Tripping it in the Fall! Part ONE

If you really really know me, you know that I don't really like going places. I like staying home. I like the comforts of the familiar. I don't like the hassle of packing. I don't like the unknown, the different. I know...I know...how can I really experience life if I only stay at home? Well....by reading the blogs of those of you who actually DO stuff. That is how. tee hee...
Okay, okay, so I know that doesn't really count, but I do find YOUR travels interesting. I just don't know how you do it. Traveling makes me anxious. I laugh at the word VACATION. I don't know about you, but when I get home from a vacation I feel like I NEED a vacation from my vacation. I NEED to be home and relax. Silly isn't it? It is a darn good thing I have a hubby who sometimes insists that I step out of my box, and try something new. If not for him, I am not certain I'd ever go anywhere on the weekends. To me...it just isn't a weekend unless I have time at home.

Several weeks back, hubby finally convinced me to go tripping...go traveling...go visit some friends that only live 5 hours from us, but in ummmm 10 years...I have NEVER been to their house. Ahem...yes...you read that right. Ten years and I have never been to their home...never witnessed their lifestyle. Sad isn't it?


So we went. We packed up Sugar Bear in her jammies, threw the dog in the back of the truck, and headed east. Oh and we started in that direction at 4 am. Yeah...hubby thought it was a flawless plan. This way, Sugar would fall back to sleep and wouldn't have to suffer through such a long drive. Ummm...well, I'd love to tell you it worked out like that, but it didn't. Instead we arrived at our friend's house extremely CRANKY tired at 10 am. All of us ready for a nap, but such a thing was no where in sight. We had WAY too many things we wanted see and do, and VERY little time.


The interesting thing about the State in which I live, is that in five hours of driving one can start at the ocean, travel through the mountains, and reach the desert. We sure saw some pretty sights, but it was a bit of culture shock for Sugar and I. We were both coming down with a cold, and changing elevations and ending up in super dry air...wasn't the best remedy for our illness. Sugar was a trooper. Me...NOT SO MUCH! I tend to whine. I admit it. A few days later, I had a sinus infection, so I am not certain the whining was unwarranted.


Regardless...It really was a nice trip. Hubby enjoyed sharing with us the many joys of one of his favorite destinations on earth. Hubby is a hunter...and this is where he goes often to hunt. I am very much NOT the hunter...or fisher...or any sort of killer really. I am just not. Thus...why I have probably never been to this place. I am not at all interested in hunting. This trip, however, was purely based on showing Sugar and I the sights, so no hunting was involved. We did see some really glorious animals. Sugar enjoyed the Antelope. She liked to refer to them as "cantaloupe"! That's my girl. Meanwhile, I tried to pretend that we DON'T have one of those beautiful heads mounted on our wall at home. sigh....



It was lovely seeing our friends, and finally being able to accurately picture them in their home. It wasn't at all what I expected, but I blame that on hubby and his less than detailed descriptions. This photo has to be one of my all time favorites. In this picture, we were traveling towards their house. You can see it in the bottom right hand corner of the photo. In the the rear view mirror is the fabulous view from their house. What a beautiful thing to look at each day. I am excited how in one photo I was able to capture what it is like being at their home so completely.


In actuality, we spent very little time with our friends, as hubby really wanted to show us all the cool things he has been admiring for years. We proceeded to drive out in the desert and explore. We saw old water pumps, dirt, wildlife, rundown farms, dirt, and ultimately the rustic old cabin. The cabin was our destinaton. Hubby was more than excited to finally have the chance to share with me "the cabin", for one delightful night. He had been telling stories about this cabin for so long, I thought I had actually been there. I had not....and I know why. I am not nearly as rustic as hubby. Sugar, on the other hand, is always up for an adventure. She jumped at the chance to go "live like Cowboys"...well, that is only if Cowboys had pink ballerina shirts, and a Power Wheels 4X4 Jeep, that is. So while Sugar learned to master her driving skills, mama took advantage of the incredible photographic opportunities. Every step I took, another photo op presented itself. Here are only a few of my random shots.

Broken down fence


The old water pump


Inside the old water pump


An old Cabin (luckily NOT "the cabin")


So many pictures....too much to tell. This post it LONG enough. Stay tuned in for the next installment of this exciting trip. Next up....all about the Cabin. You won't want to miss it. I have never been so close to "Little House on the Praire" in my life...oh and did I mention DIRT?