. It is fun to meet independent, like-minded artists and photographers.

Following the Cranes, I moved southwest to the Whitewater Draw in southern Arizona. When I arrived, there were a few cranes, snow geese, and waterbirds. After camping for two nights, I drove north to Wilcox, AZ, and met the cranes. As I took photos of other waterbirds, I heard the familiar cry; the cranes started arriving. I left an hour later, as the abandoned lakes filled with the Sandhill Cranes. It was hard to leave. It is a fantastic experience to sit amid all this nature and become a part of it.

After visiting with friends in Tucson and kayaking with more friends on the Colorado River, I arrived back in southern California, where this all began. I have been editing a slideshow ever since. Today, I finally decided that I was done editing and ready to share some highlights of my wonderful adventure in North America.

The spring, summer, and fall came to an end. I finished where I started. I saw many amazing things, loved my family, and received theirs back. It was good to catch up. Along the way I met wonderful people who took me in or enjoyed nature with me. It was a great adventure.

Now, I invite you to join me in my adventure. If you click on the video link above, you will see an eighteen-minute video that only touches on the wonders I explored on the Great 2023 Road trip. Enjoy.

How I Made it to the TransLabrador Highway-Part I

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How did I get to the TransLabrador Highway? After speaking with a friend of mine I realized I have some catching up to do. I have been busy and enjoying exploring places I have never been before.

After the Roadtrek Gathering in Nova Scotia, I returned to Halifax to explore the area just north of the city with my friend Cynthia from San Diego. We went to Cow Bay because well, why not? What is Cow Bay known for? There is a giant sculpture of a Moose that people like to go and see.

After we wandered the beaches and had lunch we returned for an afternoon Scottish Dance.

From that moment on plans changed and they were arranged as I drove. I had an opportunity to participate in a photography workshop to photograph Puffins on the north shore of the Gulf of St Lawrence in Quebec province, Canada. It was a last-minute change. Newfoundland got put on hold and I took about a week to arrive at the workshop.

It was time to visit National Parks in Canada. Definitely a very good experience. I love National and State Parks. Wherever they are, the campsites are private and there is always something to explore. I spent two nights at Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick Canada. I had a great campsite and spending more than one night allowed me the opportunity to explore this park by bike and kayak. It was a place I could return to again for a longer stay. There was a lot to do. And the scenery is amazing.

As I continued to make my way north I spent two nights in Campbellton New Brunswick. Set along the Restigouche River and surrounded by the Appalachian Mountain Range.

The site of 16th- and 17th-century French missions and Scottish fish and lumber trading posts, it was settled by dispossessed ACADIANS in 1757, though most left with the French defeat in the 1760 naval Battle of the RESTIGOUCHE. It received its present name (for Lieutenant-Governor Sir Archibald CAMPBELL) after a post-1825 influx of Scots.

The Province of Quebec is across the river and connected to Campbellton by the J. C. Van Horne Bridge. The community is a hot spot for fly fishing for Atlantic Salmon. It was also a bike-friendly city. When traveling full time there are certain times where checking into an RV park is the best thing to do. I stayed at a lovely park right on the river. And….I got to do my laundry.

The next morning I visited the nearby towns. I could have been in Scotland. I went to McLeods in the morning to visit the Farmers Market. On the way there I passed through the towns of Dundee and Upper Dundee.

And then it was time to get on my bike and explore Campbellton. It is a small city right on the river. There are bike paths that one could travel miles on. It was fun to explore this fishing mecca. It must have not been the right time of the year for the salmon as it was quiet.

Looking down the Restigoushie River

I continued to drive north the long way around. I arrived at my second Canadian National Park in the afternoon. Forillon National Park sits at the end of the road, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. My heels have been happy so I did quite a bit of hiking at this park. There was so much to see. I loved the wildness of it. On my hike to the lighthouse (5 miles round trip) I saw whales.

Historic Cod plant
Lighthouse at the park
View from the end of the trail

After two days I arose early one morning to drive the four hours to the ferry and prepared to cross the St Lawrence Seaway. I was on my way to Puffin-land. I promise I will tell you more. It was so much fun.

Now the fog is lifting and I think I have covered a lot of territory both physically and writing-wise. I am fine out here in this big wide lonely country. Currently, I am sitting next to the beach where I spent my night. Boondocking is so much fun here.

