Day 3 - Distant Hearts

Lawrence, KS to Colorado Springs, CO

Knowing the order of the day would be to simply run hard in a straight line from East to West clear across Kansas and Eastern, Colorado, I started the morning setting policy that before we would leave we would find a place for breakfast and with good, hot coffee. I mean, it's supposed to represent a vacation in some respects, right? Can't be all business! So we did just that, stopping into a cafe restaurant in downtown Lawrence Kansas, called "The Roost". 

Take note - when driving a 32' RV and leaving out of a KOA campground first thing in the morning, get your bearings before simply Googling, "Breakfast Restaurants Near Me". I didn't appreciate at all that I would be pulling Big Booty Judy into a city, but once we were already inside the limits, there would be no turning back. Just as we reached our destination and I was about to make a mea-culpa to the boys about getting their hopes up, I saw a side street with a curb long enough to support the camper and was able to park there, albeit illegally given I was taking up two coin fed parking meters and of course, I had no coins. Fortune was on our side though because we were in and out in 45 minutes and the meter-readers never had a chance to ticket me.

Feeling like a proper outlaw now, having broken the parking statutes in Lawrence, we were down the road, the Sun at our backs as we drove dead West just as fast as this mammoth on wheels could carry us... And that's to say, she ain't that fast.

Another development of note is Moultrie's new found anxiety when riding in a vehicle. About nine months ago K9, Conor, and Moultrie were on their way back from school when K9 nailed a deer doing 50mph in his brand new (literally less than 1,000 miles on it) Kia Rio. The damage to the car was one thing - and it was significant. But the damage to the dog was well more, I think. When K9 hit that deer he never had an opportunity to hit the brakes until after the damn thing was across his hood, so needless to say when he mashed the brakes at impact, Moultrie shot from the backseat to the center of the dashboard and now, well, he doesn't like riding in cars any more. Couple that with the fact that an RV is of this sort is relatively noisy going down the road, and with all kinds of crap on board clanging together over rough patches of pavement, and Moultrie is in a full blown and sustained panic, climbing into the co-pilot's lap, tail between his legs and panting like he'd just run sprints. Though once there, Saint K9, the patron saint of dogs (obviously), holds him like a baby and strokes his back and head constantly, calming the mighty pitbull. 

So long as the road is smooth though, Moultrie is okay, but the minute it becomes bumpy, he's a mess. Well, while I-70 West into Colorado through the majesty of the rolling hills of nowhere Kansas is a relatively smooth ride, Eastern Colorado is decidedly not. For long stretches of road the RV was jostling and clanging and bumping and shaking and so too was our fierce companion. But figuring out that he's fine so long as all eighty pounds of him has a lap to lay in, we now have a protocol to follow to sooth the savage beast.

(All the references to how ferocious and fearless Moultrie is, is tongue in cheek. He's one of the sweetest creatures I've ever had the privilege of knowing.)

We eventually made it Colorado Springs and the home that K9 grew up in by about 6pm MST. There waiting for us was his younger sister, Kathy, her daughter Tara, Tara's husband, Kel, and two other lifelong friends to greet us. 

Being here was a very special stop on the trip, and for a number of reasons... Not only was it the house that K9 and his two brothers and sister grew up in, but he and Kathy are all that's left of their immediate family. When I suggested Colorado Springs as a stop and it thus dictating a pivot point for our trip, K9 was gracious. As it's easy to do given that he's my best friend and ally in the world today, I take for granted that he's healthy and strong. Though at 81 years old he assuredly does not (take it for granted).

 Before leaving to head out this way K9 said to me, "You know, I never thought I would see her again. This means a lot." and in that moment, I'd like to think that it meant more to me than it did to him because it's a wish I could grant for nothing more than the cost of time and gasoline, and I was both humbled and honored to be his ride for one more embrace with his beloved sister and her family.

After their tearful embrace and as we made our way toward the RV to head to the campground, Kathy stopped me and gave me a long hug.

"Thank you for taking care of my brother." She said with tears in her eyes and a heart of pure gold.

"He takes care of us, too, Kathy. And it's all love. It's all love..."

She gave me another quick hug, and out the door we went.

A healing road, indeed... And it goes on and on and on...

In the next few minutes we'll be shoving off from our campground just outside Colorado Spring in a town called Falcon at the foothills of the mighty Pike's Peak. It's a glorious Sunny day! And our destination today will be the Grand Teton Mountains in Wyoming - a ride that I am very much looking forward to.

The road goes on forever, and the party never ends...