Up on A Tightrope

The great  Karl Wallenda, tight rope walker extraordinaire of The Flying Wallendas once said “Walking the wire is living, everything else is waiting.”   I feel that same way about being on the road.  It is living.  Everything else is waiting…

My family senses this stirring in me.  My Mom has thankfully always been one to “push her chicks out of the nest.”   So finally, after 75 days of being parked down on the farm, she says “I don’t want you waiting around here for Dad and me to croak.  It’s time for you to get back to living your life.  We’ll be okay here.”   I saw a crack in the window, and I flew through it.

Having lived all over Texas and four other states, I have said a lot of “goodbyes” to my parents, but none as difficult as this one.  But they are as independent and determined to be self-sufficient as I am, if not more so. So I said my tearful goodbyes and rolled out of the back forty, eager to see Texas triple digit temps and tearful days in my rear view mirror for awhile.  Eager to be back on that tight rope..finding that spiritual equilibrium once more.  Living…Not waiting.

Who could imagine the flat, hot, dry, dull plains of Central Texas could look and feel so good again.  Miles of monotony rolling past my windshield, parted only by telephone poles and two-lane that is Highway 287.   I hate this stretch of Texas from the farm just south of Ft. Worth to Amarillo.

This guy passed me, doing about 75 with his sewer hose flapping in the breeze.  I would have signaled him, but no way I could catch up.   When you gotta go...

This guy passed me doing about 75 with his sewer hose flapping in the breeze. I would have signaled him, but no way I could catch up. When you gotta go…

In my opinion, there is only one point of interest for the entire 340 mile stretch, and that is J.T.’s Diner in Childress, TX.  They make the best “greasy spoon” cheeseburgers since Whatburger went national.  I planned my departure to arrive there just in time for an early dinner, before pushing on to Amarillo where I set a goal to overnight at the Texas Welcome Center. It’s a nice quiet overnight stop, a little off the highway where the 18 wheelers are separated from the RV lots.

JT's Diner.  Blink and you miss it.

JT’s Diner. Blink and you miss it.

JTs counter JTs Burger

Chasing cooler temps, I am headed for “Lake Isabel, Colorado or Bust.”  This was a family favorite RVing vacation destination for several years, but I had never seen it, so I planned to stop for a few days.  But what I found was an $18/night dry camping site next to a pit toilet, with no Verizon or AT&T cell signal.  The park was filled with kids, campfires, and bad guitar strumming, so my time in Lake Isabel was short-lived.   I realized my family’s love for Lake Isabel was a different paradigm.  When one has only a week of vacation to escape the Texas heat, they come to the first whiff of fresh, pine mountain air they can find and call it “home” for the week.    But my “perpetual vacation home” is solar powered and has wheels, so I decide to move on to higher vistas.  Or at least one with a cell tower nearby.  😉

Lake Isabel, near Colorado City

Lake Isabel, near Colorado City

IMG_2517

This man tells me you do not have to "release" here, as these are stocked fish, so all are keepers.  hhhmmm....

This man tells me you do not have to “release” here, as these are stocked fish, so all are keepers. hhhmmm….

I stop at Royal Gorge to revisit some memories from childhood vacations through Colorado.  Back then, the Royal Gorge was “The World’s Highest Suspension Bridge” rising 955 ft over the Arkansas River.  But when I arrive to the multi-level parking lot at the giant Visitor’s Center, I get a bit of a shock.  Not only can you no longer drive across the gorge, but it now costs twenty bucks just to walk across the bridge! Even though that does include a gondola ride back, I still think I’ll keep my childhood memories.IMG_2522

Terrible photos, but it's raining...

Terrible photos, but it’s raining…

The gondola ride across the Royal Gorge.  The little Canon doesn't like the rain, apparently.

The gondola ride across the Royal Gorge. The little Canon doesn’t like the rain, apparently.

Previous bloggers have reported that Salida and nearby Poncha Springs have good boondocking areas.  And at an elevation of over 7,000 ft, I figure it’s also a good place to acclimatize.  As an added bonus, I hear my Mittry Lake friend Jeanne is boondocked there.  I am excited for the opportunity to spend a couple of days in this beautiful spot, catching up with her.  And mutual friend Chris is just down the road. Jeanne is kind enough not only to guide me down off the 4WD after I missed my turn, but also gives me the grand tour of the cute little town of Salida.

Catching up at the coffee shop with Jeanne and Chris.