Today I head south so I can catch my ferry for the next part of the adventure. Newfoundland.

Today I am thankful for my eyes, my ears, my heart, and my spirit that seeks out adventures great and small. It makes my life whole.

Today I am Thankful.

Zooming-Making Our World Smaller & Larger

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Since the first year of the Covid pandemic, new ways of communicating have emerged. It has made our world larger and it has made our world smaller.

A new word entered our vocabulary, “Zoom”. People arranged meetings via Zoom since they could not meet in person. There were book clubs, art groups, businesses that resorted to Zoom to conduct business and keep up with group activities. For a short while I even arranged to Zoom with my sisters and nieces. We would meet once a month just to check in and make sure everyone was OK. We were.

The Royal Scottish Country Dancers of San Diego, met every Friday via Zoom. Ward our teacher was incredibly faithful to meeting every Friday. And the dance community responded, showing up most Fridays to catch up. We may not have danced but we could learn some of the quirks and queries of dance and we stayed bonded as a community.

Jean, our other Scottish Dance teacher Zoomed most Mondays and taught dances. People met in their living rooms, garages or other areas of their homes, dancing alone or with other members of the household.

The Royal Scottish Dance Society of Scotland, our mother-ship, met once a month via Zoom with members all over the world. Different teachers from different countries and areas would teach each month. And…we danced in our homes. We stayed connected and involved even though many of us had never met.

Why might I be sharing this with you? Currently I am in Canada. I was in Nova Scotia for a Roadtrek Rally. It was fun. At the same time as the rally, very good friends of mine, Cynthia and Ward from San Diego, were in Halifax at the Scottish Country Dance, Teachers Association of Canada dance week. Ward is involved with the board and both travel to dance. The music is amazing and the dancing fun.

More of the San Diego Scottish Dance members were at the Summer camp for dancing at St Andrews, Scotland. Yes it is fun to travel to dance. It is fun to make friends from all over the world.

St Andrews Dance Camp on the Wall of the Dance Venue in Halifax.

On Tuesday, TAC (Canada) and St Andrews Summer School had a shared dance to celebrate anniversaries. How did they do it? You guessed it. Zoom once again connected us across continents and water. Each group had their own teachers and musicians. They danced the same dance at the same time. A large Zoom video was on the wall of the space they were dancing in. We all waved at each other and for a small wee second in time two communities were united as one. How cool is that?

I was invited to experience it with the dancers even though I am not dancing at this moment in time. For about an hour I slipped in to watch the dancers, enjoy the fine music and surprise a few friends who had no idea I was close by. I also got to experience this event of combining two communites into one. It was a great afternoon.

Dancing with Scotland
Yes it does get warm dancing.

Before 2020, who would have ever guessed that Zoom would become a noun and a verb in our everyday language. It has definitely made our world smaller and larger in that we can see each other and interact with each other in ways we could not have done before this. Zoom was in the right place and the right time. It took off and will be a part of our society until the next interesting and unique communication invention comes along.

Today I am thankful for Zoom and the joy it brought to me and others as we stayed connected in an unusual time for the whole world. Today I am thankful for my dance community of friends. Today I am thankful I am still able to stay involved in dance even if I cannot physically dance.

Today I am Thankful.

The River-A Cell Phones Nemesis

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In 2015 I stepped into the smartphone world. Since I already had other Apple products, it seemed like a natural progression to continue with another product. I purchased an iPhone 6 and began my education in Smartphone technology.

I love adventure. I like to explore parts of my world that are sometimes hard to get to. I love the Southwest. I really like Zion National Park. I am so fortunate to have good friends that live outside the park. There is a section of the park called the Subway. From the top down one needs ropes and knowledge that there is rappeling into cold river water, more than once.

The Subway from the Bottom Up

One can also hike the Subway from the bottom up. This trail also presents its own set of challenges. There really is no trail, it is a set of social trails that progresses down a steep slope to the river. Then you follow the river for three miles to arrive at the beginning of the subway. It is not an easy hike. It is a great visual hike.

