Along the road going southwest

 

This is the second and final post about my trip from western North Carolina to southwestern Colorado.

Wildorado TX, July 24, 2026 - Yes, we saw lots of wind farms.

Adrian TX, July 24, 2026

We saw several dust devils rise up and disappear in seconds.  I missed catching the ones that were perfectly defined little tornadoes.

Vega - what an interesting cloud!

We did drive through a few rain storms. 

Breakfast at La Quinta Inn in Santa Rosa, NM on July 25, 2026. Tai also cooked me a delicious waffle. The Rte. 66 auto museum was just down the street. We had other things on our minds!

Santa Rosa NM

One of the many casinos were passed.

Albuquerque NM

A whole lot of land where not much can grow.

Small settlements were scattered around, just like the mesas.

You may have seen Jabba the Hutt before.

I was watching the soil turn into these strange black rock formations

And then they were gone...

My first train appeared, and then another within a few miles.

Adopt a Highway Litter Control...

Newsome Resource Center

Shiprock beyond Tai's relentless driving.

Tsé Bitʼaʼí, known today as Shiprock, NM

First view of the San Juan Mountains.

And we were welcomed to Colorado!

Towaoc

 Mancos CO

Coming into Cortez CO, there are little mini-bill-board signs, so you still can see the view!

A domestic view with my son finally home, with wife and dog doing their thing!

And an exhausted me describing something or another while enjoying home-made garbanzo stew! (Fortunately the bruises on my legs come and go quickly...but it was hot, so comfort was the choice over beauty!)

------Yes this was lots of photos...just wanted a completion of the journey all together!

My main emotion is immense  gratitude for my son's helping me move my whole life to a new setting, to be near one of them and to hopefully breathe better!

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Update from Thursday...

I went to the Post Office first thing, and the address change order I'd put in in North Carolina July 22 didn't show anywhere in their records. Sometimes I like that our whole lives are on digital files. So I made a new address change form.

Then to Natural Grocery to sign up for the raffle of a free car. Why not. I got my iron tablets on sale also, to help with adjusting to the altitude. And some of my favorite drink, Reeds Jamaican Ginger Beer.

Walgreens was right across the street, so I activated my account for a prescription that's being transferred. With the medicaid in limbo, I doubt it will be the usual price, but quite a bit higher. We shall see when they fill it.

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Sharing with Skywatch Friday

Simple pleasures

 Laundry room.

There's a lovely commons room with big couches and chairs...and outside the windows you can see it was still a cool 80...due to get to 100 again that day!

Some people were outside chatting, but few came inside this big room. 

There are always a few smokers in their designated shady area.

I sat while the washers were going, but as soon as the hour long driers started, I went back upstairs. For the same price I got 15 minutes more of drying time, but perhaps the temperature is a bit lower, because everything was just right when my first laundry was finished. Except I had to fold and hang up things still!

My son, Tai, says the highest peak is Heron Peak. I'm not tired of taking pictures of it yet...sorry if you are tired of seeing them!

Sharing with Thankful Thursday

Cortez Balloon Fest

 

In the quiet of Sunday morning, a whoosh whoosh sound breaks the peace...as two hot air balloons traveled effortlessly across the canyons of Cortez above my son's home last Sunday morning. Photo by Tai Rogers.

Due to erratic winds, the floats were canceled on Saturday morning. The rest of these photos are from the internet.

Friday night had been a glow fest, as well as a drone air show.

Sharing with Wordless Wednesday (almost)

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Update on moving anxieties...

I've daily looked for a letter regarding North Carolina stopping my medicaid coverage, so I could officially apply for it here in Colorado...which will help with paying my drug costs.

But no letters have come even with the little yellow stickers of my forwarding address. I may get few bills by mail these days, but now living here past 2 weeks, I am a bit worried. 

So I'll go to the post office tomorrow and see what might be hanging things up.

If it's not one thing...

The good news is that I received a refund of most of my deposit money from my old apartment ..less the mandatory cost of carpet cleaning. When I moved in 11 years ago they had just laid new carpet down, so it stands to reason it needed it. However, that wasn't the policy when I moved in.  

Now to go bank shopping to deposit the check somewhere here.