Relaxation

I am back from vacationing in Saguache County, Colorado.  I have always believed that one needs a few days to recuperate when returning from a vacation.  It’s not because the vacation itself wipes people out.  It’s because of the traveling back home.

It started with an almost two hour ride from Saguache to Colorado Springs.  That was followed by a 2 1/2 hour bus ride to Denver.  I think bus drivers are paid to drive through every neighborhood between Colorado Springs and Denver. The cab ride from the airport to the airport took 15 minutes.

It took forever to go through airport security.  I had problems taking my cast boot off for the airport screening.  I also had problems getting around with just one leg.  It was difficult looking for a place to put the boot back on my cast.

There was a huge rush for the airline to get the plane loaded.  I think that it is because they like to play a game called “Whoever Spends the Most Time on the Tarmac Wins!”  It took five minutes to load 205 people on the plane, but it took 90 minutes for the plane to leave the tarmac.  I think the pilot of my plane won the game.

I was soon at Newark Liberty Airport.  I headed to the luggage carousel to watch the luggage of the other 204 passengers go around before I saw my bags.  It was off to the parking lot.  I forgot where I parked my car.  I spent fifteen minutes hobbling around before I found it.  The “escape for Labor Day Weekend” traffic was all that was between the airport and my home.  an hour trip ended up taking up two and a half hours.

It will take at lease three days to recover from a day of traveling.  After a day like yesterday, I can use a vacation.

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Weekend Part Two

As I stated in my previous post, I spent Friday night in a hospital.  While most people view this as unfortunate, it did solve my lodging problem.  I was released from the hospital on Saturday.  The fractured ankle took hiking out of the equation, so I spent the afternoon in Fort Garland.

I went to the camping area at 2:30 to retrieve my luggage.  It was awkward carrying a week’s worth of luggage while on crutches.  I limped to the Chuck Wagon buffet at around 3:15.  The food was very good even though it wasn’t Chuck Wagon dog food.  “Head for the Hills” played some kick-ass bluegrass music!  I was fortunate to find a couple heading to Saguache after the show ended.

I limped around Saguache Sunday morning.  People were friendly and waved.  However, I don’t think they knew that they were waving at the person many of them voted for President.

I had a quesadilla and Spanish Rice at a local Mexican restaurant.  As the waitress was placing my food on the table, she asked me about Blanca Fest.  I asked her how she knew how she knew I was at Blanca Fest.  She said she has been reading my blog for over a year and that she voted for me in November.   She said she figured that I was Ahmnodt Heare because nobody else in town was on crutches.  She added that she would pay for my lunch and that she wanted me to sign my bill as an autograph.  Chrystal (that was her name) invited me to watch the Broncos game that evening at her house with her husband,  parents and her brother.  They all also voted for me.

“I voted for Obama!” said an elderly lady who was standing behind Chrystal .  I told her that I accepted her apology.  She grunted and left.

I arrived at Chrystal’s just before 6PM.  Chrystal, her husband Kyle, her brother Darrell, and her parents Francisco and Daria were all wearing their “Ahmnodt Heare for President” t-shirts.  There was a Jay Cutler bobblehead doll hung in effigy.  People in Colorado are still upset ofer the situation which forced Cutler to be traded to the Chicago Bears.

I asked them how I became so popular in Saguache County.  Kyle said that the people in Saugache County wanted something different.  He added that Obama said he wanted change, but my platform was the only platform that offered significant change.

Darrell offered to drive me to Colorado Springs to get an affordable rental car.  I thanked him, but declined the offer.  I won’t need transportation until Friday, when I need a ride to Colorado Springs to take the bus to Denver.  Chrystal’s parents graciously offered to drive me home.

Vacation Planning Snafus

I am leaving tomorrow for my vacation to Colorado.  I am planning to spend a week in Saguache County and attend BlancaFest in Fort Garland in neighboring Costilla County.  I have encountered a couple of snafus:

• There are no buses going to Fort Garland or to Saguache from Denver.  I’ll have to take a bus from Denver to Colorado Springs and spend tomorrow night in Colorado Springs.
• The only bus from Colorado Springs to Fort Garland leaves Friday Morning.
• There are no rental car places in either Fort Garland or in Saguache.
• There are no nudie bars in Fort Garland or Saguache.
• The rental car place I checked out in Colorado Springs was charging $300/week plus $.15/mile (It is 127 miles from Colorado Springs to Fort Garland and another 78 miles from Fort Garland to Saguache.
• The only bus that leaves Fort Garland to Colorado Springs leaves Sunday.

I have invested too much in this vacation to cancel it.  I will find a way to get where I have to be.  Next time, I will make sure that either Greyhound or Amtrak goes through the towns I want to visit before visiting.

If you are planning to attend Blanca Fest, I need a ride to Saguache.  I will also need a ride from Saguache to Colorado Springs on Friday morning.

See you at Blanca Fest!