Peppy's Dream Moving Adventure Blog

Above: Our New Friend, Greg, with Eric and Their Bikes

This morning we woke up VERY early, because Eric wanted to get a ride in on Jockey Hill Road in Woodstock. Eric geared up and drove over there while I was still laying in bed. That’s a new and exciting way to travel! I loved the fact that I could stay with him without even having to get out of bed!

When we got there, we were confused and a little lost, because the map the guy had given us was not very specific and the road said “Private,” so we were just sitting there in the RV when a man came down another private driveway with some mountain bikes on the back of his car. Eric stopped him to ask directions and he was kind enough to take us up the hill (we DID have to go on the private road) to where the trails were.

He asked if I was going with Eric and when I said I wasn’t, he said if Eric would wait for him to gear up, he’d take him through the trails. Of course Eric was thrilled to have someone to ride with, so we waited for him to return.

We had mentioned that we forgot to buy bottles of water, and the water filter we have in the RV dispenses hot water (go figure!), so he brought us back four bottles of water. What a guy!

While they went mountain biking, I turned on the generator and read all my emails (over 40!). I was not even finished when they returned and Eric said Greg wanted to give us a tour of his 40 acre homestead and the house he was renovating. The driveway was flanked by two giant wood bears that Greg had carved himself. Up at the top was a beautiful house, which he had gutted and was in the process of re-doing. He had lots more carved bears, eagles and other animals on the property, which were fabulous. His work inside the house was very impressive, too, and he told us of all his plans.

Then, he took us in his truck and showed us the quarry where he is now mining blue stone and it was amazing! He was a great guy and we were so happy and lucky to have met him!

After that, we went back to the KOA Kampground, took showers, dumped again (our new favorite activity) and then went to lunch at a fabulous little restaurant called Café MezzaLuna, where I had a delicious lunch of vegetarian chili and a veggie quesidilla, and Eric had cold pear and celery soup, and a grilled chicken wrap. Yum! We bought home-made gelato in Tiramisu and Mango flavors to bring to New Paltz!

Above: Outside the Cafe Mezza Luna and Eric Sitting Inside

We took the long way to New Paltz (Route 32 all the way) and got here about 4:00pm. We hung out, talked a lot, and then Rich, Lenae and Keri made a delicious dinner of grilled seafood, sautéed veggies and a big salad. Ed had to go to work, so the rest of us hung out until 11:00pm when Keri went out with friends, Ed came home from work  and Eric and I went to sleep in the RV. It was cozy when we went to sleep, but it got cold out and in the middle of the night I had to get up and get us blankets.

Got up at 6:00am, so Eric could be at the Vietnam Trail to meet up with other riders.  We got there at 8:00am and it didn’t take long for all the mountain bikers to show up.  He headed out with a bunch of guys and I was happy to be on the phone and the computer while I waited for him to return. 

We ended up in beautiful Cape Cod 

I spoke to my friend, Adele, for a while catching up on what’s been going on here with us and there with her and her family, and then I gave myself a manicure.  I actually got very spoiled, because my shop was right next to SUNSHINE NAILS (2219 Hillside Avenue in New Hyde Park) where they give the best mani/pedi’s in town!  Cindy, the owner, is a good friend, and I was in there every other week, getting my nails and toes done, getting my eyebrows waxed, and getting massages.  The girls there are so sweet and do such beautiful work.  They’re the BEST!!!!

Anyway, that lifestyle is over for now, and it’s not luxurious and there’s no massage involved, but at least I can still manage to do my nails myself and it looks passable.

So, Eric got back from his ride about 2 hours later, exhausted but happy.  He had a really challenging ride and said the guys he was riding with were hardcore.  Dana, his brother, Jim (who is visiting from Ft. Lauderdale) and Vincent “had a blast and showed Eric what Nam had to offer.”  Dana took video with his camera and will be emailing us pictures.  I can't wait for you to see them on this blog.  Here are some pictures I took:

Eric and His Biking Buddies Hit the Vietnam Trail 

We left Milford and headed back to Circle CG Campground.  We were just going to take fast showers and head to Cape Cod.  Well, you know what they say about “the best laid plans…”  We were backing into our site and Eric accidentally hit the metal post with our site number on it.  It got caught underneath the generator and cut the ground wire in half.  Eric was so upset and mad at himself.  I was pretty mad at him, too, because I had offered to get out and direct him, and he said he didn’t need me.  It’s just horrible when I’m right (not).   Anyway, being the genius that he is, he had it fixed in less than an hour.  So, I can’t be mad at him, because – as I told him – “You f___ed it up, but you fixed it up!”  I guarantee he WILL be letting me direct him from now on!

So, we headed to Cape Cod and made it in just over an hour.  We went all the way to Woods Hole, since Eric’s new friend, Jim, told him it was a great place to eat and walk around.  It’s right by the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, which I never knew was right near Cape Cod, but geography IS my second-worst subject (after math)!  We had a great time, walking around, seeing the sights, and had a delicious seafood dinner at “Waterfront Dining at the Captain Kidd."  There was a separate Captain Kidd restaurant, but it was more like a pub.  This place was fancier and had a nicer menu.  I had my absolute favorite thing in the world – lobster.  It was magnificent!

Peppy and Eric and a Great Lobster Dinner in Cape Cod

It started to drizzle, so instead of walking around more we just headed back and were back at the campsite by 9:00pm. 

So, here I sit typing this blog and feeling lucky that we were able to go to Cape Cod, even though we had a minor disaster this afternoon.  I told Eric that even though bad things have happened twice now (the problem with the radiator and, today, hitting the metal post), it’s always the best scenario of a bad thing.  Bad things are always going to happen, but you have to go with the flow and it will all work out in the end.  At least that’s what I say, because I’m an eternal optimist!

