Day 9; Estes Park to Craig

7:10 am; I wake up and call the front desk and make arrangements to join the 8am horseback ride.

I race out to the car to get the camera battery charger & breakfast stuff ...and I left the room key - in the room! So I race off in the car in my PJ's to the head office to get another key. I make it just in time for the 7:50 stable date.

8am; The ride begins; Dan is our lead cowboy& 'Trueman' is my horse~the ride was extraordinary; over creeks among the sunny yellow Aspens ; alongside a steep cliff; over a gorgeous meadow - the bestest way to enjoy nature... we are surrounded by massive red coloured pine trees are Ponderosa pines.

I leave for Salt Lake City after packing up; I have it down to a system now~this packing business! Always find out where the ice maker is and hot water dispenser, and the bike rack is super easy to take down and build up the next day.

The car drive is incredible! I wish that everyone could do it someday ~ I went from the valleys of Aspens and meadows of beautiful hayfields & creeks up higher than i imagined. I drove around so many S curves ...massive views of the valleys below and the ranges beyond... I drove through snow fields today---so fricken high - UNBELIEVABLE .,,I cried again because I was so moved by the mountains ....

• Trail Ridge High Point, the tundra level at 12,183 feet above sea level ~ it was difficult to breath! I checked the oil and water levels..the temperature of the car was higher than normal normal levels. Went through the following Mountain Passes after that....
• Milner Pass EL 10,759 Ft.,
• Willow Creek Pass EL 9,683 Ft.
• Rabbit Ears Pass EL 9,426 Ft.
• Muddy Pass EL 8,722 Ft.
• and then flat and dry and rolling hills of grasslands- lots of ranches with very interesting gate entrances. Lots of advertisements for cowboy hats, boots and saddles.

Craig; this is where i stopped tonight. A small town in the middle of nowhere; hotels booked for a big hydro project and hunting season! I'm just glad I found a place, a small place called America's Best Value Inn.

Day 8; Boulder to Estes Park

Boulder; Mon; Sept 28th ( Rae's Birthday)

• Boulder Canyon Creek path; i go on early bike ride and see university students riding to school, joggers and then on the tail end, kids skateboarding and scootering off to school. I do some yoga on the bridge over a trout pond.
• I come across the Dushanbe Tea House.....they are open! ...time to treat myself to a pot of Dragon tea and breakfast ( yummy omelet with salmon!) - gorgeous carvings, paintings and sculptured plaster inlays...etc. all brought over in 200 crates from Tajikistan( Boulder's sister city), put together with Tajik craftsmen. www.boulderteahouse.com
• Pearl St; this street is closed off to cars, instead filled with trees and fountains; I visit the commercial art galleries because The Museum of Contemporary Art and the Rembrandt House are closed :-( I also buy myself an paring knife- yeah! and get info on the route to Salt Lake city after Rae encourages me to go for it now that I'm out this far.
• Hwy 34; I head out on this cool smaller hiway after being given many opinions on the best route; ...am I glad i did! Driving to cool tunes of Bonnie Rait CD

Estes Park; http://www.estes-park.com/go/elkbugling.html

WOW ! huge gorgeous valley/lake area- Rocky mountain town

• I stopped to see the elk on the golf course; one massive Bighorn was herding his 'harem' and young ones and is "bugling", bellowing out to his competition.
• I talk to the elderly woman who owns the local bookstore about her window display of banned books in America...all well known books we've studied in school; To Kill a Mocking Bird, Catcher in the Rye, Joy Luck Club..
• the man in the Outdoor store advises me against camping when I want to buy puptent- now that its offseason. Tells me about the YMCA Lodge up on the mountain.

I love talking to the locals ....

YMCA of the Rockies; I'm the only person in the lodge I stay in. Lots of kids and families elsewhere...this is an inspiring huge place; big massive log cabins. The sculpture in the photograph is from their Centenary in 2007. I have black bean soup / tortilla chips and salsa & cheddar cheese for dinner. Talk to Jennifer and Rae. Fall fast asleep.

Day7-Still in Boulder

Boulder; What a beautiful town. Found out that the `mountains` I saw today are just the foothills; the higher mountains were not visible due to the moisture in the air.
I`m still here typing in the kitchen of a really cool hostel.The couch surfers are all busy I guess. I found a great Whole Foods place where I stocked up on good food finally- hummus and the like.

