We went tent camping, watched the Union Pacific Big Boy come home to Cheyenne, Wyoming, and laid my dad to rest.

Family, Part One

On Wednesday, July 23 we drove to northern Colorado. We had previously planned to stop somewhere south of Denver and continue to Wyoming the next day. However, I needed to spend as much time with my family as possible right now. So we drove to Loveland, where my mom lives. My sister and brother-in-law picked up dinner and we were sure hungry when we arrived. My youngest brother and his wife and daughter met us there as well. We had dinner, then started a game of cards. It was a long day so after one game we all called it a night. We followed Kathy and Kerry to their house, where we spent the night.

In Tents

On Thursday morning, Kathy and Kerry suggested we go to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. We don’t have to be asked twice about that!

After breakfast we went back to the house and packed up what we had taken in the house, and made our way north to Curt Gowdy State Park in Wyoming. Because our travel trailer is in Indiana after having a wall replaced, we decided it was a perfect time to try tent camping. I had searched for a site that offered privacy and a bit of wind break. We set up the screen tent with walls, the cots, the air mattresses, and the RV SuperBag, which I had separated and folded individual sheets into. We also set up the Sylvan Sport Privy Bivy, and put the Camco camp toilet in that tent for overnight bathroom needs.

Next up, we set up the induction cooktop plugged into the Jackery and I cooked canned chili and hot dogs, and made chili dog wraps for dinner. We cleaned everything up so we didn’t have wild visitors, or worry if a little rain came. Neither of those were a problem.

We left Starlink at home, not wanting to bother with it in the tent. Sadly, Tony’s cell phone didn’t have much service so he didn’t have much to do for the evening. I looked around for a paperback or magazine, but with no luck. He sat with his thoughts quite a bit. I had some signal so he tethered onto my phone for a while. I had my Kindle so I was able to read my book.

Around dark, we turned in. Tony had downloaded a Johnny Dollar mystery so we listened to that and went to sleep. It was perfect sleeping temperature, and the breeze died down early.

Training Day

Friday, we awoke after a great night’s rest. We started packing up, ate some egg bites for breakfast, and decided to record our podcast from inside the tent. It was a lot of fun. Then we finished packing up. The only showers at this park are at the Visitor Center at the north park entrance, so we drove there to shower. That’s when I realized I had forgotten to bring the laundry quarters! We only had $10s and $20s but Tony went upstairs and broke one and bought quarters from the machine. I had a really nice shower, but Tony couldn’t get warm water until he finally gave up and started drying off. Dang it!

Our camp neighbors had told us that Laramie was a nice place to visit, so we turned west and got into Laramie in time for lunch. The place we found has outdoor seating. The food took forever to arrive, and the Big Boy arrived before the food did. We didn’t know the train was going to be stopping, and when it did Tony left the table and ran over for photos!

He finally came back and ate, and we headed back to the truck. The Big Boy was just getting underway so we chased it for a couple of blocks, then figured we should get on the road and race the train!

It was threatening to rain when we got into Cheyenne. It didn’t take long before the threat was a reality. Tony was undaunted and stood by the fence for about three hours all together. We got into town shortly before 3:00 and got lucky with a parking spot opening up a block from the museum. Kathy and Kerry brought Maverick and MacKenzie. I took the kids into the Cheyenne Depot Museum to keep them occupied for a while. Big Boy was due in at 4:00. Around 4:00 we headed out to find the grownups. Tony hadn’t moved from his spot by the fence. It was drizzling pretty good by then. The train was waiting just outside of town, because another train was on the tracks and apparently there was no crew to move it. You’d think they would have been aware of the Big Boy’s arrival. Finally around 5:00 that train finally got out of the way. We had almost given up because the rain had gotten a bit more persistent. We all took turns waiting inside, then getting excited and going back out.

The Big Boy finally pulled into the museum at around 5:15. There was a flurry of video cameras, umbrellas, and cheers. The train whistled as it approached, which made everybody give a little jump of surprise! After the train stopped moving, they opened the gates and we were able to get a little closer. I tell you, that is a BIG engine!

We were all wet but also very excited. We took a bunch of photos and selfies, then headed to the trucks.

On the way to dinner Tony spotted a National Lampoon RV and we quickly made a u-turn and went to check it out. It sure looks like an original!

We stopped for dinner at A&W and then took the kids to Joe and Justina’s house and got the grand tour. Then we headed back to Kathy’s for the night.

Family, Part Two

We spent Saturday morning working on editing the podcast, knowing that we had a very full few days ahead of us. In the afternoon, we headed to my mom’s to help her finish preparing for my Uncle Russ and Aunt Kathy’s arrival. I assembled the air mattress frame and made the bed. We bought KFC for dinner so it would still be good to eat later when they arrived. They had a bad first day of travel. The interstate in southern California was closed due to a lithium battery fire and they wound up only making it to Flagstaff after 12 hours on the road; it’s a 3-hour distance. So they arrived after some long hours of staring out the windshield.

Sunday was my sister Kathy’s birthday. The and Kerry started a brisket smoking at 10:00 Saturday night and she invited her kids over for dinner and cake and ice cream. Her daughter Denise flew in so we took her over to see her Grandma for a short visit. Then we went back to the house for dinner. It was a nice gathering. Tony and I had gotten Kathy a gift card, but not a birthday card. So when Kathy told me she was going to the store, I asked her to pick up a card. She chose the most gushy, sappy card she could find. It suited her perfectly. LOL

Monday would be a long, difficult day so we all turned in and tried to get some rest.

Farewell to a good man

Monday was indeed a long, difficult day. Kathy and I headed to the church early to arrive for the services for my dad of 35 years, Jim. He passed away on July 20. This is the reason so much of my family was gathering in Loveland. My youngest brother, JB, was allowed to come home from overseas for the funeral. My mom’s siblings, Kathy and Russ, drove from southern California. Kathy’s daughters Denise and Sarah, and Sarah’s husband Dalton, as well as JB’s daughters, arrived from Minnesota, southern Colorado, Wyoming, and Oklahoma.

The church services were scheduled from 9:30 until 1:30, including a rosary, mass, and lunch. My mom usually does the preparations for the funeral lunches or dinners, and the rest of the ladies had a hard time keeping her out of the kitchen checking on things. Everything was beautifully done.

My mom asked Tony to set up a camera so she would have a recording of the mass. It was a little awkward knowing how much he could move around and not be disrespectful. He got good photos and some video during mass and the luncheon following. We took a lot of group photos, and then went to the cemetery.

The graveside service was very nice. There were Navy representatives who did the 21-gun salute, played taps, then folded and presented the colors. Father Shannon followed, and presented my mom with a crucifix. Anyone who wanted, said their farewells. Then we left, heading to my mom’s. We spent a few hours at the house, doing what our family does.

Tony and my brother JB wanted to go to a brewery. We were joined by some friends of JB, and his son Dustin. Also our nephew Corey and his wife Sami. We had dinner and a couple beers (them, not me) and then headed back to Kathy’s to rest up for our long drive.

The drive home

Tuesday we got up and finished packing the truck. We stoped at Buc-Ees for gas and breakfast, then made good time the rest of the day. It was hot and we were tired when we got home so we only unloaded the necessities and finished on Wednesday.