Eric heard about great mountain biking in Palos Hills, which is south of Chicago and north of where we are staying.  He got up early and headed up there in the PT Cruiser, while I slept in the RV.  I thought he’d be back around 1:00pm, but he was back before noon.  Turns out, it wasn’t great at all.  He’s just so spoiled by all the great mountains in New York and Massachusetts and there really aren’t any mountains in Illinois, at least anywhere near where we are!  He rode for less than a half hour and just gave up.  We are determined to find him some great mountains on the way down to Florida.

Our friend, Jerry, bucked the Sunday holiday traffic to come to Windy City Campgrounds and see our little RV.  We gave him the “3 minute tour” and he seemed to really like it.  There’s not much to it, but it IS cute!

We decided to head to nearby Frankfort for their Fall Festival.  It was really fun, and it was such a gorgeous day that it was a pleasure to just walk around and see all the crafts and different art work for sale.  I even bought a hand-made suede purse that is the perfect size to hold my camera.  I hate my camera bag, because it’s so big and bulky, but this is cute and pretty (it has a rose appliquéd on it) and I can use it as a real purse, if I don’t carry my camera!

Then we headed to Nick’s Steakhouse on La Grange Road in Mokena.  They have a great Sunday night seafood special – buy one dinner, get one free!  Everything was delicious, but Jerry and I were disturbed by the cigarette smoke, even though we were seated in the non-smoking section.  We’re just not used to smoking in restaurants, and it’s been a culture shock for me to have to breathe smoke after all these years of avoiding it.  It’s easy to stay away from it in NYC, because it’s really not allowed anywhere indoors, but outside New York…

We are going back to Chicago tomorrow, because Jerry is having a brunch for his father’s 75th birthday and he has invited us to join the family.  We are excited about going back to his apartment.  It’s so fabulous!

Right now, Eric’s outside having a couple of beer with our “neighbor,” John and his son, Jim.  It’s nice to meet people from all over and get to know them, if only for a few days.

We have no idea where we’re headed on Tuesday, except that we know we're going south, but we’ll try to figure it out tomorrow!

Got up real early this morning and left THE LAST RESORT RV Park in Nashville, Indiana.  Too bad we had to leave so fast, because it was really nice!  Headed south to West Point, Kentucky, where we had read (online) that there was some great mountain biking.

We got to FORT DUFFIELD PARK at about 10:30am.  We found it easily from the online directions and they even had copies of a trail map at the parking lot.  There are 10 miles of scenic trails and Eric was pretty enthusiastic about his ride.  The only thing that could have made it better was some other riders to hang with and show him the ropes, but it’s a Wednesday morning and I guess everybody was at work!

While Eric was gearing up for his ride, we noticed a beautiful moth on my bicycle wheel.  I had my camera with me and took a few pictures.  I really love how this one came out:

FORT DUFFIELD was built in 1861 and played an important role in the Civil War in Kentucky.  It is named after Col. William W. Duffield, Commander of the 9th Michigan.  There’s a fort you can hike to, but no bicycling is allowed there.  Eric rode two different trails and enjoyed them both.  He said they were well-marked, so there was no fear of getting lost, and they both had great scenery.  He came back in about 2 hours.

We got on the road soon after that and decided to head south to Mammoth Caves.  We had been told it was a great place to visit and that the caves were another amazing sight!  We went back into Central time and gained an hour.  That’s always nice!  We found Horse Cave KOA Kampground (in Horse Cave, Kentucky), which is only about 10 minutes from Mammoth Caves.  It is really nice and we made use of their laundry and swimming pool!  Then we took a nap and went to Aunt Bee’s Restaurant (which is walking distance from the Kampground) for a delicious dinner.

We are going to see the Mammoth Caves first thing tomorrow morning!

As Tom Cochrane sang in 1991:
Life is a highway
I wanna ride it all night long
If you're going my way
I wanna drive it all night long

Actually, for us, it’s more like a thruway or a turnpike, but that’s beside the point! 

We did a lot of traveling yesterday and today and we JUST got out of Florida.  It’s a BIG state!  We are now in Alabama, but we had a great day in Tallahassee, FL.  Eric found out last night that there was a big mountain bike race in a nearby park (TOM BROWN PARK).  We were going to go, watch the races and then Eric would ride the MAGNOLIA TRAIL afterwards.

When we got there, we saw that this was a HUGE race with hundreds of riders.  I’ve never seen so many mountain bikers in one place before!  The difference with these riders is that they train constantly (in the Florida heat!) for speed, stamina and endurance.  They are all about speed and distance.  Eric is a free-style rider.  He used to go for 30 mile rides, but now is more interested in jumps, tricks, and drops.

He talked to a few riders and they said that there were all different categories and that Eric should race, just for the hell of it, so he could see the park’s trail.  He signed up and was put into the Grand Master category (for expert riders in the 50-99 age range).  Ouch!  That was the oldest range there was.  I asked if any 99-year-olds ever rode, and they laughed and said that people in their sixties have raced, but not much older.

Eric was first given number 557, and then -- right before the race -- they told him he had the wrong number for his race group and he had to RUN and get another number while they held the race.

The last time Eric raced was about 10 years ago.  He isn’t much into it, but it really was the only way to ride in Tom Brown Park today!

They had children’s categories, women’s expert, Clydesdales (riders over 200 lbs.), and all age groups from 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50-99.  Eric’s category had the least amount of riders, and if he had been riding regularly, and was used to riding in 95 degree heat, he would have kicked a__!  But he is definitely out of shape, because he went from riding 7 days a week to riding 4 times in 5 weeks!  Also, he’s not used to riding in extreme heat, because if it was ever that hot in NY he’d ride very early in the morning, before it got too bad.  He prefers riding in 40 or 50 degrees, since the body warms up as soon as you get going.  His race started at noon, so they were riding during the hottest part of the day!   I don’t know how all these riders do it in the summer in Florida, but they’re used to it, I guess!  Anyway, Eric had fun, and I got to experience a mountain bike race for the first time.