Guess where I spent a large part of my day --CELESTIAL SEASONINGS!

The manufacturing plant & Corp offices are here in Boulder...and it was so extreemly inspiring that I started to cry! I have to say if I got a job with them here...I`d want to move here-You`ve got to visit this place if you are ever out here: Why am I so enthralled...

• the place and the people have some kind of spirit that I liken to the Ben& Jerry`s Company that we visited in Vermont:
• the welcoming atmosphere - all the people working there said it was the best ever place to work
• a very empowering & socially conscious philosophy, - they`ve always been dealing with organic fair trade farms; they originated in `68 - you guessed it - some hippy folks started collecting herbs and plants from the side of the mountain behind Boulder and sewed their own muslin tea bags
• artistic ( all their images - the original paintings that were commissioned for their tea boxes are displayed everywhere)- the colors and cool paintings even extending into the manufacturing area.
• AND of course the smell; they cut the herbs and teas there ( except for the mints because they contain an oil and the smell is so powerful it would `pollute` all the other teas!)
• this week they processed lemon grass and it was so great to smell.
• and then there`s the gift shop; alot of the teas are not imported to Canada...so guess what I have a bag full of in the car

Before Sunset I drove up the Flagstaff mountain road- S curves abound - fun! and spectacular sites.. met some great college kids up there from Germany, Chile...Milwaukee.

Day 6-Buffalo Bill Territory to the Colorado

North Platte; There's a wedding going on in the hotel-brings me back to the excitement of Jennifer and Sam's wedding! I saw them all at a church later in the day on my way out of town. I registered into CouchSurfing.com, a cool site to sleep on someone's couch instead of a hotel--Something I learned from Saera. Check it out-its a fantastic idea and community. We let people 'surf' on our couch all the time! Hoping to couch-surf in Boulder.

So this town is sandwiched between the South & the North Platte Rivers. They haven't designed the town around it to enjoy it; no park by the river or a cafe overlooking the river..."dear, you just go to the river to look at it"
Hershey; I finally saw the river ( see photo) when I drove up a county rd west of town to see it. Everyone comes to see the train depot here. I came to see more of what Buffalo Bill was about and the Wild West. His ranch and home were closed. I visited the local Heritage Museum and spoke to the ladies running it; see the clip of one woman talking about living in a sod house until she got married.

Sutherland; Grasslands-starting to see beef cattle herds: free roaming on the grasslands beautiful ...and then I smelled such a stench & when I looked closer ...UGH! on a huge, dark STINKY enclosed padlock area -crowded-MASSIVE and sad.
Hwy 76 turnoff into Colorado; The landscape is changing now that I'm in Colorado. No one seemed to drive down this barren slightly undulating hilly area. Just Matilda and I. Hwy 76..and roads are getting farther apart and "No Service" written on them.

Crook: Whew! Find a small gas station -almost on empty- never will let myself get past 1/2 tank again! And a clean the window full of bugs. This area feels uncomfortable..nothin' around -not even crops-stinky fields to the north - a couple processing plants for ? Hydro lines ....and I'm so relieved when I come down a hill to see the sun setting behind the Rockies! Make some calls to get connected and take a 360 video.

Sterling: drive by this area and see an interesting official looking installation in the distance-military? science?

Hudson: stop for gas, window cleaning & sub; buy wireless time to see if i can connect to some couch surfers.

Boulder: pull in to a Best Western Golden Bluff Lodge-fall fast asleep

Day 5... on the trail!

DAY 5:

1. Farm town of Seward; bought myself a Nebraska antique teacup from the "Simply Charming" antique store, took pictures of main street including the Cattle National Bank beside the town hall. Fill my coffee cup for the afternoon drive from the Cozy Cafe on the corner where the locals were eating their famed macaroni and cheese for lunch. Stopped in at the bakery where my car was parked, got a 'schnecke' Crispie and found out the clerk just moved there from Indianapolis being married to the Deputy Sheriff.