In 2017 I hiked the Subway from the bottom up. I just arrived at the Subway part of the hike, when I fell off a log into the river along with my day pack that held my iPhone 6. Oh no, what was I to do. The phone was wet and I was a long way from help. I dried the phone off the best I could and continued with my hike. Nine hours later I returned to my friends exhausted and happy. I took my phone apart, yep you could do that, and dried it out. The next day it worked although it had developed a dark side. The right upper side of the phone was black, it worked and so I kept it for a few more years until the dark side began to cover more of the screen. I decided to upgrade to an iPhone 8.

I was happily using my new phone with no issues until…..I met another River. 2021-I was kayaking on the Provo River near Utah Lake in the state of Utah. It is a very silty river and a beautiful place to kayak. I stopped to fix something on my kayak and before I could stop it my phone in its waterproof container disappeared into the river. That river is definitely deeper than it looked. I tried for over an hour to rescue my iPhone 8 without success. Each time I tried to reach it with my kayak paddle the silt would stir up and I would lose sight of it. Other kayakers tried their hand at rescuing it, without success. I had to admit defeat and off I went to the Verizon Store to ask for help. I also called a good friend, Melissa, to mourn my loss. It is good to have friends.

First Photo from my iPhone 12

My iPhone 12 stayed with me until two weeks ago when I met another river up close and personal. On my current trip to the east coast of the United States, I spent three weeks with friends in Florida. We camped and biked and kayaked on the rivers and springs of northern Florida. The last river was the Juniper River. It was a quick, shallow river through a beautiful area. There were alligators, one giant one, and one rapid.

As you may know, I am a photographer. After I am safely on the water I often take my cell phone out of its waterproof case so I can take photos. After successfully managing the rapid, I got caught in an eddy. As I tried to push off the kayak tipped and there went cell phone number three. I got wet, it got wet and the kayak had its first experience of flipping. I worried about my cell phone. My friend Missy was concerned about my camera that was safely inside a dry bag. I kept thinking about that giant alligator up the river. Needless to say, I got out of that river in record time.

Initially, the phone worked fine and I thought all was good. The next morning the phone would not wake up. Oh sigh. Once again the river won. I am now an owner of an iPhone 14.

First Photo on the iPhone 14

When one does not lead a dull life these things happen. When one leads any kind of life these things happen. I feel personally responsible for my phone so I have mourned the passing of each one. I have to talk myself out of deciding I am a bad phone owner and recognize that these things happen not just to me but to many others as well. I am sure we all have phone stories to tell.

In three weeks I am flying to the Amazon in Brazil for two weeks. Oh no, another river! A mighty river. Hopefully, I will be able to keep hold of my new phone so the river does not take it away. No matter what me and my phone will venture south to enjoy an adventure on the Amazon.

Today I am grateful for coming clean and admitting to my cell phone debacle. I have always wanted to be truthful in these blog posts. I want to show my humanity. Today I am grateful for truth and for revealing my humanness.

Today I am grateful.

Florida On My Mind

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A week ago I arrived in Florida. I have never spent much time in this state. I am enjoying exploring a new area of the United States. with good friends. I have moved out of my rig for a few weeks to visit with Missy and Dan. I have a bed and my own private refrigerator. Mostly though I have company. I am enjoying that to the utmost.

2017 was the last year Missy and I met in person. I stay west and she stays east in this very large country. We have “zoomed”, texted, and talked on the phone. Oh, and there has also been the occasional e-mail. In this modern world, there are many ways to stay in touch and maintain long-distance friendships. Yet, there is still nothing better than being physically present with a friend.

And…I have my own personal tour guide showing me Florida. We have camped at Myakka State Park, biked (rather hot and hard mountain biking through sand), and walked. Still in the plans are kayaking and more. I am enjoying getting to know this state.

Myakka State Park

The other great joy of being with Missy is that we are both photographers so we are exploring the natural places in this part of the state, the southwest area of Florida with our cameras. It is fun to be with another photographer. It helps me to learn and grow in this craft that I enjoy so much. Missy, being a professional photographer, has much wisdom to share. Click Here to view her website. Her photos are amazing. She also sells Photo Art. Yes indeed, I have a lot to learn from her.