Eric starts the race!

Eric finishing the first lap!

After the race we had lunch and then got on the road to Alabama.  You’d think I’d drive and let Eric take a nap, because – after all – he’s the one that raced, but – no – he drove and I napped! 

We stopped at a gas station/Stuckeys Shop/Dairy Queen to gas up, clean off the bugs off the windshield (more on that later) and get some ice cream.  DQ is our new favorite place!  I love their Mocha Moolatte (which is why I am getting so FAT).  The Stuckeys had more Betty Boop than I’ve seen in a LONG time.  I couldn’t believe their collection.  It was very impressive.  Good thing I don’t collect any more!

Note to Gina and Susan: There’s a TANGER outlet in Foley, Alabama, and I thought of you girls right away.  You should think about a trip down here.  It’s really beautiful!!

We got to our campground at 7:30pm, but we’re back in Central time, so it was only 6:30pm.  Nothing like gaining an hour!  Eric has been outside ever since we arrived, washing the love bugs off the RV.  They are DISGUSTING.  They’re little black bugs and this is their mating season, so they are attached and fly around together, while they mate.  They are ALL over and when you drive over 100 miles and get out of the vehicle, they’re all over the windshield, the front grill, the side view mirrors, etc.  You clean them all off, drive another 100 miles, and they’re all back and disgusting as ever.  Eric said they smell like dirty socks.  Nice!

We are staying at WALES WEST TRAIN & GARDEN LOVERS RV RESORT .  This place is SO adorable.  It was opened by a couple who love trains.  Their retirement dream was to have their own Welsh Victorian railway surrounded by beautiful gardens.  This is the world’s only RV Park dedicated to train and garden lovers.  On weekends, and at many special events during the year, the general public can experience the feeling of joy that trains evoke.  They also have formal, themed and free-form gardens throughout the park to enjoy.  They host private parties and group events.  It’s a tourist attraction and RV park in one place!

This is the office where you register.  Isn't it the cutest?

A miniature train track surrounds the registration office.

This is the view from our site.  This is the closest we have EVER stayed next to a railroad track, but THESE trains won't be running all night and blowing horns!  We are hoping to get a train ride tomorrow, but they told us that the trains usually run only on the weekends this time of year.  The woman who registered us said she’d ask the engineer if we could have a ride.  I hope so!

We left OVERNITE RV PARK and headed to PATRICK TIRE, AUTO, TRUCK & RV SERVICE CENTER to see if we could get some new tires.  We were able to stop at an Albertsons that had a pharmacy and get a prescription filled and – believe it or not – they had a STARBUCKS – in Albertson’s!  Did you ever?  I could not have been happier! 

We ended up at the service center for 5 hours.  We waited for the 2 new tires to be mounted and balanced, one old front tire put on the back, new shocks installed, and an oil change.  Eric was with the guys while they worked, but I sat in their waiting room, sipped my Iced Decaf Venti Non-Fat Raspberry Mocha Latte, worked on my computer, read magazines and admired – from afar – the cutest Yorkie I have ever seen.  His name is Tony and he is so calm and sweet.  He didn’t jump on you, he didn’t bark.  He just sat in his little bed and looked at you.  Eric and I loved him and, of course, Eric was petting him a lot.  We were so impressed by how calm this Yorkie was, because they are usually a little hyper.  Anyway, we wish we could have a Yorkie just like Tony!

For the past two days, a REALLY annoying alarm kept beeping and it was very high-pitched and hurt your ears and we couldn’t figure out why it kept going off.  It was a signal that there is low voltage in the coach batteries and we were afraid they would have to be replaced. 

Eric told Mike at the service center to load test the batteries, to see if they were good, and Eric noticed that one of the terminal wing nuts was very loose.  He immediately thought that this might be the reason the alarm kept going off.  He tightened it up and Mike cleaned all the terminals.  Lo and behold, the alarm stopped!  We could not have been happier.  Although the work done today was expensive, we figure if we had brought the RV in to fix the alarm, and find out why it was going off, they might have figured it out, but it would probably have cost a lot in the process.  Once again, Eric saved the day.  He is truly my hero – and I adore him!

Meanwhile, during the 5 hours I spent in the office of the service center, I talked to this nice guy, Rod, who was having new tires put on his Ford Pick-up.  He told me and Eric about a place called PALO DURO CANYON STATE PARK, which is only 15 miles south of Amarillo, where there is great mountain biking, and a view that is only topped by the Grand Canyon itself.   It’s called “The Grand Canyon of Texas.”

Didn’t I tell you that the best places we’ve been have been recommended by friendly people we met?

We were planning to head straight to Colorado Springs today, and Denver tomorrow, but Palo Duro Canyon sounded too good to pass up, so we headed south before heading north!

Mike from the service center recommended a great place to eat – EL BRACERO MEXICAN GRILL, where Eric and I had authentic Tex Mex food.  Then, we were off to Palo Duro.

We first registered at PALO DURO RV PARK and then drove immediately to the canyon.  It was VERY scary for me, because the cliffs were right there, and we had to ride down 10% grades, which is very steep – especially in an RV!  We finally got to the mountain bike trail and I took a nap in the RV (I was exhausted from my big day in the service center) and Eric had a great ride.

After that we came back to the campground and fell madly in love with a tiny black kitten that lives underneath the laundry room here.  We fed it some of my leftover salmon and it became our new best friend, even letting me hold it in my lap.  It’s a good thing I’m allergic, or we would have had a guest for the rest of our trip!

