Saskia and Richard's RVing Adventures

Since meeting my American husband Richard, I have learned a great deal about family bonds. Being an only child, with no living blood relatives other than my own children, large family gatherings were an unusual experience for me.  The first time I attended one of Richard's family reunions, over four generations and 60+ attendees traveled from various states for two days of family fellowship at Thanksgiving. You might appreciate how awestruck and humbled I felt to witness this tribute to the family network, and how wonderful it felt to be adopted into that family. I therefore looked forward to our return to Coaldale at the beginning of July, not just to be able to revisit Richard’s cousin, Mark, and his wife, Jill, but also to spend some more time with Mark’s brother Lee, and his wife Carolyn who were due to arrive on the 10th of the month. from left -  Jill, Mark Carolyn, Lee, Richard and me You may remember us staying with Lee and Carolyn in Dripping Springs, Texas ...

No, I’m not referring to the music scene in this particular US State, where we have spent the last two months in our fifth wheel trailer. Nor am I saying that the bands we heard at the Leadville BBQ and Brewfest a few weekends ago weren’t pretty good either (though not quite on a par with those we heard at Austin’s annual music festival  in February). Though I must add that the natural Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver which hosts concerts of all types, is an amazing music venue. Yes - that's it in the middle of those rocks - you can just make out the seating area No, what I am referring to is the Rockies.  The highest mountain range in the USA, and the youngest mountains formed in the recent eons of time, if my high school Geography serves me correctly.  That is about the limit of my geological education.  Suffice to say that these mountains, which extend from Mexico through Canada to Alaska, were crushed and pushed skywards and consequently weathered by win...