“The most beautiful moments always seemed to accelerate and slip beyond one’s grasp just when you want to hold onto them for as long as possible.” ― E.A. Bucchianeri

It's Friday, August 23, 2019, and, as they say, all good things typically do come to an end, and so does this trip. We will be on the road to return to the reality of the routine, and, we are happy to be headed that way. We will make a stop tonight and then head home tomorrow, Lord willing, and with His provision. We've seen some wonderful sights, had way too many great meals, and, yes, we did locate and embrace the cooler climate. We had a huge stag slipping along on the hillside outside the patio of our room in Trinidad. I called the wife. She said I should get a photo. I began working on doing just that, but, he was moving. He was a orange tan color and looked to have a sizable set of antlers and they appeared to have moss already growing. I got the camera, but, fumbled a little and he was gone. The wife told me she had noticed me slowing down when it came to doing things like making a photo quickly. Really? I've heard all my life that you learn something new everyday. I suppose that is true. I will add that one to the list. It's a long one. Just in case you were wondering.

Many years ago, (my guess, late 90s), we actually went to this same area for the same reason. I wrote about it in my blog. Here it is again:  FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2007 "Sometimes You Need A Breath of Fresh Air!" ~ The area we live in can be about as unbearable as any place in the world during the summer months. The combination of extreme heat and high humidity makes for some pretty tough days. My across the driveway neighbor who bought Ruth’s place came to us after spending fifty plus years in and around Buffalo, New York. He always tells me when we are in melt down mode that if I shoveled eight feet of snow each winter like he did for countless winters, I would join him in being thankful for the heat and humidity. I guess that’s one of those deals you would have to experience to understand. About ten years ago we had a really bad summer and it wouldn’t budge. It hung around going into September where we were still gasping for air. Towards the end of the month I decided I had to have some relief. I got on the internet and did a check of temperatures across the country. I saw where they were already having mid forties in Colorado, therefore, I determined to drive up there and get me a breath of fresh air.

I had my wife arrange to be off but didn’t tell her anything about what we were doing or where we were going. We loaded up the car and headed out. Fourteen hours later we reached our motel in Trinidad, Colorado. The next morning I was up early and made the coffee we had in our room. I then drug one of the chairs outside and sat there drinking coffee and enjoying a breeze in the invigorating, refreshing, forty degree temperature. I let the wife sleep in but when she woke up I had our day already planned. There’s a Legend’s scenic loop which covers about 100 miles. I let her drive and I stood up in the passenger seat with my head outside the moon roof. Around every curve we found another beautiful scene that  could have been on any calendar. She drove and I took in the air. Later that evening we found a wonderful restaurant in downtown Trinidad, enjoyed our meal, and made our way back to our motel. Next morning I repeated that same routine with my coffee and sat in a misty rain but enjoyed every second of it, but alas we had to bid farewell and head back to where concrete was buckling and the asphalt was melting. We had a wonderful day and one half, spent the night in Amarillo on the way back and then made our way back home. It was all too brief but it was needed because there are some times when you just need a breath of fresh air! ~

See what I mean? I suppose history does repeat itself. This most recent trip was a little more relaxed in that we were here a week. (If you call staying in a different hotel each evening for 6 days in a row relaxing.) However, it did serve the purpose like the one 20 years ago. I again found some wonderful air to breathe. Some wonderful scenery. And, some great time spent with my bride of nearly 55 years. God is good and we thank Him for His provisions. We hope to be back in our place at our local fellowship this upcoming Sunday and we highly recommend that everyone finds themselves gathering to praise our great God on His Day. Take care, and, if, I have anything left to say, I'll try to catch back up with everyone, come next Monday. May God bless. And, thanks for tuning in. Amen. ....More later.