Blog

After Ric’s Bash we visited in Colorado Springs. One stop was to the Fine Arts Museum which is now part of Colorado College. Stormy led us through a new and large exhibit centered on the works of Floyd Tunson who for years was the art teacher at North Middle School. Both Scott and Laura studied under Floyd and we have one of Scott’s creations on our wall to this day.

After leaving Colorado Springs, we “charged” into motion and flashed around the west. We had a total of 2000 miles to go in one week. We had to be in Portland to take care of Laura’s two boys (9 and 12) for two weeks while Laura is touring in the UK ( www.lauraveirs.com ). So off we went to Albuquerque, then Scottsdale, then the Bay Area and then Corvallis and finally Portland. This required charging Ruby/Hazel every 150-200 miles or so. We visited a dozen or so charging stations, most hiding around Walmarts and similar big box stores. When we were first thinking about this trip, we imagined that we would visit lots and lots of lovely family and friends. But, reality set in and we charged past many friends whom we would love to see without stopping so that we could be in Portland when we were needed. Clearly, another long and pleasurable, languorous trip is needed.

A Charging Moment: after collecting electrons in Las Vegas, NM, we asked the car to take us to a local coffee shop. We were trying to support the small independent shops. The car said turn here, so we did, and the road became one-way and dove through a tunnel under the interstate. In 200 meters, we came to a train crossing and a train appeared and then stopped. Oops — we were stuck. We couldn’t go forward and we couldn’t go back because of the one-way tunnel. So, we adventured driving onto a dusty little road that wandered through rail yards and similar areas of red silt for a couple of miles. Eventually, we found a real road and, mirabile dictu, there was a Starbucks right there. So much for supporting the locals…..

In Albuquerque we spent the night with Bob and Virginia, a couple of East Coast humanities professors whom we met on a train in Spain (mainly in the plain) in the summer of 1968. We saw them in Chicago in the 60’s and again in Madrid in the summer of 1990. Keeping the contact going, we thought it time to see them again. Though we have not seen each other for years and years, we have kept in close annual contact via Christmas cards and email, etc.. Above are two photos. One we took in about 1970 in Chicago and one is from our recent Albuquerque visit.

Now, off to Scottsdale to visit Val’s sister and her husband for a couple of days. Ann and Johndale are consolidating their lives into one place after working in Los Alamos for years and having houses in New Mexico and Arizona.

After Albuquerque, we took two long days to get to the home of the wonderful daughter of long and great friends from Boulder, CO. Lindsay and Chris and their two kids welcomed us for an overnight and they gave us a tour of the extremely steep site where they are starting to build their new home in Fairfax, CA, north of San Francisco. Lindsay designs such things using a computer with a gigantic screen and Chris builds such things as his profession.

One more long day took us to Corvallis, OR, where we stayed with Val’s cousin and Leslie’s sister-in-law, Sue, for a fun but quick visit with some of Sue’s extended family. Then, a short run into Portland where we are now ready to grandparent Laura’s two boys, Tennessee and Oz.