We also saw something scurry under the RV and I got SO scared, because I thought it was a rat, but it was the CUTEST little baby bunny!  I love this place!

Tomorrow we will get back on route to Colorado, going through New Mexico for a bit before heading North to Colorado Springs for the night.

We awoke to a gorgeous day in Colorado Springs.  Have I mentioned that in the almost seven weeks we’ve been on the road, the only time it rained is while we were staying in New Paltz at my sister’s house, a few sun showers in Florida, and one night in Oklahoma?  We have been SO lucky.  The weather has been fantastic for us and we feel really blessed.

Here's the views from our back door:

We left MOUNTAINDALE RV after I spent a few minutes in their computer room.  As you know by now, I wasn’t able to get on the internet for 3 days and it was SO frustrating!  I read all my emails and then we hit the road for PERFORMANCE BICYCLE SHOP, so Eric could get his tire fixed.

There was a STARBUCKS three doors down from the bike shop, so you know my day started well!   Next door to the STARBUCKS was a tanning salon called TAN YOUR HIDE.  And I thought all the healthy-looking people in Colorado got that way naturally!

I then went back into the RV, hooked up and was able to get on the internet, so I started blogging.  I managed to do Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in just over an hour.  I always type each day’s blog into WORD the day it happens, and download my pictures every night, too, so it’s really just a matter of cutting and pasting the text and then uploading all the pictures and adding the links.  I’m so happy to be back online again.  I am addicted to the internet!  We use the internet to get from place to place, as we plan our itinerary through GOOD SAM CLUB, and also use it to locate great campgrounds and get information and directions.

After Eric got the free hub on his wheel fixed (and he fixed the two flats he got from the cactus needles!), we got something to eat right nearby at a place called OLD CHICAGO.  Then we headed to PALMER PARK right nearby for his ride.  He made plans to ride tomorrow morning with one of the guys who worked at the bike shop, so he was just planning to check out the park for a fast ride today.

Eric ran into three guys riding the trail at the park, so he did a 2-hour ride while I worked on the computer, neatened up the RV and watched DANCING WITH THE STARS on the computer (since I missed it on TV).  I didn’t even get to finish the first episode when Eric came back, happy as a clam, having had a great ride!

We drove to our next campground – FOUNTAIN CREEK RV PARK in Colorado Springs.  This campground is in a much more urban setting, which I prefer.  A few blocks from the RV park is a strip of fabulous stores – antiques, crafts, clothing, restaurants, bars, etc.  It looked SO cute and Eric and I decided to go back there for dinner.  I also noticed a STARBUCKS right across the street from the campground.  I turned to Eric and said, "I could live here."  

I registered at the campground and Eric took a fast shower.  Then, we went back out to eat.  By now, it was 8:00pm, but we didn’t think we’d have a hard time finding someplace to eat.  We had seen a Japanese restaurant on the strip, so we went there first, because we were thirstin’ for some sushi.  We hadn’t had any since Florida and we were missing it.  There’s not much sushi in Texas, I can tell you that!

Anyway, I walked into the Japanese restaurant, which had a big sign outside that said JAPANESE RESTAURANT AND SUSHI.  I asked “Are you still open?” because it looked like they were closing up.  I said, “We just want sushi.”   They said, “We don’t have sushi.”  So, I said, “Well, why do you have the word SUSHI on the sign outside?”  So, the woman said, “It’s blacked out.”  But it wasn’t.  At least not well.  We didn’t notice anything until we looked again and then saw that they had put black lines through the black text, but it really didn’t show.  Anyway, we left.

We parked right across the street and went into a really nice-looking restaurant with a lovely menu.  They were closing for the night.

Finally, we went across the street to a place called JAKE & TELLY’S GREEK CUISINE RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR.  They were open until 9:00pm.  Eureka!  Who knew this town shut down so early?

We looked at their great menu and saw that they had fabulous appetizers, so we decided to get four and just share them all, instead of getting entrees.  That’s something that Eric and I used to do at our favorite Cajun/Creole place in Whitestone – COOKING WITH JAZZ – which closed a few years ago.

So, we ordered the following:

Crab Cakes:  Blue crab lightly seasoned with fresh herbs, pan-seared and finished with a roasted red pepper aoli.

Saganaki:  Kasseri (sheep’s milk cheese), grilled to perfection and served flambé, with lemon and grilled pita.

Grilled Asparagus:  Asparagus served with fresh water mozzarella and finished with a sun-dried tomato, Kalamata olive tapenade.

Anginara:  Artichoke hearts blended with sour cream, Parmesan, cayenne pepper and honey, served with fresh seasonal vegetables and grilled pita.

We finished it up with a Tiramisu, decaf coffee and green tea, and headed back to the campground.   We have cable TV, so we’re relaxing and enjoying Thursday night TV in Colorado Springs!

Today is my niece, Keri’s, 23rd birthday.  Happy birthday, darling!  I spoke to her (and my brother-in-law, Rich) and they're going out for Sushi tonight to celebrate.  I told her that we were planning to have sushi tonight, too, but of course it didn't turn out that way!  

If I was better at photo-shopping, I would have put a candle on the sushi, below!

We awoke at the FOUNTAIN CREEK RV PARK and it was another gorgeous day.  We decided to go walking down West Colorado Avenue and look at all the great shops we had seen yesterday.

We went back to GERTRUDE’S RESTAURANT (which was closing when we arrived last night) and had a delicious breakfast.

I had the Santa Fe Breakfast Platter, which included baby red potatoes grilled with spices topped with green chile, white cheddar, two eggs, sunny-side up, and two slices of sourdough rye bread.  They also had homemade orange marmalade!  I drank a decaf mocha latte.  Fabulous!

