Masayuki in Colorado; Don't forget to look down; Reflection

I wanted to scream! I can't stand sitting in traffic and the anticipation of getting out of town just made it that much more frustrating. Finally I get to Danny's apartment and get some relief as he picked up a Little Ceaser's pizza as a pre-trip meal. Who can't be happy about a pepperoni pizza? So with a full belly, tank full of gas, Red Bull, Lemonheads, beef jerky, flatbread (wheat - you know gotta think healthy here), and Masayuki in tow we were headed west. We hit some bad weather between Baton Rouge and Lafayette and it rained much of the way to Shreveport. 10:20 pm and we cross into Texas. About 2:30 a.m. we crossed into CLAY county (holla!). A few Red Bulls and Lemonheads later, we stopped about 4:00 a.m. to take a quick snooze...well we tried anyway. Not really getting any good sleep we pressed on and since we were making very good time (that's what driving without sleep will do) we drove up to the top of Capulin Mountain and got a glimpse of the snow-capped Rockies many miles to the west. At this point I figured it was time for Masayuki to see the light of day. We took a couple pics for her scrapbook so she can prove to her buddies sitting in the box back home that she was actually there. I think there are some trust issues there, but she doesn't really say anything about it. While I did glue her head back on, she still has an "aid" present to keep it in place just in case. Should the glue not stick in this high altitude, I would not want her head to mistakingly fall off, roll down a mountain, and be discovered many years later by an archaeologist who thinks it is a 1000 year old Japanese relic and have history books re-written to show the American Indians were preceeded in North America by Chinese doll makers. Pics to be posted later...I'm too tired to explain. On the way out from Capulin we stopped along the road where there was an old car and windmill that was too photogenic to pass up. While I was walking around taking shots from different angles I was reminded of a rule for travelling in the southwest...don't forget to look down. There are rattlesnakes that might not appreciate photographers tresspassing in their hood to get photographs. Luckily, he knew who was boss here and he quickly retreated to his hole. I didn't stick around long enough to see if he was going down there to get some buddies or a .45 to welcome me to the neighborhood. But seriously tho, rest assured I will play closer attention to where I am walking. A hospital visit is NOT in the plan here. Tomorrow we are heading into the high country via some old twisting and turning dirt backroads. Gonna check out some old mines (from a distance as they are VERY dangerous), ghost towns, and beautiful scenery. Masayuki is a little nervous, but a lil shot of Tequila should take care of that for her.
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I have to say, this trip has been one of reflection and quite emotional. It's only been about a month since Dad has been gone. Throughout this journey I have been reflecting on the many familiar places and recalling memories of the many trips we took through here when I was a kid, and the last trip we made as a family back in 2008. We had so many different vehicles over the years, from the LTD ex-police car to the many vans, motorhomes, and station wagons. We always stopped at the gas station near where the railroad tracks pass over highway 308 in Denton, TX. This was always the spot that I remembered as the "beginning of the adventure" for here is where we bid adieu to the interstate for a long, long time. Hundred and hundreds of miles of two lane and four lane highways, all the way to extreme northwest New Mexico where we would jump on I-25 and head into Colorado. When I passed that station yesterday what I saw was a dark, closed station with no one around. But what I saw in my mind was my Dad pumping gas into the old Rockwood motorhome while I waiting inside for him to come pay for it so I could get more junk food that I didn't really need because we had plenty already. I remembered riding in the bed that was over the van chassis and looking out onto the plains of Texas, waiting for a train to pass to add some excitement to what, at the time, was pretty boring. I certainly don't think the same when I make the same drive now. I was looking for the picnic area just before Decatur, TX but I think it is gone now. They are widening the road to a divided, 4 lane highway instead of the old 2 lane it was forever. I was heartbroken to see that it appears to be gone (I'll check when I pass in daylight on my way back). I remember so many stops there to eat lunch. We even stopped there in 2008 and it looked the same to me as it always did. To me, it was a sacred place and if it is gone I will feel as tho a small part of me has gone with it. Driving through the small towns along Hwy 287 I recall the places we ate. I'm sure we hit every Pizza Hut and Dairy Queen along the 400 or so miles of it. Another special place for me is the park In Dumas, TX. We used to take a break from the road, eat some sandwiches, and swing on the swings. It was a nice chance to run around a bit before the last push onto New Mexico. I remember looking out the window from my high vantage point in the motorohome; the bed above the van-front end in the class "C" Rockwood. This was the best seat in the house. I could see so much from up there; the rows planted in the farmland that made patterns that seemed to "flicker" as we passed them at 65mph; the old farmhouses off in the distance; the never ending highway that seemed to fade into the horizon as the heat from the blacktop blurred the line between land and sky. One of the biggest thrills was waiting for Capulin Mountian to come into view from behind Sierra Grande. As the highway snakes around this mountain, which by the way is the largest "single" mountain in the U.S., it strategically hides Capulin until you get to the northwest side. The very top of Capulin is the first view, and because of my vantage point I was able to see it first. As we rounded the mountain more and more of Capulin is there until alas, the whole beauty of this extinct volcano is there for the weary traveller to see. We always stopped and took pictures even though we had taken then from the same spots so many times before. As we came upon her today I felt the same anticipation and excitement as I always had. I was waiting to get that first glimpse of her summit and as usual, she was there as she has always been. I drove up to the top and looked out at the Rockies in the distance and remembered seeing this same view through these same eyes that were a bit closer to the ground back in the days (hey I was short, what can I say). But a piece of me was missing. This was the first time I had been up there without my Dad. Mixed emotions to say the least, as this has been as much a travel back in time as it has been a new adventure. Knowing my Dad had seen these same sights for 35 years in a row and how it never got old to him makes me appreciate these same sights today and that is never gets old for me. He loved this and I have acquired that same love, although it took me years to realize it and see everything around me, not just look at it. So tomorrow again I am going places that I have not been to without my Dad being present. Having Danny along is a big help as we talk about things and it keeps my mind occupied. And, well, I guess I'm not totally without my Dad on this trip. I am wearing a ring of his that his mom gave him when he was 16 years old. It's a small ring with a "C" on it, but it is larger than life in meaning to me. I'm off to get some more sleep. Thanks Dad for introducing me to the beauty that this wonderful country has to offer, and for the years of great memories we had exploring it. I will pick up where you left off and continue the journey...