2. North Platte; home town of Buffalo Bill...I'm intrigued. Registered in hotel ( after this its rest stations & couch surfing) at 5:30 to get ready for joining the last ILP class via Skype with Rae's computer .....Well the Wireless network was down and I was not connecting. ....it took everything....EVERY OUNCE of getting OFF IT & being unstoppable to get connected to that class...finally had a center phone connected to my hotel #. The class was glorious! Our participants rock and the acknowledgment and shares were inspiring.

Sat am: This is what I wrote to my friend Charlotte last night ...which inspired me to finally create this trip / adventure Blog in the wee hours of last night/ this am: Yes - it totally works to be on my own-love the freedom! I am having a BLAST!! Every day something amazing shows up..... Today; I FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PRAIRIE SPACE!! CLOUDS ~ THE LINES OF THE CORN ROWS -- THE ENDLESS HORIZON,,,,,SO - SO BEAUTIFUL THAT I TOOK OFF ON THE BACKROADS TO GET CLOSE TO THE SMELL , CRICKETS, PEOPLE, SMALL TOWNS... I COULD SPEND MORE TIME HERE AND PAINT BEFORE I MOVE ON. COMPOSITIONS & PAINTING IDEAS ARE POPPING LIKE CRAZY!! ....AND THERE IS A WIDE OPEN SPACE IN WHICH I AM CREATING...ANYTHING ...ANYTHING! TODAY I CREATED THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING CURIOUS ~ KEEN ~ AND WIDE OPEN!!! Check out the meaning of 'keen' on the webster's site ~ its PERFECT!!! Main Entry: 1keen Pronunciation: \ˈkēn\Function: adjective Etymology: Middle English kene brave, sharp, from Old English cēne brave; akin to Old High German kuoni braveDate: 13th century1 a : having a fine edge or point : sharp b : affecting one as if by cutting c : pungent to the sense 2 a (1) : showing a quick and ardent responsiveness : enthusiastic 2) : eager b of emotion or feeling : intense 3 a : intellectually alert : having or characteristic of a quick penetrating mind; also : shrewdly astute b : sharply contested c : extremely sensitive in perception 4 : wonderful, excellent synonyms see sharp, eager

Left Toronto on Sept 21st, after several delayed starts to complete home prep and trip preps powerfully...and some extra time to be with Rae and Kinder. I took on a passenger, Saera, my friends daughter to give her a lift on her journey to California. A "Freedom~Soul Seeker" lovely wise & young woman she was the perfect compliment. She travelled ( yes, past tense; see Day 3)with 1 small back-pack and brought some delicious granola, cookies etc!




Day1- Camera charger not to be found...late looking for the darned thing & need to buy one before leaving town. Henry's 99$! Saera smudges her Mom, myself and the car...and I smudge her, spiralling the sweet smoke around her.

1. Hamilton; pit stop for an afternoon nap for a sleep deprived me. Location; the Citadel Church parking lot under the trees-away from the freeway rush ~ peaceful. Saera sleeps on the grass and someone comes by and asks her if she needs $ We drive through south western Ontario on 403 to 401...
2. West Lorne to buy some gas & FRESH corn from a farm. We eat it raw in the car- so SWEET!
3. Windsor; We cross the border early eve; the border guard keeps drilling me with questions, "WHY are you doing this? Where's your husband? Can you prove that you own a house in Scarborough? What have you all packed in there?" ETC! He was perplexed.
4. Detroit, Michigan; we get lost due to me not trusting 'Matilda' the GPS lent to us by Sam's parents. 'She' was trying to get us around a detour...anyways we end up driving down 'Joy' street through some rough neighborhoods; closed business', barbed wire car lots and big fancy Baptist churches, Adult Superstores and Liquor stores dotted with cute Icecream shops.                                                                                                                  
5. Ann Arbor, Michigan; we find the Holiday Inn! Saera helps me unload the car; It is clear to me why it pays to pack light. I vow to pull out the essentials for the rest of the trip; she fixes an amazing meal and we sleep soundly to complete the day.

Day 2:

1. Ann Arbor; swim and exercise / meditate & stretch / breakfast & as we clear & create our day I end up hearing out Saera's story and who she has been being and she created the new possibility of being abundant and a cornerstone for herself and her life!
2. Dixboro; cute village! We finish our conversation parking between the MoonWink Cafe and a neighboring Antique/Button store; have lunch at the cafe & walk over to the Button Lady after- and she gives us sage advise and many memories to take with us....wish I wrote it down! Gist of it was ~ don't waste your time!