Eric had the short stack of ground blue corn meal cakes with homemade raspberry syrup.  They were so light and fluffy and the syrup was to die for!  He drank green tea.

Both plates came with grapes, strawberries, and slices of orange, honeydew and cantaloupe.  So nice!

Lots of Betty Boop on West Colorado Avenue in Colorado Springs! 

After breakfast we went across the street to an antique shop called ANTIQUE LEGACY, where I found two fabulous rhinestone pins.  They are both very different from what I usually collect (which is all clear rhinestones), but they were priced right and Eric and I loved them, so I couldn’t resist.  They’re a lovely addition to my collection!

We went in and out of about 20 stores, all along the strip and marveled at all the crafts, including glass, ceramics, pottery, rugs and blankets, plus clothing stores, housewares, accessories and souvenirs.  It was a lovely two hour shopping expedition!

 I saw this doll in a shop and my childhood flashed before my eyes.  I wonder if it looks familiar to either of my sisters.  Lenae?  Audrey?

Next, we got in the car, stopped at STARBUCKS (yeah!) and headed back to PALMER PARK, so Eric could get another mountain bike ride.  He really loves it here.  The weather’s been perfect, the mountain biking is great, and the views are spectacular.  I think Eric could live here.  I could, too, if it didn’t get cold, but I’m pretty sure it gets much colder here than in San Diego!

Eric and I were discussing the changing of the leaves in New York (and the East Coast) and how much he’s going to miss it.  I know I will miss seeing the change of colors, but I won’t miss the weather turning colder.  He loves upstate New York, the mountains, and the greenery so much and taking a ride upstate in the fall, to see all the reds, oranges, greens, yellows and browns, is something you have to see to believe.  All the people who lives in states where there are four seasons, especially the East Coasters, will know exactly what I am talking about!

We are giving that up to move to San Diego.  I really don’t care too much, but I think it is a sacrifice for Eric and I feel badly about that.  He said he wishes we could live in New York and have fall, and then it would go right back into spring and summer, missing winter completely!  Alas, that’s not possible.  So, I guess San Diego is the next best thing!

I know that when November comes around, and I’m still walking around in a light jacket, I’ll be the happiest girl in the whole USA!  Eric will appreciate riding all year round in more temperate weather, but I know he doesn’t mind the cold as much as I do.

Eric had another great ride in PALMER PARK.  He met up with a guy named Brad and they rode really hard, but Eric hit his foot on a rock while he was riding and now his big toe is purple and hurts a LOT.  He often gets injured while riding, either from banging something because he’s riding through tight spaces, or from being thrown from the bike or just falling off.  He wears a lot of protective armor, but it doesn’t always protect everything.  So, he’s walking kind of slow.

Here's a picture I took from the car of CASTLE ROCK, which we passed on the way to Denver. 

We left the park and drove straight to DAKOTA RIDGE RV PARK in Golden, Colorado (right outside Denver).  Unfortunately, I didn't see the address on the website anywhere (which I thought was REALLY strange), but they had directions, so I figured I wouldn’t use Betty (our GPS system) and would just follow their directions.  Unfortunately, their directions were HORRIBLE and we got lost, so we had to stop, so I could start up the computer and find the address someplace else (I ended up finding it on a listing of campgrounds in and around Denver).  I went back to the website and found the address on the CONTACT US page, but it wasn't on the DIRECTIONS page or the HOME page, which is just wrong!  It was SO frustrating, because if we have an exact address Betty can get us here without a problem, but without an exact address it’s very hard.

Anyway, we finally got here and I immediately did 2 loads of laundry while Eric took a shower.  I feel better that I got that done, because he rode two days in a row and there were tons of smelly bicycle clothes (really smelly).

We are going to Denver tomorrow, but probably won’t do too much walking around, since Eric’s got a boo-boo!

Eric's sister, Robin, is recuperating from her second hip replacement.  We hope you're feeling Better, Robin! 

Eric's other sister, Rachel, is recovering from surgery, too.  Hope you're doing great, Rachel! 

Eric's other sister, Ellen, is in the hospital.  We hope you're much better and home soon, Ellen! 

Eric's younger sister, Susan, is not in the hospital and has not had any operations recently.  TAKE CARE, SUSAN!!!

It’s amazing how beautiful it is in Colorado.  We have really loved visiting this wonderful state, full of vistas and views that take your breath away!

We left our campground this morning and decided to take a little drive.  We saw some beautiful horses in a corral right near the road.  We had purchased carrots the other day, because we kept seeing horses and had nothing to feed them, so we pulled over, grabbed the carrots and made four new friends.  I would have had some great pictures, but unfortunately the batteries on my camera died after the first two, so we took some with Eric's phone, but I don't know how to download them to my computer!  These horses were so sweet and friendly.  Once we started feeding them, they followed us up and down the fence until we had four horses walking along with us.  It was so funny!

After we left our new friends, we took a ride west about 5 miles to the mountain biking trails which are right near a town called LOMA.  We got to KOKOPELLI'S  TRAILHEAD around 11:30am. 

On the way there, I told Eric he shouldn’t be surprised if he had to ride alone, because – after all – it was a Monday morning.  Lo and behold, we got to the parking lot and there were at least a dozen cars parked there and about 20 guys and girls on mountain bikes, heading onto the trail.  So, Eric had plenty of company!

Just in case you're curious, KOKOPELLI is a fertility deity, usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player (often with a huge phallus and antenna-like protrusions on his head), who has been venerated by many Native American cultures in the Southwestern United States. Like most fertility deities, Kokopelli presides over both childbirth and agriculture. He is also a trickster god and represents the spirit of music. 