Catching up at the coffee shop with Jeanne and Chris.

View from the Poncha Springs dispursed camping area.

View from the Poncha Springs dispursed camping area.

My plan was to visit Poncha Springs Hot Springs, but I thought it "too crowded."  That was  before I saw Ouray Hot Springs.  ;-)

My plan was to visit Poncha Springs Hot Springs, but I thought it “too crowded.” That was before I saw Ouray Hot Springs. 😉

Yes, I may be “waiting” for my lungs to adapt, but with view like this, it’s definitely “living!”

Poncha Springs Boondock

Poncha Springs Boondock

“Tight Rope”
by Leon Russell

I’m up on the tightwire
one side’s ice and one is fire
its a circus game with you and me
I’m up on the tightrope
one side’s hate and one is hope
but the tophat on my head is all you see
And the wire seems to be
the only place for me
a comedy of errors
and I’m falling

Like a rubber-neck giraffe
you look into my past
well maybe you’re just to blind to – see
I’m up in the spotlight
ohh does it feel right
ohh the altitude
seems to get to me

I’m up on the tightwire
flanked by life and the funeral pyre
putting on a show
for you to see

I’m up on the tightwire
flanked by life and the funeral pyre
putting on a show for you to see

 

 

19 thoughts on “Up on A Tightrope

  1. My husband and I are heading to CO next week, from Moody TX, to pick up our ‘new’, to us, 1993 37′ Tiffin Allegro Bay. I am so excited I can hardly stand my self!

    I must have blinked going through Childress in the past; can’t remember seeing JT’s. Where is it? I also had wondered where we would overnight on the way back–Armadillo…oops…Amarillo sounds like a good spot. We still have a year to go before we can be free from obligations and run amok. But, there will be time to explore some of TX on weekends. And get used to our new home. And to sell the house. And to pare waaaaay down on stuff!

    I have been following your blog for a while and I wish you a smooth path and a quiet heart–with just enough excitement to put a smile on your face…

    • Hi, MQ — Thanks for the nice comment. JT’s Diner is on the right hand side of the road headed toward Amarillo, next to an old abandoned gas station. They usually have a smoker parked out near the road.

      Good luck with the new-to-you rig! Let us know if you decide to launch a blog…

    • Yes, Lisa, it is heaven indeed! Glad you and Hans are blazing a new trail I haven’t been on before so I can add some new places to the list!

  2. Your mom is cool. I can see that the apple did not drop far from the tree.
    Enjoy.
    It is always a bit sad when a memory of a place from ones youth does not live up to its place in the sun.
    I once took Deede and the three kids, teenagers at that time, to my favorite swimming hole. You know the one with the huge cliff and bottom less depth.
    I stood there with my feet flat on the bottom and touched the top of the cliff with my outstretched hand.
    We all had a good laugh at that one.
    Must take the grand kids there some day.
    peace,
    Allen and Deede
    Deede got to remove the boot from her right leg today, she is smiling at more than my swimming hole memory. Doctor says all is well, yea!

    • Allen — Loved the swimming hole story too! I have said that about many places, “This seemed much bigger when we were kids!” I remembered Royal Gorge to be much greener, but sadly there was a big fire there in 2013. SO glad to hear the news about Deede’s leg! That must be such a welcome relief for you both!

    • Hi, Gaelyn — Yes, it was a great spot. I could have stayed there a while, but after your chipmunk tales, I got scared by the “activity” in the area! Notice both my hoods are open. haha!

  3. Welcome back to the road! Pete and I are taking off from Jojoba Jills late August to OR & WA, family adventures and Pete has two public performances in OR. I so hope we can be more adventurous next year…

  4. We are thrilled to see you back on the road and to know that your folks encouraged you to move on with your life. Although we do know how difficult it is to leave elderly parents on their own. We think your photos are always lovely, rain or shine. BTW, what type of camera do you use Suzanne? We are in the process of researching cameras as mine is a bit sick and I will be needing to send it in for repairs soon, but not before we get something else.

    • Hi, Luann — Thanks for the nice compliment. I just use a Canon S110 Point and Shoot, but I swear, I think my little $99 Canon ELPH with the wide angle takes better photos. The S110 doesn’t handle low light very well, as you will see in the upcoming blog post, when we hiked the Perimeter trail in the rain. I have a big DSLR, but it is just too much trouble. I like a camera that fits in my pocket. I am a hiker who takes photographs, not a photographer that hikes. 😉 Nice to hear from you!

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