Hello all!
bLEEps reporting. So far so good, I will attempt a quick overview and then try to get all of the photos so far gathered and resized. The story line will be in part Mrs b as my memory is not the greatest due to some of the medical conditions Got Smart spoke of.
The first leg of our journey was a short hop from the Ozarks north and east to STL where we spent a few days BBQ and visiting family for a few days. We did spend the afternoons at grants farm, the Budweiser Clydesdales and numerous other animals that live at the farm were on display and they serve free beer
. We had lunch in the biergarten and decided to head out as it was well over 100 degrees, beer and heat do not mix well.
We then stopped to see close friends west of STL where we spent a weekend rocking out like pornstars. The drive west was welcome after nearly two weeks of goodbyes and celebrations.
We arrived in Denver in about days time where we spent the first night at a TA lot. Nice facilities and kind service.
After the first night we cruised on into Longmont CO to visit more family. I took the Mrs and her momma for a tour of Denver and all it has to offer a couple days where we acted like silly tourists downtown, ate good food and enjoyed plenty of denvers finest in many different forms.
We went to see the hotel from the shining which is where I ran into trouble.
It was myself, the Mrs, Mom in law, sis in law, bro in law and their three kids 4-6-9, also Molly the wonder dog, as always.
We all met up in WalMart parking lot and headed for the mountains. We got to Estes Park and I had been feeling strange for a few days. As we were waking up to the tourist attraction I fell out and suffered a gran maul seizure. I got pretty scraped up and pulled some muscles, but I got back up and we headed to Rocky Mountain park. The park was so amazing, we had a nice BBQ lunch and went for a couple short walks in the mountains and played in the rivers. What a great time considering.... we then traversed one of the highest elevation roads in the US to 13,000 feet, and I got to touch snow in august, super cool. I got to see tons of local wildlife both flora and fauna. Such a great time with the wife's family.
Next the wife and I spent a couple days in boulder and surrounding areas to gear up for the next leg of our journey to Oregon.
I thought that this would be a boring drive, boy was I wrong. There were some dull portions but the scenery and the changes kept my attention the whole time.
I had never been west of Colorado prior so I have marked four more states off the list.
We stopped at a place called little America to spend the night. A nice place to hang out, very nice lounge and good wifi. The prices on food and stupid beer laws of Utah were a bit disconcerting, but the scenery and just heading west beat all of that out.
First day in Oregon we saw more friends and I saw one of the most beautiful medical marijuana gardens I have ever seen and I went to school for horticulture. 10 feet tall and three feet around emerald green lovelies swaying in the mountain air. We spent the night with those folks after dinner and a great night of everyone getting aquainted. Next morning we headed to yet another family members home in the mountains for some need R and R time from our relaxing. Hahahaha.
We've been hanging here in the foot hills for a few days and took Bertha to her first music festival. Blues Booze and Bronze, an awesome day, a little much needed rain and even a rainbow over the venue. Next we are headed a little further west, a few days near baker city then Eugene area and then south to. Cali and wind up in quartzsite to restock and find work as well as plan spring travels.
I hope you are all well and can not wait to see you in quartzsite.
Can not wait to see Got Smart and the ladies from our he little gathering down in MO.
You guys better not leave me hangin, I will need interpreters and explanation of my bLEEps and bLIpS.
Lots of love everyone.
Bertha
Toni
Arik
(~);-}