While Eric rode, I worked in the RV, answering emails on the computer, organizing my receipts and mementos from the trip so far, and filing papers.  I also got to watch DANCING WITH THE STARS, which I had missed, because we don't get to watch much TV.   Lot of cars came and went in the parking lot the whole time I was there.  It is definitely a popular place to ride!

Eric got back from his ride four hours later, elated and exhausted.  KOKOPELLI'S TRAIL is 142 miles long and runs from Colorado to Utah, but Eric just did about 15 miles today.  Not only did he have a great ride, with a group of at least 8 other riders, but the leader of the group was none other than Dave Turner, a mountain biking legend!  TURNER BICYCLES founder, Dave Turner was a professional racer, helped design many of the best suspension forks in the industry, and then – in 1994 – started designing high-performance frames, which are highly coveted and well-respected.

When he was introduced to the group, Eric just learned their first names, but noticed that everyone there was riding TURNER bikes.  He mentioned that he thought they were great bikes, but didn’t own one yet, although he would love to.  Later, one of the other guys mentioned that Dave Turner organized the ride through OVER THE EDGE SPORTS bike shop in Fruita, Colorado. 

Eric asked, “THE Dave Turner?” and was told that it was the man himself!  Eric was so excited and went to talk to Dave, telling him he had a great ride with the group and was totally awestruck by the fact that he got to ride with a mountain biking legend.  Dave just said, “Aw, come on!” and was very humble about his many accomplishments.  Nevertheless, this is a memorable day for Eric!

It was just starting to rain when Eric returned from the ride.  This is the first time we have been out in the rain since we left New York.  We’ve been so lucky with the weather! 

We decided to go for a fast bite and went back to the small town of Fruita to a place called MUNCHIES PIZZA & DELI where we had individual pizza pies, onion rings and Eric also had hot buffalo wings.  Then we went back to MONUMENT RV RESORT where, for the first time, we turned on the heat in the RV -- mostly to be sure it worked!  It worked great and we relaxed, cozy and warm in our little RV, until it stopped raining and the sun came out again!  I guess the rain in Colorado is like the rain in Florida -- a little rain and then more sun! 

I decided to do some laundry (I told you it was my favorite pastime), since we had no other plans for the evening.  We watched TV and Eric prepared for tomorrow morning, when we will leave for Moab, Utah, and more great mountain biking!

I got an email from an old "cabaret friend," Maureen Kelly Stewart.

We both worked with the late, great musical director and accompanist, Dick Gallagher, for many years.  Maureen is still performing in cabarets and nightclubs in Manhattan to enthusiastic audiences and will be performing again later this week.  You may remember that I often played Maureen's CD, SEVENTEEN ON MARS, in the shop and everyone always commented on how lovely her voice is. 

If you'd like to spend a great evening in Manhattan, listening to the sweet and melodious Maureen Kelly Stewart, she'll be playing at the LAURIE BEECHMAN THEATRE at the WEST BANK CAFE.  See her flyer, below, for all the details -- and tell her Peppy sent you!

I guess we really DO love this place, as we decided to stay another day. 

The first thing we did this morning was go to OVER THE EDGE SPORTS in Fruita to see if anyone was riding this morning.  It rained a lot last night, so Eric thought it may be too muddy for a ride today.  He didn’t find any riders at the store, so we went across the street to a little coffee house for a bagel and then went for a drive and found more horses to feed.  We stopped at two different places until we had no carrots left.

We love feeding carrots to horses!  My darling friend, Liz, who owns and runs horses at Belmont got me on this kick!  Now, every time Eric and I see horses we have to pull over and out come the carrots!  I want a horse of my own, but I guess that’s a dream that will probably never come true!

In the bottom right corner of the picture below, please notice the miniature horse.  He was SO sweet!

There were also a couple of donkeys, but we fed them, too.  We're equal opportunity feeders!

After our ride we went to DINOSAUR JOURNEY where we got to examine real dinosaur fossils, see a working fossil preparation laboratory, came face-to-face with life-like robotic dinosaurs and experienced a simulated earthquake! 

It was all very interesting.  Who knew there were so many dinosaurs found in Colorado?  These mountains have a LOT of dinosaur stories to tell!

We worked up an appetite fighting off the dinosaurs, so we decided to get a bite, but we couldn’t find any more restaurants in Fruita, so we drove to Loma.  All we found were more horses to feed!   I have to say again that those of you living in big cities where there are restaurants on every corner just DO NOT KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE!  I figure people must cook a lot more, because we couldn’t find a restaurant in all of Loma!

Fortunately, I had some leftovers in the fridge, so I heated them up.  We decided to go back to Kokopelli’s Trailhead to see if Eric could find someone to ride with.  He had given some guys at the campground his number and told them to call him if they rode today, but he didn’t hear from them.  There was no one around when we got here, so he took off by himself, but soon came back, because the guys called and were meeting him there.  So, the three went out on a ride.

I stayed behind, as usual, and watched TV – MARTHA and DR. PHIL.  It’s weird how good the reception is out here, in the middle of nowhere! 

Eric always asks me to go riding with him, but I just don’t have any interest in riding trails.  I’m hardly interested in riding bicycle paths, which are MUCH easier.  I’m just not much of an athlete and that’s all there is to it.  I was hoping we would have more opportunities to ride together on this trip, but there was only one place, in Massachusetts, where there was a nice greenway we could ride side-by-side on a paved road through a beautiful park.  That’s my kind of riding – no traffic and no rocks, trees or logs to trip me up!

Eric got back to the RV with his riding buddies about 6:00pm and we took off for Moab, Utah, which was less than 2 hours away.  By the time we got there, it was dark and we were hungry.  We stopped at the very first restaurant we saw, which turned out to be one of the few we passed before we hit our campground – CANYONLANDS CAMPGROUND “In the Heart of Moab.”