Photo Shoot at the Audobon Rookery
Tiki

The main attraction is a new addition to their household. A week ago Missy and Dan adopted a Ringed Neck Parrot. Tiki is the fascination of the house. We laugh at its antics and celebrate each new step it takes. Any time we are around Tiki the cell phone cameras get busy taking photos. It is no different than having a new baby in the house. Who knew a bird could be so entertaining. And oh my what a pretty bird it is, blues and greens dominate with a pretty red beak.

Endurance-The act, quality, or power of withstanding hardship or stress.

Englewood and the surrounding areas were hit hard by Hurricane Ian. This area remains in recovery mode. My friends and Missy’s parents’ houses were damaged in the storm, although not as bad as others in the community where they live. It is interesting to be here and see the damage that was done. Nature is powerful. It is also interesting to experience the endurance of people. Slowly people are rebuilding. Some have sold their homes. Some are removing the damaged units and replacing them with new homes. Some are repairing. People have lost a lot yet they endure and come back stronger.

After the devastation occurred people in this community showed their caring for each other. They helped each other out. Missy’s brother arrived from Maine to help get his parent’s house back up and in running order. Other people in the community, locally have offered services, supplies, and more. Organizations arrived to offer food, all three meals, while people were without services and busy cleaning up. Others arrived offering drinks. In diversity, the best sides of others often come forward. Humankind wants to help others. I believe that is an inherent trait.

I will remain here for at least another week before I begin the slow trek north to the mid-Atlantic states. It is good for my soul to finally see my east coast family after four years away due to Covid.

Today I am thankful for my friends who love me from a distance and close up. Today I am thankful for friendships that endure. Today I am thankful.

A Year of Travel & Attempting to Plan

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I don’t like to plan. I am a last-minute planner. I figure that everything will work itself out and no matter where I am or what I am doing, I will love it to the best of my ability. Vacations and life are an adventure, after all.

People ask me what is next and I often reply “I don’t know”. I think that response bothers others more than it does me, although, it makes me edgy and uncomfortable because I really don’t know what is next.

This year I am planning three trips. Whoa, what? Planning? Janet is planning? Yes, I am, to the best of my ability. Whew. Some require more planning than others.

Where am I going?

Trip One-Heading East

  • My rig and I are heading east. It has been almost four years since I have seen my family and east coast friends due to Covid. I decided it was time to go visit.
  • This feels like a similar trip to the first trip I made in my RV all those many years ago, in 2013. I expect this trip to be a bit different. That first trip was made out of grief and desperation and need. I needed love and support. After ten years the grief has settled and I have found my way toward acceptance. Ah. Not that I still don’t need love and support.
  • My first major stop will be in Englewood, Florida. I have very good and dear friends there and look forward to seeing them. How long will I stay there? I don’t know.
  • I will make my way up the east coast, visiting friends as I travel north to New Jersey.
  • New Jersey will be my first lengthy stop with family. My sister and her husband live on the lake where my sisters and I spent our summers growing up. As Ginny says, “the door is always open”.

Trip two-Brazil and the Amazon

  • Brazil and the Amazon River are calling. A small group of friends and soon-to-be friends are traveling the Rio Negro and Amazon Rivers. Birds, wildlife, music, and friendship. Who could ask for more?
  • This trip will be more concise. Some of the planning has already been completed. I had been procrastinating on making my flight reservations from New Jersey to Florida, where we meet up prior to flying to Brazil. With the encouragement of my friend Mary, I finally made the reservation while we were in Mexico in January.

After that trip, it is back to New Jersey and family and friends and summer on the lake. But wait, there is more.

Trip Three-Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and beyond.

  • As I make my way north through New England I will visit friends in Vermont and Maine.
  • I will be joining my friend Cori and we are off to explore the Maritime Provinces. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Foundland. This is an interesting dilemma. Cori and I don’t like to plan. Shoot there is no one to take the lead. I am sure we will work it out. And as Cori says, since she has never been there before she will like whatever she sees. Definitely a beginner-mind attitude.

After trip three, I give up. No more planning for me. I will wander my way west to visit friends as I move. When will I return west? Before the snow flies. I just don’t like crossing mountain passes in the winter. As you know, I really don’t like to winterize my rig.

What happens between all these waypoints is totally up to me. I hope to find new places to explore and be amazed at. Maybe I will visit other friends I have not mentioned here. Maybe I will make new friends as I move east. Maybe, Maybe, Maybe-it is totally up to me.

