The Grand RV Tour: Mesa Verde National Park

Our final stop was a little detour through southwestern Colorado to Mesa Verde National Park. We stayed at the nicest, tidiest RV park yet just across the street from the main entrance to the park. We got in early in the evening with enough time for a swim and some BBQ. The next morning we left early enough to be at the visitors' center as it was opening.

We had but precious few hours to spend in the park. We could have kept ourselves entertained for two days driving around. The visitors' center is spacious and first rate. We loved the video, and I especially liked seeing the large room where all the artifacts that have been recovered from the archeological sites are catalogued.

It was a 45 minute drive up and around the cliffs to get to the main cliff dwelling complex. We spent the drive crossing our fingers that the RV would hold together and we wouldn't have some new disaster to contend with. It drove right up and down all the hills without complaint and we enjoyed our little tour. There is another visitor center here- it is quite older and has a lot of character. We didn't spend much time as we wanted to spend the rest of our time at the dwelling. After a little hike we were there.

This is another place I had longed to see for some time. The people who lived here had a fascinating way of life. There is much we are still learning about them. We walked through the complex, climbed down the ladder into the kiva, and ground up some corn.

We hiked back up to the parking lot and made a final pit stop before climbing aboard our chariot for a 19 hour non-stop drive home. We rolled in to home and emptied the RV in time to get it back to the rental place by the 12PM deadline. The manager gave Cori back half our money for the trouble we faced which was a small consolation.

About half way through the trip, we were sitting around the dinette table eating and talking. We asked the kids what was the best and the worst of traveling by RV. Everyone agreed that the worst was all the problems we were facing. Their answers about what they liked about it took us by surprise. Grant simply said, "You. We get to be with you all day long and you have nothing else to do but be with us." That statement alone was enough. But we have a hundred new family memories to take with us from this adventure.

The Grand RV Tour: More repairs in Moab

The original plan for our drive back to Texas had been to drive over the continental divide in Colorado. I have never seen the Rockies of CO with my own eyes and this would have been a route we had never driven before. However, with the RV in such a sorry state, we decided to take a more familiar and flat course through Southern Utah.

Things really came to a head when we nearly completely broke down. We limped into Moab and ended up spending the day there while the RV was repaired. It was a long day for us. The temperature was hovering around 110*.  We had no hotel room. We had no car. And we had 4 kids to keep happy. We went out to breakfast. We visited the city museum. We went to the big rock store. We went out to lunch. We got frozen yogurt.

We polished off the last couple of hours of the repair in the auto shop. The repair, by the way, involved the removal of the catalytic converter. It had been sending toxic fumes back up into the cabin and even with the gas pedal to the floor we were maxing out at about 35 mph. Apparently, it was about ready to explode. Our unit was in a line up of others that needed work that day. So we were not finished up until late in the afternoon. Thank goodness for electronics.

Finally, we were cleared to depart. We got some groceries for a quick dinner later on and hit the road. We brought 6 Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites audio books with us and listened to them all. The kids really enjoyed them, but on this day some of us ended up napping during book listening time.

The Grand RV Tour: Gville

After our happy days in Idaho, we made a straight shot drive down to my parents' home in Nevada. We left on a Sunday morning and had arrangements made to bury our baby Anna in Gardnerville the next day. Time was of the essence. Our worst fears and frustrations were realized when we had a tire explode when we were nearly 3 hours from our destination. Again, we sat around waiting on the rental company to honor their responsibility to us. They insisted we use the spare tire. But none of the tools were in the unit to access and change the tire. They then remembered that they don't keep the tools in the unit to prevent accidents and liability issues (changing a tire on a huge RV is a little different than changing a tire on a regular car). So after an hour of phone calls and waiting, we finally had some roadside assistance arrive. He accessed the spare and told us that he could not in good conscience put that tire on the RV. It was in worse shape than the tire that had blown. So after another hour of back and forth phone calls, the rental company finally authorized purchase of a new tire. Shortly after that, we were on the road again.

The kids were pretty patient. Cori's sister Brittany and her family were traveling down with us to be with us for the burial. They were a huge help. They were able to take Grace, Grant and Eden and continue on so as not to get in too late that night.