The restaurant, BUCK’S GRILL HOUSE was packed and we had to wait about 20 minutes for a table (and this was a Tuesday night at 8:00pm!). 

We started with two appetizers: the Smoked Catfish and Crayfish Cake (pan seared with breadcrumbs and topped with Southwest tartar sauce), and Artichoke Ceviche (diced artichokes marinated with fresh mozzarella cheese in a spicy tomato sauce).  I had the Southwest Pasta (linguini pasta tossed with cilantro pesto and grilled vegetables.  I LOVE cilantro, so this was a new and exciting taste sensation).  Eric had the Duck Tamales (two tamales with adobo sauce and grilled pineapple salsa, pinto beans and rice verde).  We finished off the meal by sharing a piece of Pistachio Chocolate Cake.  We enjoyed everything so much.  This was really a fantastic restaurant and we could see why it was so crowded!

After dinner we drove the 2 miles to our campground and settled in for the night.  Moab is a happening town.  We passed lots of great stores on the way to the campground, so I know I’ll enjoy some great shopping and Eric is really looking forward to a couple of days of great rides.  We will probably stay until the weekend!

Here we are in Moab, surrounded by magnificent mountains.  CANYONLANDS CAMPGROUND “In the Heart of Moab” is right on Main Street.  We drove a few blocks down Main Street to the JAILHOUSE CAFÉ, and had a wonderful breakfast.  Their motto is “Good Enough to be Your Last Meal,” and it really is!  I had the Southwestern Eggs Florentine, which had a real kick to it, and Eric had the Scandinavian pancakes (almost like crepes) with Lingonberry jam (which is native to Scandinavia).

After breakfast, we went to POISON SPIDER BICYCLES where Eric reserved a Yeti full-suspension bike to ride down the mountain tomorrow.  There’s a service called the PORCUPINE SHUTTLE which takes about a dozen riders and their bikes all the way up the mountain and then they ride the 25 miles downhill the whole way.  Eric could do it on his hard-tail, but the full suspension Yeti will make it a lot easier -- and more fun!  So, we’re happy he’s all set for tomorrow.   

I insisted on buying him a new jersey, because he really needed one, so he let me pick out the one I liked best!  It’s red, orange, yellow and black (sunset colors), has the poison spider logo on the back, but also shows a mountain biker riding up the mountain in the sunset both on the front and back.

Eric called Danny, a guy he met at Kokopelli Trailhead in Colorado yesterday and they met at POISON SPIDER and took a ride up the mountain today.  I stayed behind in town, with the RV and walked up and down Main Street, enjoying an iced decaf mocha latte and looking at all the souvenirs and artwork for sale.  The thing that makes me laugh is the American Indian souvenirs are all MADE IN CHINA!

It reminds me of a story from many years ago – like the ‘60s or ‘70s -- when my parents took a trip to Mexico and came back with souvenirs for all of us.  What they didn’t realize is that there was a sticker on the bottom of each one that said MADE IN JAPAN.  Forty years later – it’s still happening!  I guess most people don’t look at the bottom of everything – like I do!  It’s an occupational habit!

Our campground is really nice, and the riding is so great here, so we’ve reserved a spot until Friday, when we’ll start heading south.  We don’t have a solid plan yet, but we do want to hit Four Corners and the Grand Canyon before meeting our friends, Geri and Larry, in Las Vegas at the end of October.  We’re really looking forward to that!

After Eric and Danny came back from their ride, we went back to the campground and Eric took a shower.  Then, we headed out to dinner at SLICKROCK CAFÉ – Moab’s Oasis for Food and Fun! We started with the “Mission Impossible” Quesadilla. I had the “Moon Flower Canyon” Veggie Burger with French fries (for those of you who know Houston’s, it did not compare, although it was very good) and Eric had the “Take the Other Road” Turkey Burger with onion rings, which he really enjoyed.  We finished it off with a piece of chocolate cake. 

The woman who waited on us must have been one of the owners, because she brought us our check and then when I gave her our credit card she came back with a new check and said she had given us 20% off!  She said we were her favorite customers of the night!  She had been so sweet and friendly to us and she really made our night!

We came back to the RV and (I know you won’t believe it) I did two loads of laundry.  It's just that Eric goes through so many clothes when he's riding and he needed it all for tomorrow!

Eric got everything ready for his big ride tomorrow morning, because he and Danny have to be at POISON SPIDER BICYCLES for the PORCUPINE SHUTTLE ride at 8:30am.  They will have a great downhill ride.  I am looking forward to sleeping in!

Eric woke up real early this morning, so he could be ready for Danny to pick him up at the campground at 8:00am.  They headed off to POISON SPIDER BICYCLES to catch the PORCUPINE SHUTTLE all the way up to the top of the mountain, so they could all ride downhill all the way – about 35 miles!

I was looking forward to sleeping late and sleep in I did!  I woke up when Eric was getting ready, and it took me a while to fall back to sleep, but I did.  I woke up a few times, but didn’t even look at the clock.  I just rolled over and went back to sleep.  It felt GREAT!  I finally woke up at 11:00am, took a shower and read emails, wrote postcards and watched some TV (on the TV and on the computer).  Eric called around 1:00pm to say they were about halfway down the mountain and they were having a great time!  He called again at 4:00pm to say they were done and back at the shop.  Danny dropped Eric back at the campground and he took a quick cat nap.

Then we met Danny for dinner at EDDIE McSTIFF’S BREWPUB & RESTAURANT.  We started the meal with Buffalo wings, onion rings and pot stickers.  I had the Goat Cheese and Roasted Tomato Ravioli (gourmet ravioli made with slow roasted tomato, chopped herbs and a blend of goat and mozzarella cheeses, served with a home made tomato basil cream sauce.  Delicious!)  Eric and Danny both got the Ruby Red Trout, a boneless filet sautéed in a savory lemon, white wine, pepper, and butter sauce, served with vegetables and potato.  They both said it was great.  For dessert, Danny got the Key Lime Pie and Eric and I shared a Mud Slide Pie.  Everything was surprisingly good – for a place called Eddie McStiff’s!  The place was packed, so it must be a popular Moab hang-out!

