Sheila Goes Ghana 2022

Happy Easter Blog Besties!! I hope your weekend was filled with loved ones, sunshine, happiness and a few breaths of Spring.🌷⚘️ 🐣 💐

After two amazing years traveling around the World + this Country with all of you by my side, in January, I wanted to start looking for a new Nurse Practitioner job since retirement is still 5(ish) years away.

I had really enjoyed working with patients in Hematology / the Bleeding Disorders World and since I had invested a lot of time + energy learning that Specialty, I chose to stay in that arena for my job hunt.

The last few months have been filled with researching Hematology programs around the country, then applications and Zoom interviews in Burlington VT, Indianapolis IA, Denver CO and Phoenix AZ. Got a nice offer from Burlington early on in this process after that site visit, which turned out to be a wonderful negotiating tool.

Then as I was being flown out to Phoenix for their 3rd round of interviews, I received a no from both Indianapolis and Colorado. Of course that was disappointing because who enjoys rejection right? But I do know that based upon how they behaved in the early rounds, those 2 programs would not be a good fit for Me and I think they saw that too … AKA some Healthcare systems value Nurse Practitioners more than others and I made it pretty clear that I expected a healthy dose of respect for all that I brought to the table. Perhaps that didn’t fit their practice model for NPs?!? Well then, too bad-I left practicing in Maine because of the way I was treated there so I certainly wasn’t going to set myself up to be treated poorly again in another state!

The site visit/ interviews at Phoenix Children’s Hospital Hematology Program went beautifully. When I got home they not only offered me the job I applied for but they actually created a new position that would be part clinical and part managerial with the goal of restructuring their Hemophilia Program (kids+adults) to get it thriving again so they don’t lose it.

I was really excited to hear this but the money wasn’t quite there so I negotiated with them for several days using my Burlington offer as leverage. After a lot of back and forth, I finally told Phoenix they would have to beat Burlington if  I was going to move cross-country and sign with them … well that led to 2 days of radio silence …  and a little bit of sweat on my brow before they called back to say we had a deal!!! 🎉🥂🎉

Wahooooooooooski!!!!!!

It takes a few months to get medical licenses transferred and medical privileges approved in hospitals so my start date is not until August 12th. That is absolutely perfect because my son Keenan and his fiance Emily are getting married on June 1st. So now I will be here to enjoy and help with all of the wedding festivities, savor a good bit of the beautiful Maine Summer (please God not another wet one like last year- I know I wasn’t here but I heard a lot of soggy stories) And then in late July, I pack my loyal Jeep Tonto and head to Arizona!!

My plan is to get a nice two bedroom furnished place in Scottsdale so this is your open invitation to come out and enjoy that beautiful Arizona sunshine. I would love to tour my dear friends+family around Sedona, the Grand Canyon, the mystical Red Rock shapes of Antelope Canyon (remember those pics on the blog?) … and host you as graciously as so many of you hosted Me! ❤️🤗❤️

My hope is that in the next 5 years, all of my 3 kids will likely settle back in the Northeast so when those babies start coming someday….I’ll be back!! (at least for the warmer seasons of the year anyways)😇

Until then, I will get to spend some quality time with my precious Godfather Uncle Eddie (yes he’s the one you met on the blog) and my cousins/their families. They are in Mesa Arizona which will be only 20 minutes from Me. Oh, Uncle Ed is having open heart surgery this Wed morning. If you could send some prayers and healing thoughts his way I would be deeply grateful just like I am for my very healthy thriving brother and his happy liver.

💗🙏🏻🙏🏻💗

I miss hearing from so many of you regularly on the blog but hope to see you in person in my new Nest real soon.

Big big love with lots of hugs and kisses from Me to all of You.

XOXO Sheila

Being that Bennington Vermont was on the itinerary of Day 1 in my ‘This is (part of) Your Life’ journey, it felt fitting to include this fine place in the last post too. So here is a view in the distance of the Monument of the Battle of Bennington taken on my way to Brattleboro-yes, the town where I stayed on the first AND last night of this amazing adventure.

Vermont is also near and dear to my heart because our family spent many a February school vacation skiing at some of our favorite Vermont ski resorts such as Jay Peak and Killington.

My Mother taught my Father to ski when they were newlyweds. Us 4 kids started hitting the slopes of King Ridge as we turned 5 years old when we were able to carry our own gear to the lodge.

And Vermont is where I met some VERY special lifelong friends, my college roomies from UVM! (why not UVT? UVM is Latin for The Universitas Veridis Montis or the University of the Green Mountains).

