(Whoops… wrote the following paragraph when we first got back to the beach and never finished it for posting. My excuse this time? We’ve been busy! It’s more fun to play with and care for Emmett and Grace than it is to write about it. And now our internet connection at the beach is on the blink while we wait for a replacement part for the satellite dish. I’m at the kids house, writing this while Emmett and Grace nap, Westi works, and Mike and Steve work on a project for their new-to-them travel trailer. We’re all set up at our trailer for babies now, with a Pack-n-Play, diapers, bottles, formula, play mat, sun hats, etc. It’s amazing what we can fit in a 21 foot space!! I’ve been taking pictures and will get them posted … I promise … but Grace is beginning to fuss so it won’t be now. More about last Sunday’s adventure with Dottie and Lure Coursing to come too!)

Oh yeah… this is why we tore ourselves away from our new home and drove over 1700 miles to California. Now I remember! Before we were even fully parked, Mike and Westi showed up at our campsite with bundles of baby snuggled on their chests. It is blissful to be with Emmett and Grace again! I babysat, along with Grandma Deborah, while the kids worked today, and Steve got us settled into the campground. Folks seem genuinely happy to see us and the foggy cool weather, though a shock to our Texas-acclimated systems, helped keep the crowds away.

Unexpected treasures are always the best and we found one when we camped at Cochiti Lake, mid-way between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. We wanted a layover day to stretch our backs and legs, and our choice to head north out of Albuquerque to this Army Corp campground proved to be perfect. The campground itself was just okay and the lake was a bit disappointing, though as we learned more about why the water was so low, we gained new appreciation for it. The massive dam impounds the Rio Grande but the Pueblo de Cochiti sued to block their ancestral (and present) lands from being inundated with flood waters… and won! A smaller lake, designated no wake so it is perfect for fishermen and paddle/oar powered boats, was the result.

The real treat was a day hike in nearby Kasha-Katwe Tent Rocks, established relatively recently (2001) as a National Monument. The interesting hoodoo formations resulted from ancient volcanic eruptions which deposited over 1,000 feet of ash, tuff and pumice in the area. Subsequent action from wind and water created the “tent rocks” reminiscent of Bryce and Zion National Parks. From the base of the Monument, we hiked through a slot canyon, gaining 660 feet in elevation, to a ridge with panoramic views of the Rio Grande Valley. Though shorter and easier, the top reminded me of Zion’s “Angel’s Landing” and, just like when I hiked it decades ago, as soon as we got there, the sky let loose with a belt of thunder. No lightning this time though, and the storm was moving away from us, so we got to stay and enjoy the views before heading back down. As we headed back down, we were serenaded by Rock Wrens and then in, the slot canyon, we had a beautiful sighting of one of Steve’s all time favorite birds, a Canyon Wren, accompanied by it’s distinctive, silvery, descending song.

The final gift of the day was getting back to the trailer and getting an email from Josh, the very nice man who built our house. We had arranged for him to add a railing to our new deck to match the one on the original deck. He had all summer to do it but it’s done already! Isn’t it beautiful?