Our young waitress had a lot of tattoos and Danny noticed a big one on her forearm of a head of broccoli.  We thought that was the strangest choice of tattoo – especially since it was about six inches long and three inches wide and all green!  We asked her if broccoli was her favorite vegetable and she said it was and then guessed all our favorite vegetables.  She really was adorable. 

Eric said he was going to get a tattoo of Kokopelli, since he’s an image that’s everywhere in Moab and he rode Kokopelli’s Trail in Colorado and in Utah (Kokopelli’s Trail runs from Colorado to Utah).   Considering he's never gotten a tattoo in his life, I doubt he'll go through with it, but -- hey -- a couple more Bloody Mary's and he may just do it!

During dinner, Eric and Danny regaled me with stories of their adventurous downhill run from Hazard Trail (part of Kokopelli Trail) to Porcupine Rim Trail.  They said it was very fast, technical, gnarly and pretty brutal.  They both loved it!  Eric said you don’t know mountain biking until you’ve done this run!

We also talked about our move, work, and careers.  Danny is a Harley-Davidson technician in Tampa, but he prefers mountain biking to motorcycles these days.  Eric said Danny was a great rider, and it made his experience much more enjoyable, because Danny kept him challenged.  I know both of them will sleep well tonight!

We’re heading south tomorrow, probably toward Four Corners.  Moab is really a great town, full of adventurers and thrill-seekers.  I didn’t really fit in, but – hey – I’m with Eric!

The song, composed by Bobby Troup in 1946 and first recorded by Nat King Cole that same year, goes:

“If you ever plan to motor west,
Travel my way, take the highway, that's the best.
Get your kicks on Route sixty-six.”

We really enjoyed driving up and down Route 66 last night, so we woke up earlier than usual, because we wanted to head back there and we had a lot planned for today!  After showers, Eric fixed a flat on his bicycle, while I tidied up the RV and got dressed.

We drove over to Route 66 and had breakfast at Goldie's ROUTE 66 DINER.  It was a real 50s style diner with great decorations everywhere and even a life-size Betty Boop! 

After breakfast I walked into a few shops and Eric worked on his bike some more.

Eric and I posed by a vintage Ford Fairlane:

Betty is everywhere!  Even on Route 66 in Williams, Arizona:

Then we went and checked in at the place we’re staying tonight and it seems very nice.  It’s called RAILSIDE RV RANCH.  I forgot to mention that the place we stayed at last night, although fabulous, was closer to the railroad than any other place we’ve ever stayed.  The RV actually shook a little when the train went by (just once – but it was loud).  We already heard the train here and it’s just as loud.  Yikes!

After we left RAILSIDE RV RANCH we drove about 30 miles to FLAGSTAFF, AZ., where there is great mountain biking.  We found a bike shop that was open, Eric bought a map of the park, and we headed over there.  I did my usual computer/phone calls/postcard/nap thing and waited for him to come back, so we could drive back to Williams.

Eric was hoping to find someone to ride with and saw a guy who had his bike hanging from a tree branch, trying to fix something.  He went over, started a conversation, and ended up helping him fix his front derailleur and they became mountain biking buddies.  They climbed 5½ miles to Humphrey’s Summit, the highest point in Arizona, elevation 12,633 feet.  From there, they did a mile loop on top of the mountain, and then descended the 5½ miles in 15 minutes.  Eric said it was a screamin’ downhill!  He loved it.  He said they “smoked that mountain.”

When they got back, I met Steve and his 17-year-old dog, Sydney (a female), who had waited patiently by Steve’s car, as I waited patiently for Eric!

Sweet Sydney:

Steve is a great guy, and we took pictures, exchanged emails and phone numbers and thanked him for showing Eric the best of Humphrey’s Summit.

As I’ve said before, Eric has been so lucky, because he always meets great people who are happy to guide him through the mountains.  Eric says that’s because mountain bikers are good people.  I know now that it’s true, because he’s met great people in Saugerties, Massachusetts, Texas, Colorado, Utah, and now Arizona.  He’s looking forward to riding Sedona next and is guaranteed to meet a lot of great mountain bikers!

We left Flagstaff and headed back to the campground where Eric took a shower before we headed out to dinner at PINE COUNTRY RESTAURANT.  This place is huge and was packed.  We had to wait for a table, holding those vibrating, beeping, blinking pagers, like they have at Olive Garden.  The restaurant is famous for their homemade pies, but their food was really good, too.  Country cookin’, I call it!  Eric had split pea soup and a hot turkey dinner with pinto beans and mixed vegetables.  I had a pasta dish with a sauce made of pureed vegetables and sun-dried tomatoes.  It was SO delicious.  We finished it off with a piece of one of their famous pies.  We chose Raspberry Cheese.  It was fabulous.

Here is a sampling of Pine Country's mile-high pies:

Besides having great food, a country store and a friendly, country ambiance, they had their walls covered with art by a famous Arizona artist, Fred Lucas. 

He is one of America’s most notable fine art painters of the Grand Canyon and American West.  His work was so magnificent, I couldn’t stop staring at them.  The colors, the realism, the way he captured the sunlight on the canyon.  It was so impressive.  They had reproductions for sale in all sizes.  I was tempted, but we already have SO much art in storage in San Diego, so I resisted!

We are heading to SEDONA tomorrow and will probably stay a day or two.  We’re really enjoying Arizona!