Where Have I Been?

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NEW YORK, LONDON, PARIS, MOAB

PUT MOAB AT THE TOP OF YOUR TRAVEL LIST! WE RECENTLY TOOK A MOTORCYCLE TRIP TO THE SMALL TOWN OF MOAB. MOAB SITS AT THE GATE OF ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, AND CANYON LANDS, ON THE COLORADO RIVER. IF YOU ARE A CYCLIST, 4-WHEELER, ROCK CLIMBER, RAFTER ENTHUSIAST, THAN YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT MOAB. THE BEAUTY OF THIS AREA TRULY IS BREATHTAKING. WE RODE ALONG THE COLORADO RIVER ON THE SCENIC BYPASS AROUND THE PARK, AND JUST SOAKED IN THE BEAUTY AND WARMTH OF THE DESERT. THIS RIDE FELT LIKE HEAVEN AFTER WEEKS OF THE COLD, WET WEATHER WE LEFT BEHIND IN COLORADO. WE ARE ALREADY PLANNING OUR RETURN MAYBE TO INCLUDE RAFTING DOWN THE COLORADO RIVER, OR TAKING A HUMMER TOUR.

HOME AT LAST!

We welcomed my nephew, Bobby, home this week after he served a year-long tour of duty in Afghanistan. Family greeted him in style at the airport, accompanied by the Patriot Guard Riders, flags waving, and our hearts soaring high with love and gratitude that our Bobby was safely returned to us.
It has been a difficult year for all. Bobby in particular enduring the hard work and dangerous missions he was focused on day after day, "just doing his job". His family marking each day off the calendar til his return, praying always that it would be a safe one. We rallied here at home when we knew a hard battle was being fought, his dad glued to the internet looking for any news he could find that might give him a clue as to what was going on. Family, friends, and co-workers were very supportive by rallying right along with us. Once in a while, we could give a short sigh of relief in learning he was not flying missions for a few days as maintenance on his chopper was being done, but for the most part it has been a long, grueling year for us all.
The year came to an end with word that finally Bobby had left Afghanistan, and was beginning his long trip back to the U.S.A. It was like waiting for Christmas with all the anticipation, and at times wondering if the day would ever come. We likened the news of "Where is Bobby now?" with tracking Santa and his sleigh on Christmas Eve! Finally, the news was in, Bobby has just landed at Fort Campbell, and an hour later a phone call. Bobby's voice on the phone. What a joy to hear his voice and know he is on United States soil, surrounded by family to greet him. The rest of us would have to wait a couple weeks longer before he was released on leave to come home to Colorado. Thus our homecoming welcome at the airport, and a day of celebration with family and friends.
Bobby was presented with a Harley Davidson, his homecoming gift for the service he gave to his country. He sold his motorcycle before he went to Iraq a few years ago, knowing he wouldn't have the opportunity to ride. He and his dad would talk about the road trips they would take together when he gets out of the service in April. It gave both of them something else to focus on during rough times. Now he will again ride with his dad and the rest of us, safe at home at last.

Flatiron Reservoir is at the top of my Favorite List for a quick getaway. Located 8 miles SW of Loveland, Colorado, I'm quickly out of town, and riding in the foothills. Everytime I visit, I'm struck by it's beauty, as witnessed in the my photo featured on this site. There is a campground which includes two camper cabins. We've stayed in them a few times. The campground also features a day-use area for picnics. Whether camping, or just to get away from the city for a bit, it's very relaxing. Take time to ride past Flatiron to Pinewood Reservoir. Once again, it's beautiful scenery and a great ride.

Blessing

Today was one of those amazing fall days that make it hard to believe snow is just a couple days away.Whether a day trip on the Gold Wing, or a short jaunt on my scooter, this weekend was perfect to get in one of the all too few rides left to us between now and spring. This fact however true, was put aside to mark another event which also happens too infrequently.
We had a Fall Family Gathering today. It becomes increasingly harder to get the entire family together. Many members live here in Loveland, but others are scattered. Today we lost Diane to a long battle with cancer. Our sympathy extends to Darrell and their children. We celebrate a wedding anniversary this same week. My parents, Bob and Addie Leah, have been married 65 years! We dearly miss each and every one not with us, Johnny, Jenny Lee, Eric, Nancy, John, Jamie, Angela, Autumn, Chip, Ami, Weston, Sarah, Corey, Danny, Molly, Cale, Adam, Stephanie and Brad. We pray for Bobby's safe return from the Afghanistan, Pakistan border. We relish the company of all that were here today. It was good to hear the laughter, and watch the new generation of cousins play together.
Celebration of family is good and important. Rain or shine a family that plays together, stays together. We'll trade the motorcycle ride for the blessing of family today.

Ghost Stories From The St. James Hotel

My nephew,Weston, had the opportunity this past summer to go to Cimarron, New Mexico, and research ghost stories. The St. James Hotel there is one of the most haunted hotels in America. It is a beautiful hotel built on the Santa Fe Trail in 1880. The guest book there is a Who's Who of the Old West. Wyatt Earp, Pat Garrett, Doc Holiday, and many other legends stayed there. Everyone passed through Cimarron in those days.
My brothers have been staying at the St. James Hotel for years. They travel through there on their motorcycle trips to Red River, Taos, and Cimarron, NM. They have had several paranormal experiences there as have their friends and spouses that accompanied them. A few years ago, my brother Chip and his wife Ami got married there. Our families stayed there for the weekend. I don't know what the head count was, but I can say that we pretty much filled the hotel to capacity. Weston has asked us to send him any unusual experiences we had while staying there.

My Experiences:

I did experience a very strange dream while spending my first night in Wyatt Earp's Suite. I dreamt that I was sitting in the corner of the bedroom opposite the bed watching Jerry sleep, and couldn't understand why I was out of bed. I tried to get up to return to bed, but absolutely could not move. I then tried to speak in order to get Jerry's attention, but could not speak, I tried to scream, but could not scream! I abruptly woke up. It was 4am. I realized I was only dreaming and went back to sleep, or at least tried to.
I got out of bed just an hour and 1/2 later since I was awake anyway. I dressed and went downstairs. There wasn't any activity in the kitchen yet, so I went outside for a walk. I met a couple pretty much doing the same as I, and we struck up a conversation. They were from Texas, just passing through. They asked me if I had witnessed any ghosts. I told them no, but that I abruptly woke at 4am after experiencing this strange dream. The man said that he woke at exactly 4am as well. He too had experienced a strange dream! I'll have to say though his dream was humorous. He was in his suite's bath tub with a couple of saloon girls while his wife slept! We laughed and agreed that his dream probably had nothing to do with ghosts.
Throughout the weekend, I heard several people mention they were abruptly wakened at 4am. When I mentioned it to my brother, he said he thought that was when Joe had an experience and woke with a blood curdling scream. Joe is a very close friend of both my brothers, and has witnessed a scary haunting at the St. James Hotel on a pervious visit. I concluded Joe's scream may have been the disturbance that awakened the rest of us, but we didn't realize it at the time. I do not know what Joe experienced that night.
There was also the instance when I was taking family pictures on the stairway of the original wing when quite suddenly my camera absolutely would not focus on Chip standing at the top of the stairs. The camera was working perfectly before and after this shot. It hasn't happened again. I know this isn't proof of paranormal activity. I'm just saying it was odd and I couldn't explain why my camera acted in this manner.
If you have been to the St. James Hotel, and have any stories you would like to share, please do. I would love to hear them.
I do have a couple more stories I don't have a logical explanation for, but they were not at the St. James Hotel.

CELEBRATION

Celebrations mark the milestones of our lives. We get together with family and friends to have fun, eat, and to teach our children the reason we are celebrating. September, 13-14, 2008, marked the 109th Battle of Beecher Island Reunion.
The Battle of Beecher Island was fought 140 years ago. It is an amazing story of survival. General Forsyth and his scouts, numbering 50 men, defended against an attack by 1,000 Indians. The scouts survived on a small island in the Arikaree river for about a week until their rescue. You may read this piece of history in detail in, "The Battle of Beecher Island".
The reunion to commemorate the battle began 30 years later when some of the survivors went to search for the battle site, and to lay rocks to mark the site. They decided to revisit the site every year. To this day, the Beecher Island Battle Memorial Association has kept the reunion alive. They are to be congratulated for keeping the scouts memory and this remarkable piece of history alive. Local service groups volunteer to feed visitors and maintain the grounds and buildings.

My husband, Jerry and I, went to the reunion for the first time last year. We were impressed with the reverence of the gathering, and the family oriented activities, the quality of the concert, and the campground facilities (showers!), that we made a vow we would return. We returned this year on our motorcycle, riding to get there and setting our tent up in the pouring rain. The rain stopped as soon as we got our camp set up. We had beautiful clear skies for the remainder of the weekend. Our camp site was right next to the now-dry riverbed. We watched the muzzle load powder shoot, and learned a lot about that sport. The site is truly beautiful, and I would encourage you to visit this place anytime during the year. It is located several miles south of Wray, Colorado. It makes a beautiful motorcycle ride. We rode past a flock of turkeys both going to and coming from the Island.

We would like to join in the celebration again next year, hopefully joined by family and friends.