Wolf Creek Pass

Up On The Great Divide, this is where we were on Friday the 10th. Of course, we had the C.W. McCall song. Wolf Creek Pass https://genius.com/Cw-mccall-wolf-creek-pass-lyrics the drive was fun but I have issues with it. There were no telephone poles so I could not count them, I think the tunnel moved, and a few other things, you will have to drive to find out. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Creek_Pass

People who know me know I don’t do heights or curves add them together you get Wolf Creek Pass. I am getting better with those two things on this trip. When you take a look from the top of a mountain you see how expansive the land is, you also see the curves in the road you have to travel. (Just Saying)

Oh BTW there is a feed store in Pagosa Springs.

You Can See For Miles

Yes you can if you take the 15 minute one way narrow road above Canon City called Skyline Dr.

I will say that this drive is NOT for people who are not into heights the road at times look like it will end.

I assure you the road did not end. I was a little nervous that it might. http://www.canoncity.org/visitors/skyline_drive.php the views from both sides of the road take your breathe away.

After regaining my breath we decided to drive out to the Suspension Bridge. No I did not do the zipline but if you look close there are two in this picture.

There is also a tram that crosses the gorge also.

This was a full day now tomorrow we are headed to Durango via Wolf Creek Pass.

White Water

I bet you thought I did river rafting today. I hate to say sadly no, I did realize that river rafting is a victim of my MS. That bums me out but I did enjoy watching the river rats from the train.

This was on the way back down the gorge while we were stopped under the Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge. I like the look from the train of the bridge. I don’t think I could stand on the bridge and look down.

Starting at the beginning of the trip, we boarded the train and were joined by a couple from Ill celebrating their 28th wedding anniversary.

The car was air conditioned so it was comfortable. Lunch was served as we started up the gorge. As you can see from the picture we followed the Arkansas river for the whole trip.

The picture above shows a redwood water trough that prisoners chiselled out of the rock by hand to provide water to Canon City. https://prisonmuseum.org They didn’t have a shortage of prisoners. If you get to the Royal Gorge Area of Colorado this is well worth the price of admission. https://royalgorgeroute.com

No Fear Trains

I would have to say arriving in Colorado today it hit me we will be home in ten days. Tomorrow we are going on the Royal Gorge Route Train. It surprising the amount of trains I’ve ridden and gotten close to. No thanks to my brother Dave who when I was a child terrorized me of trains. I wander a bit. The funny thing is he still laughs about it. We were sledding in Waupaca and to get home we had to cross train tracks. So picture this it’s dark and quite the crossing signals could be swung. My brother climbed up and waited until I was dead center in the track and swung the signal. Needless to say the lights went off with the bells and I ran the two blocks home in less then a minute.

Ever since I have an interesting fear of trains. I have enjoyed the trains we’ve rode this trip. Tomorrow should be enjoyable too. I promise pictures.

Trains Times Two

Our last day in Wisconsin Dells we overdose on trains, not one but two narrow gauge trains. The first one was at Timbavati Wild Animal Park. We were able to just purchase the train ride. I think if you just want an overview of the park and be able to feed the camel the train is all you need if it’s lions you want then buy the walkingtour. http://www.timbavatiwildlifepark.com

I didn’t want to get spit on, the babies were cute.

I did however feed a cousin to the antelope and threw some carrots to the emu

After feeding the animals we decided to head to the second train. This was also a narrow gauge train more wobbly then the first.

We travelled a mile and a half to the town of

I learned that the steam engine used at the Milwaukee Zoo was built by this company Sandley Light Railway Shops. http://dellstrain.com
If you are in the Dells this is an awesome living museum.

We Interrupt This Vacation…..

for rain. Funny how certain events trigger memories. I was sound asleep this morning, when about 6am the wind woke my butt up (that’s what I get for leaving the bathroom vent open.) So after I get up and close the vent, I am sitting in bed thinking about what my mom would say. ‘You don’t want to be in a metal box in a rain storm.’ So where was I? Sitting in a metal box in a rain storm in Iowa.