I stop at the CAA for new Triptik- wonderful friendly service= like that with all the folks in this town- real homey comfy feel to the place...could stay longer :-)

1. Kalamazoo; Copy & try to mail Benefits forms and receipts that Saera kindly compiled for me. She goes off to make some calls; comes back so excited ~ breakthrough excitedment! She took challenge of her new possibility and changed the course of her journey; will no longer go to California; instead meet up with a dear friend in Indianapolis by bus. AND we talk to Peter a hitchhiking, wandering friend. He is welcoming us to stay there! Rain has us decide to do just that instead of camping. Saera fixes an amazing dinner in the car; rice cakes with hummus, goat cheese, cooked kale and organic carrots- yummy! And another fresh cob of corn -- and a yummy cookie for desert with tea from the last gas pit stop.
2. Chicago; we travel in late at 11pm,,,,and promptly get lost on downtown streets ( the catecombs! )Again I was arrogant & didn't trust 'Matilda' who knew that Paulina St was sooo long and one ways in wierd ways! Cool cozy home that Peter opened up for us. We organize the cooler in their fridge; I pull out my chocolate bar and we eat on the dark back deck taking in the garden, bees and the possum that likes the compost pile. Peter sets up a turntable so I can hear a special record that I bought Rae in the Antique store...and drift off to sleep.

Day 3;

1. Chicago; Saera researches Greyhound vs Craigslist etc We share our granola and granola bars,,, have our breakfast in the garden and leave to drop Sarah off. Matilda does not work! and we have a harried time of finding our way in the diagonally challenged downtown streets of Chicago ...where streets suddenly change names!
   

   
   

   

   
   

   

   
   

   

   
   
   We depend on directions from many sources...and it was a kind taxi driver that said, "Take Kalark to Harrison..." & I figured out his accent to know it was Clark! etc that got us there-5 minutes to departure at 13opm ~ frazzeled, stressed, and so undecided ( visit the art galleries before I leave town...AND even ..should I just travel across the top of the midwest or drive south now just to get the heck down to Arizona! ...and drop Saera off in Indianapolis!? Saera runs in and does not come back out...I wait ... breathing to get present. An elderly bus employee comes out to tell me she made it. I'm overjoyed ~ and suddenly start crying ...missing Saera, lost in Chicago...Matilda not working until I get my next instructions from a kind customer... I stop at Chicago's Fat Johnnie's Best Dog place for a Hungarian sausage and onions & eat like the locals. Then...I'm out of the big city into ...ahhhhh...the Illanois countryside. Yes....great choice Katherine!
   

   

   
   
2. Milan; one of the 4 sister towns on the Mississipi; After driving around looking for a good place to stay and stopping at a diner called Maid-Rite that sold Sloppy Joes as their mainstay! I ordered a bowl of chilly
   
3. Rock Island, Illanois; Found the Holiday inn with a view of the Centenial bridge over the Mississipi River. Yes..so great to relax and logon my laptop, register into Skype, fix the GPS from Imre's email (little reset button I pushed a pen into) & go to bed! A delicious sleep!

Day 4; Takes me a while to pack up all the time :-) and cross over the Mississipi into..

1. Iowa. A day of driving through gorgeous prairie fields - cornfields mostly. The landscape is undulating fields interspersed with trees; the farmers have terraced their crops into the gentle sloping hills~ causing beautiful lines to appear. I'm getting inspired and snap from the moving car.
   

   

   
   
2. Des Moines; I pull off for a nap in Main Huge traffic Street...no Cafe around so I hit the hiway to the west side of the state and get STUCK in a miles looong traffic jam! Some poor sucker drove into the construction side of the hiway and his car fell into an open hole. I cross the bridge on a beautiful sunset into Nebraska!
   

   

   
   
3. Lincoln, Nebraska: I got help from restored Matilda...I find the Holiday Inn Express no problem- yeh! I have a final conference call with my ILP participants and ALL were there sharing their inspiring accomplishments, barriers & breakthroughs...all moving forward in what they are facing - gosh I love them. And I love Skype ~ the 1 hr. call was just pennies!!
4. The rest of Nebraska is FLAT - FLAT -FLAT PRAIRIE AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE!