Out West (1989)

June 21, 1989...The six of us, Tim, Rene, Scott, Colby, Mamaw and Papaw loaded up the van and headed west.  Our destination, Durango, Colorado.  We are to meet up with Tanya and Joe there then proceed to other "points of interest".  Well, everyone survived the trip and rested up at our motel suite in Durango.  Friday morning we're all up and ready to go, but go where?  Day one, Mesa Verde, Four Corners and Ship Rock

 

I love that my mother captured the original blogs, and she is definitely my inspiration in how I wrote my first photo album trips with Magan, and even now with the electronic blogs.  I did not capture each of her "blog" words, but many of them below.  Because these are the words I read over and over again when I looked thru these pictures.  I love pictures, and they say they are worth 1000 words, but I think that is because the equated 1000 words were not the words of a mom or dad that loved taking kids on fun adventures...It is those words that make these pictures come alive...those words help me see those deer eating out of my hand...the words help me see that 32 foot ladder and my fear going up it on this trip...Thanks mom for all the words and memories. 

 

First Junkin Trip Out West - 1988

 

So my mom was the first blogger of the family, but with no internet, the blog was in an album.  But done so great, I just copied many of her captions.  I am thankful for these images, as they do seem to spark little snippets of memories that sometimes come back...and make me smile.  So for the older folks that have more memories of this trip, shoot me an email reply and I will capture them here on Revision 2.0.  

 

395 miles to Denver...all the way across Kansas.  As I now do with my boys, Granddadddy is always good to point out these road signs. 

I climbed this rock wall.  To me it was straight up Mission Impossible type stuff.  I remember waiting till all went back into the house so I wouldn't get in trouble.  Then with my heart beating hard...wedging in and going to the top. 

Funny, in looking back at these pictures, maybe Colby and I didn't fight very much.  :)

I am pretty sure I remember learning about the Continental Divide by either Joe or my dad telling me how this was the split between Atlantic and Pacific...and then we had to spit both ways. 

The prairie dogs...so this is where my mom traumatized me by screaming at me to see the little prairie dogs that I could not see.  And do any of you guys see them in the picture above?  NO, I didn't think so.  You need glasses just like I did.  

 

Always been a fan of zoos, and this polar bear exhibit is what I remember about the Denver Zoo.  Then standing next to the sign with Colby.  And that's about all I remember, except for being so hot that day, then getting back to Tanya and Joes only to have snow all over.  Crazy. 

 

 

Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Mountain and Wall Drug Store...yep memories gone, but got the pictures to show I was there.