After my first sky is falling moment. I realized we were ok because of being grounded by our tires. Then the wind really kicked up, so second sky is falling. I am thinking tornado, but this feeling went away too as I heard no siren. Point here is you can move my around the country, but I’m still a midwest girl at heart.

So now that I realized the sky is not falling I’ve been sitting here enjoying the rain, because this does NOT happen in California.

Greatest Show On Earth

Subtitle My life’s A Circus.

I grew up in Wisconsin and never made it to Baraboo. Roy and I decided to run away and join the circus. We realized watching the circus was more fun then joining it, plus my balance is off and I can’t balance on a unicycle.

We get to Circus World https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus_World_Museum and head directly to the big top. If you are ever near here it’s great fun. I have to say this circus still has elephants.

It also has pigs, clowns, and dogs.

I actually got the nerve to hug a pig and ride an elephant here’s proof

After the fun and games I hiked actually got a golf cart ride up to the circus wagon display. The wagons look brand new

We finished the afternoon off with a tiger show and some gift shop shopping.

What a ZOO

Sunday, morning Roy, me, Dave and Dave’s wife Candi decide to head to West Bend and talk to the animal’s or at least feed them. The place is called Shalom Wildlife Zoo in Westbend Wi http://www.shalomwildlife.com I was impressed with the animals and being able to feed them. If you are ever in West Bend area take the whole family. We saw deer, elk, zebra, birds. Candi was the one doing the feeding, I was there for morale support, Dave was map reader and Roy drove the golf cart. It was fun watching Candi feed the llama

Dave was feeding these deer that are always spotted.

We finished up the park and headed over to brunch on West Bend. Good weekend and fun time hanging with Candi and Dave

Saturday evening was cool as Dave and Candi stopped by the trailer and then we headed to dinner. The amazing thing is seeing him after about 22 years his voice hasn’t changed but he looks so much like our dad grey beard and all. I enjoyed meeting Candi Dave’s wife because I’m no longer the youngest. So we head to the bowling alley in Mayville for dinner, the bartender was Brandon but for some reason I kept calling him Tyler , Taylor for some reason he was not a Brandon. It’s been fun hanging with my bro and Candi I’m so thankful he’s kicked cancer’s butt.

SEVENTH Sense

Thought there were only five, maybe six. Right. Well in my world there is someone who has seven. Roy calls it the super must happen sense. This happens alot when we are on the road, which gift shop to give up his nap to go into, usually grabs an extra special thing. It can involve taking a differant road to see something out of the ordinary. He can’t explain it but it’s his, today no exception.

I’ve been having some issues with the elephant in the storage cupboard this year. I think it thought more room for me. First it’s been 3 weeks since my infusion so that is making an effect, I haven’t been exposed to humidity since being diagnosed, also misjudged how much of a certain pill I needed. I added one that was supposed to help a little more. Let’s say allergy meds don’t mix and that had me just very uncomfortable.

We are in Door County peninsula famous for cherries, pointing into Lake Michigan, and responsable for Niagara Falls. (I’ll explain).

We did cheese and wine tasting which because I don’t drink not alot to taste. I went into a Christmas store and walked off with nothing a little disapointed, so down the road Roy turns into wine and cheese tasting. Inside thought was ok, I said it’s up to you. I’ve never had a cheese tasting pretty good bought two seperate cheeses. On to the wine tasting, Roy was starting to choose what he wanted to taste me t-shirts. One of the few times I’ve been exceptionally pouty about my MS. Why can’t I be uncomfortable because it’s humid, not down and out miserable because allergy medicine doesn’t like an ms medicine. So the testing server gets started and after some small talk Roy telling her how he came kicking and screaming the last 400 miles to Wisconsin. I asked why split between here and Cali, answer was good for her condition. (MS, small world) I needed that seeing someone who has a positive attitude handling a disease that sometimes punches you just for giggles. I mean who names a boa constricter squeezing your chest to extreme a hug MS does. I took a lot out of our brief contact that hopefully will blossom. All because of Roy’s seventh sense.