Last day of the drive brought Me through New Hampshire where I was born in Manchester on that Blessed 10th day of April 1965 😇

The “Welcome to NH” sign still maintains it’s French heritage with the word Bienvenue. Tres Bien (very good) Granite State since many of your residents have Canadian roots. As did my Mother (Lorraine Pouliot) who was born into a French Canadian family on the West side of Manchester and didn’t learn to speak English until the 3rd grade.

The very last stop on this cross-country journey, before my long anticipated arrival at Cheryl’s house, was a place that was very special to my Father. It is outside of Peterborough in Rindge, NH.

Cathedral of the Pines is a perfect blend of his deeply rooted faith, service in the Military (WWII Navy Veteran) and love of the outdoors.

One carving in the tower of the Cathedral of the Pines is of a woman helping a soldier who appears to be from the Union. How ironic that my Gettysburg visit was only a few days back and still so fresh in my mind.

Said a few prayers of gratitude at the Outdoor Mountaintop Chapel (secured for the winter) overlooking Mount Monadnock. Hallelujah to my parents, the Lord, the Blessed Mother, my family, my friends and all those whom I felt were sitting securely on my shoulders over the last 18 months, guiding Me safely around Ghana, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand then too around our beautiful country.

Filled with deep appreciation for all of You and with tears of relief for my safe/enlightening travel, turned Tonto towards Brookline NH for our long-anticipated Sister Reunion. Oh those hugs were especially warm and grounding. (Truth be told, we talked almost every day of this trip and she rode on my car visor with Me but that is still no match for sharing space together with my Cheryl).❤️

^ Cheryl and her hubby Rob treated Me to a wonderful Welcome Home dinner at the Mile Away Restaurant in Milford, NH. This place is special to us because our parents often brought us there when we were kids. (Mmm mmm memories, light the corners of my mind … 🎵)

Sunday morning came way too soon as it always does with Cheryl visits but it was time to finally head back to Kennebunk.

LOL, did they add that “Welcome Home” on the bottom of that Maine sign just for Me? I swear it used to say, “Maine, the Way Life Should Be”? Well then, Thanks Governor Mills. I ❤️ you too. It’s good to be back!

Ahhhh, 8500+ solo miles behind Me and I’m back to my Home Away From Home on High Street. I’ve been renting here between adventures, compliments of my wonderful friends+generous landlords, Erin and Patrick.❤️❤️

It was a warm arrival with some nice neighborly driveway chats, a sweet sign on my door from Craig across the street and these thoughtful sentiments from Erin+Patrick waiting for Me in the kitchen.😍

This Home Away from Home was also a wonderful place to celebrate Christmas Eve with mes enfants (my children) Keenan, Ameliagh, Emily (soon-to-be daughter in law) and her family too. It was nice to all be around the dining room table again sharing Ho Ho’s and Holiday spirits.    🥂🎄🌟🎄🥂

Brie, my youngest, is in St Thomas for 6 months so we missed her this year but sent her this snap of when we tried to reach her on FaceTime on Christmas morning for a jammie chat. 🤶 🎅 🤶

Soon after getting settled back in town last week, I had headed over to Parson’s Beach. It is one of my very favorite serene beaches, visited often during our last 27 years here in Kennebunk. Wanted to touch the Atlantic Ocean again, reflect on this incredible Adventure that has now come Full Circle, and take in a beautiful sunset.

I’ve always found sunsets to be a time of great peace, deliberation and a good time to practice gratitude for the day now ending along with hope for the new day tomorrow.

Prior to all of this traveling, the previous 10 years had been filled with too many heartaches. I wanted better for myself. I needed to find balance in my life and needed to go out to find my core happiness again.

So as my youngest was graduating from college almost 2 years ago, I decided to hit the reset button on my life. Subdivided, then sold some land, gave my letter of resignation at work, sold the family home and headed overseas to start doing some medical volunteering that I had wanted to do all my life. Since those volunteer trips were so gratifying, and a huge confidence booster, I decided to tackle this solo trip around the perimeter of the United States.

There was a great deal of deliberate planning for all of these Adventures and a good amount of luck too. I love the expression, “Chance favors the prepared mind.” Both qualities contributed greatly to the success of these trips!!

I also often literally felt like I had some guardian angels sitting on my shoulders during these trips that guided me to some beautiful opportunities and safely out of a few sticky situations. That brought Me great comfort.

I am so very proud of and grateful for the multitude of opportunities for growth taken by and given to Me throughout these travels.