March twenty-first is my departure date. I have one more trip to Santa Barbara. My rig needs a once over and Dan, all things Roadtrek, is in Santa Barbara. I will start my east coast adventure from one of the furthest land points in the lower forty-eight. It will be a true west-to-east adventure.

Currently, I am finishing things up in San Diego. Repeat labs were normal and that is good. A dental cleaning is done and the report was mostly good. Whew. I am visiting with friends and spending time cleaning out my storage unit. It is work. It is time I need to prepare.

The first two months of the New Year has brought me amazement and adventure. I hope to continue the adventure for the rest of the year and you can come along for the ride. You are always welcome.

A Cowboy in My Life

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The Land

In the late 1990’s Jim, my husband, and I bought a piece of property in southwest Colorado. Our plan was to design and build a straw bale home and live off the grid. We found the perfect property, forty-five acres of ranchland.

We were still working when we bought this land and had a lot to learn about maintaining a large property. New words entered our vocabulary: Ditches (running irrigation water onto the property), Fence-lines, Irrigation, The Federal Farm Bureau and more. Since we lived in California we needed someone local to help us.

The former owner told us he leased his property to an Outfitter and Rancher. He ran his mules and horses on several local properties including the one we had bought. We called him and he said that he would meet us on the property.

On a sunny afternoon, Jim and I and our realtor arrived first on the property. As we were standing there talking I turned to see this cowboy riding down the hill on a beautiful mule. He was dressed in full western gear. I smiled and I could tell Jim was experiencing the west for the first time.

So began our relationship and friendship with Ron of Ron’d View Outfitters. He became our mentor and teacher and friend. I always felt that he had our backs. He guided us gently and kindly in the right direction for everything we needed to know to manage our forty-five acres. He was a good resource. He knew many people. When we needed to replace our fence line he referred us to the perfect fencer. We learned about the Federal Farm Bureau after Ron suggested we apply to obtain irrigation pipes, and the government was offering a good deal. And when we put up a gate at the entrance it was Ron, his brother, and Wendall who raised it topping it with a horseshoe heart.

Like almost all outfitters his big season was in the fall when hunters would arrive to hunt elk and deer. He was also known for breeding and selling the finest mules. In the off-season, he took chuck wagon tours into the mountains of southern Colorado, and onto the Navajo reservation to camp and explore at the end of Canyon del Muerto, part of the Canyon de Chelly complex.

Jim and I knew we had to prove our mettle with this outfitter. We were from California and the small towns of Colorado did not always have the best impression of Californians. Jim and I decided that the best way to get to know him, his partner, Miss Carrie, and others that worked with him was to go on some of Ron’s tours.

We rode by horseback to fish and camp in the Weminuche Wilderness. This was our first horseback riding adventure with Ron and his friends. It was the first time Jim had ever been on a horse. It was a great way to spend four days in some of the most beautiful mountains in the world. At the end of the long weekend, Ron invited us to come and see his ranch. I knew we were making positive strides in establishing a relationship with this gregarious and kind man.

Our next chuck wagon tour was to the end of Canon del Muerto, part of the Canyon de Chelly National Monument complex, on the Navajo Reservation. The six-hour ride into the canyon was amazing. The cliff-dwelling ruins clung to the sides of sheer walls. For three days we explored on horseback with Navajo guides and Ron, Miss Carrie, and Wendall among others. The ride out was another adventure and can be told at another time.

After Jim’s death, Ron and Miss Carrie continued to be my local eyes and ears. I appreciated their support and caring during a rough time in my life. When I returned to the property, Ron would arrive first on his tractor to mow a swath of the grass, so I had a nice spot for my RV. Even across the miles, we continued to share our lives.

Ron & Deana 2 of my Favorite People near Durango, CO

At the end of December 2022, Ron passed away at eighty-two. I recently learned of his death and have sat with the knowledge of his loss for a few days. I needed time to absorb the loss of a larger than life character, a man I respected and admired and considered a friend. He was a guide and a teacher to Jim and myself. He will be missed by so many. He will missed by me.

I am honored to have known him, learned from him and laughed with him.

Today I am thankful for having a True Cowboy and Legend in my life. Ride well Ron.