Cori, Jeffers and I were three hours behind them. The rental company insisted we bring the blown tire back with us. They needed it in order to claim insurance reimbursement. It would not fit in any of the outside compartments. The only place we could keep it a little out of the way was in the shower.  So for the next week we hauled the smelly thing around with us like a member of the family.

Anna's burial was very simple. Cori and I went to the cemetery early to finalize details for her headstone. The rest of our sweet family contingent arrived at the predetermined time with our kiddos in tow. Cori spoke, mostly to the children, and offered a prayer. I spent many hours of our drive thinking of the words I could say to articulate my mama heart. Sitting there, I couldn't do it. I was grateful that Cori's words were enough.

Anna's little casket was so small that the traditional methods for lowering her into the grave were not applicable. There was a ladder that had been placed in the grave. It is a double site, and so the bottom of the chamber is over six feet down. Cori carried her casket down the ladder and we all tossed flowers down to wish her well until we see her again.

That afternoon we hung out at my parents' house. Sadly, they were out of town the couple of days we were there. My sisters were there and we were so grateful for their support. Sara and Kevin came over from UT, and Thea was a huge help with the 8 kids running around.

Later in the afternoon, we took a family walk to remember Anna. We plan to do this every year on her burial date. Her time with us was so brief and has felt incomplete to our mortal hearts. Our family was improved by the expectation of her. And our faith has grown as we look forward to being with her again. We don't want to forget.

We had researched a few local hikes, but there was a large fire burning that had closed the necessary road, and as the afternoon wore on, we didn't want the hassle of driving out anywhere. So we did a loop around my parents' neighborhood.

We finished the day off with a Basque dinner at JT's. Gardnerville tradition at its best.

Our children were so thrilled for another couple of days with their cousins.

The Grand RV Tour: REUNION!

We parked outside Grandma Venna and Grandpa Larry's house for the night. The next morning every got a shower in a real bathroom, and Cori and I got the RV into a repair shop. While the RV was being serviced, we visited with the family that was stopping through on their way up to the dry farm. I zipped through a few loads of laundry and we wandered around the yard around the house. Super Grandma Venna (our kids say super grandma instead of great grandma - something Gracie started when she was a tot) leant her binoculars and bird identification book to Grace and it kept her busy for hours.

The repairing of the RV was a comical ordeal. I have to stress that we were in the middle of small town Idaho. When the mechanics opened up the engine and had a good look, they also had a good laugh and were calling one another over to take pictures with their flip phones. Apparently, parts of the AC were being held in place by a 3 foot long wooden pole that had been leveraged into the engine somehow. Hard to believe, but this system wasn't cutting it over the miles we were covering. Also, an enormous bumble bee had become lodged in some air intake. They fixed the AC and addressed a couple of other minor issues. But were not able to repair the generator, nor the heat issue around the driver's side floor. Most of the time was spent that day with the auto shop communicating with the company we had rented from getting approval for cost and payment stuff. Oh the joys.

At last we had it back and we made the 45 minuted drive from the Super's house out to the dry farm. It is called a dry farm because it has no irrigation system. Super Grandpa Larry farmed this land for his living. Every summer, Super Grandma Venna would pack up their children and they would all go up to the dry farm to live in converted train cars. Super Grandma Venna and Grandma Sandy would cook for the family and the hired men who came up to work the harvest months with them. Every couple of weeks or so, Super Grandma Venna would come back to town to do laundry and restock.

The farm has been divided up a little now. Part of it is used for wind turbines. And parts are still being farmed. Uncle Doug and Aunt Anne have made a nice park area with RV hook ups, a zip line, a flat grassy field and plenty of room. It was ideal for our big crew. The children spent three days running in the sun with their cousins. We ate yummy food, played on the zipline, played cards, played kickball, played on the jungle gym, played horse shoes, played on the big farm equipment... yeah. Lots of playing. It was amazing.

There are relics of the farm stead. Above are the remains of the train cars that had been used for shelter back in the day.

Grandpa Larry and Grandma Venna - the two crazy kids who started this whole crew of people.

Grandpa Ray and Grandma Sandy brought their rocket launcher which kept the troops busy for a few hours.

A huge bonfire was followed by a movie under the stars.

Cori and I borrowed Doug and Anne's Razor for an afternoon drive.