The Long, But Quick End to Season 2
I can’t believe I am sitting here today writing about the end to Season 2. A year ago we wondered if there would be another season but here we are making plans for Season 3! Before we tell you about our path to the end of this season, we are happy to share we finally made it to Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
In our story, The Detour, we shared how our plans to visit these cities came to a quick end when we realized there was no place to stay within a hundred mile radius of Albuquerque due to the Albuquerque Balloon Festival. Visiting the southwest this season was a lesson in learning how far cities are from one another and how desolate the in-between areas can be. It can make it hard to find a place to stay, particularly in the winter.
The drive from Winslow, AZ to Albuquerque, NM was expected to take four hours. It was a beautiful drive. We could see for what seemed like hundreds of miles. I couldn’t help but take photos along the way, even though we were moving. Of course the numerous bumps in the road did not help and not many photos turned out well, but it was fun to try and capture the beautiful topography. That was, until the scenery stopped changing.
We were moving at a pretty fast clip (Jim has become very comfortable driving the RV!) and suddenly traffic came to a stop. We were on I-40, which by the way, is a major interstate, running from Wilmington, NC to the small town of Barstow, CA. After searching online, we discovered the delay was thankfully not an accident, but rather construction. Three hours later and inching slower than a turtle, we made it five miles to point where three lanes were encouraged to “take turns” – as the construction sign said – funneling into one lane. If it hadn’t taken three hours, that sign might have been humorous. Even our fellow drivers weren’t impressed!
During or short visit to Albuquerque, we had enough time to stroll through Old Town and visit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. There are nineteen Pueblos in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe region. Not able to visit those during this trip, we instead visited the Cultural Center. There is so much we learned during our visit. What fascinates me most is how Native Americans were self-sustaining, using what the earth and sky provided them. From adobe homes to feather blankets to baskets, tools, and farming, it is evident how resourceful they were without the modern conveniences we have today.
We discovered Pueblo and Navaho people were selling their wares in the courtyard of the Center that day and were so fortunate to be able to spend quite a bit of time talking with them, learning about their culture and how they made their art using paint from plants, minerals, and crushed rock while painting with reeds. In fact, one of our most prized possessions we added to the RV this year was a humming bird, made in that very way by someone from a Pueblo tribe.
We packed a lot into our two week (unexpected three week) stay in Santa Fe. Having a population of just over 89,000, the city was very walkable and had a small town feel. In keeping with history, most of the architecture is built with adobe (or a modern likeness). We arrived at the beginning of the spring season and wildfires were already rampant. At the same time we were also hearing of flooding. The varying degree of elevation in the southwest certainly showed us the unexpected.
We began our visit strolling through the city center, visiting the oldest house (possibly dating back to 1740-1767), the oldest church (built by Tlaxcala Indians between 1610-1628), and eating Easter dinner at the oldest restaurant in Santa Fe. We couldn’t end the holiday without treating ourselves to a stuffed sopaipilla (a fried pastry bread topped with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with chocolate, honey, and a dash of cinnamon). I know, it’s making you hungry! It was as delicious as it sounds.
In our last post Not Quite Finished with Arizona, we shared that we saw a cliff dwelling while visiting Montezuma’s Well. Well (no pun intended), we had the pleasure of actually climbing into a cave dwelling at Bandelier National Monument. As Ancient Puebloans settled in the area, they constructed their homes from tuff (hardened volcanic rock) at the bottom of the canyon walls and carved cavates (carved rooms) into the walls of the canyon. This protected them from flooding, dangerous animals, and any potential enemies. It was exciting to climb the stairs into the little rooms which still had evidence of small fires used to keep the ancient people warm. My brave husband, not afraid of heights, attempted to climb one cave, the highest of them all. You will notice how high that cavate was in the last two photos. The second set of stairs had no railing and he thought better of the idea. Remember, once to the top, one has to come down. Not many took the challenge!
We couldn’t leave Santa Fe without volunteering. We arrived at Kitchen Angels finding out that someone had called in sick so our timing was perfect. We spent our afternoon learning about the organization and the people we served with. The morning shift prepares the meals and the afternoon shift, our shift, packages healthy meals to be delivered to homebound residents. I had fun sealing the meals and Jim had fun washing dishes. The kitchen was extremely well organized. Even dishes, in the dish drying station, had their own place to dry.
I mentioned earlier that we ended up staying in Santa Fe for a third week. We learned we needed to change our plans and come home a month earlier. We also learned the breaking system from our truck to the RV was not working. We had planned to leave Santa Fe and pass through Las Cruces once again and volunteer with our good friends at El Caldito introduced during The Detour.
We worked with a great dealership that did their best to get us moving again, but due to the direction we were heading home, it made more sense to head east instead of south to Las Cruces. We were disappointed and it seemed from that point on, we felt rushed for the remainder of the trip home. However, we were thankful the repairs happened in a place and time where we had access to the services we needed and a safe place to stay.
We started the beeline home on a Saturday, stopping for a couple nights in Fort Worth to see what we missed last year – the Stockyards. We were thankful the weather was better than the previous year and the bluebonnets were still blooming. We had an added bonus parking at a spot on the lake at Lloyd Park Campground. What a beautiful campground! We woke the first morning to an amazing line up of blue herons, egrets, and ducks jumping the waves, looking for breakfast.
By Thursday we arrived at our friends house in Tennessee. You may remember them from last year’s story When Friends Become Family. We had to shorten our planned stay but true to form, they had a fun time in store for us. Besides enjoying their view of the mountains, watching the multitude of visiting birds, and having a girls day, my sweet friend, Heather, even planned a dinner to meet her family. They are as kind and friendly as she is and we were honored that they took time out of their day to meet us.
Knowing we like to hike, Jerry planned a hike through the mountains near Elkmont, TN. The area had no shortage of waterfalls. Jerry, a fellow photographer, taught me the tricks to taking silky waterfall photos. I may have managed to snap at least a photo or two that could be considered “silky”, but it was so much fun trying. The area was filled with the beautiful hues of spring; flowers, deep green moss, and white waters. While we were driving to one particular hiking destination, we even saw our first black bear!
As we wrap up Season 2, you may be wondering how this season compared to Season 1. To start, Jim was more comfortable driving and caring for the RV. He has become knowledgeable in fixing what doesn’t need professional help and continues to ensure we are as safe as possible while we travel. Being a small town guy, with little travel experience and even less RV experience, I am so proud of what he as accomplished and how he trusted God through it all.
Since we ended up staying in Yuma, AZ for the winter, we decided to spruce up the RV to make it look more homey and less like an RV – at least from the inside. Painting the inside of the RV while we lived in it turned out to be pretty easy. The air was so dry that when we finished the first coat of paint, it was already time to paint the second coat. There are benefits of a dry climate!
We both worked this season. It always amazes us when we see God move. That was the case when part-time jobs offering a remote status and flexibility found us – and I mean it when I say, “found us”. If you remember last season, embarking on this journey without work was a huge step of faith. We never doubted the plan, but honestly questioned how we would sustain it. Recently, I heard a radio host describing his own struggle to let go and trust God’s plan. I knew what he was saying to be true, but this time it resonated with me. There will be times in our life when we question what God is doing or when what He is doing is going to happen. But what we can know is that His plan is perfect and while we wait, He is right there beside us. Our journey, now heading into Season 3, is confirmation of just that.
Once again, we thank each and every one of you for following our journey – it has been both a comfort and reassurance. We will be leaving later in the fall this year, but are working now on some new ideas for our mission and planning our trip to the southeast, possibly revisiting people and places from Season 1. See you all then!!