I am so grateful to those that I met and reconnected with along these roads (volunteers from around the world and many beautiful people in Ghana, Vietnam and the USA) who reflected the much-needed kindness + joy that I gave to them, right back to Me. These friends, old and new, are such a source of joy. Hungry soul satiated, my cup runneth over. ❤️

Lastly, I am deeply grateful to all of you that have accompanied Me throughout this process. I have felt your love and support in so many ways. You have given Me courage, inspiration, joy, laughter, ideas to explore further and wonderful companionship. I held you closely by my side and in my heart. Your connection felt magnifique!

Whatever roads you travel as we all move forward in this complicated journey of life, I hope you will take Me along too for the bumps as well as for the beauty. I do truly believe that life is brutiful (brutal+beautiful) and that we are better together.

Thank You, Akpe (in Ewe from Ghana), Cam On (in Vietnamese), from the bottom of my full heart, I greatly appreciate You!

Now what? It’s back to work I go. I intend to be very deliberate with this job hunt in order to find the career fulfillment I desire.

Now where? Great question, not quite sure yet. But while my kids are still popping around the country doing their 20-somethings thing, I may just follow the sun for a while until they settle into a more permanent space.

Any words of wisdom learned in all of these travels You ask? Be afraid and do it anyway. There are so many treasures to be discovered when you step outside of your comfort zone- discovered in both your successes and in your disappointments.

And equally as importantly, actually perhaps even more importantly, we are so incredibly fortunate to have been born into a country that has so very much. There are millions of people around the world that aren’t so lucky. Robin Sharma aptly says, “Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more”. ❤️

Happy New Year 2024 All! And wishing many more too for my tremendous Travel Buddies❤️

Hope to see You down the road!

Xoxo Sheila

Before we go to Pennsylvania, I want to circle back quickly to the last post because there was something about Georgia that I forgot to mention … as soon as I crossed their border, I noticed it smelled like either a diaper pail or like Westbrook, ME! It was especially ripe in Savannah.

Turns out that both cities have Paper Mills so mystery solved. And Savannah has the extra bonus of being surrounded by decomposing swamp grasses which adds to the pungent air there.

As I headed out of town, high on the bridge over the Savannah River I had another realization about their air quality. The area below was quite industrialized. Multiple factory chimneys were pouring out thick beige smoke causing a smog to settle over the area which seemed to go on for miles. Can you see it low on the horizon?

This was so disturbing to Me. I wondered how in this day and age, that this amount of pollution is tolerated.💔

If it’s true that if you don’t laugh you’ll cry, then I remembered a witty story that made me laugh. Hopefully you will too.

When we went to FL on Spring Break in college, we drove all night in a Station Wagon we called “Wally Wagon” – a nod to Chevy Chase’s movie Vacation. So yes, when driving from Vermont to Florida, you go right through Georgia! I distinctly remember back then what I described above. As soon as we crossed the border, all those years ago, it smelled REALLY bad! I started singing the first 2 words of the song “Georgia On My Mind” … 🎵”Georgia, Georgia”.🎵

So for the rest of that week (and I like to milk a joke so probably for many years after that), every time someone opened a bag of food that smelled bad, passed gas or took off their shoes etc, I/ we would start to sing “Georgia, Georgia”. (Maybe you had to be there or maybe we were drinking but it was pretty funny) … Oh and if my kids are reading this, we rotated between 6 drivers and I swear the drivers were not impaired … they may have forgotten to turn on the headlights for miles that night (Annie) which explains why it was so hard to see the road, but definitely not impaired 😇

Now after all that silliness, how do I segue into something as serious as the Civil War?

Hopefully you were so shocked by this big ol’ spider on the OUTSIDE of my hotel window, that now you’ve forgotten where we were? Good! So onward to Gettysburg we go, no segue needed😇

I spent Wednesday and Thursday afternoons exploring the Civil War Museum, enjoying downtown Gettysburg, walking parts of the battlefields and taking an in-depth tour of the actual 3-day battle in Gettysburg.

Of course there is so much to unpack here that it is not at all possible to completely cover everything about Gettysburg but I will do my best to give you some of the information that really captured my attention. I’ll also name the pictures here so you can look things up for further information if you desire.

Let’s start at the museum in the Gettysburg National Military Park.

Some of the pictures in this blog include the uniforms for the Union and the Confederate soldiers along with the Union General George G. Meade and Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

Upstairs in the museum is the Cyclorama. We stood in the middle of this 377′ L × 42′ High panoramic mural that encompassed the dome where we received a presentation explaining these details depicted from July 3, 1863, when Confederate General George Pickett’s men charged into the Union lines on Cemetery Ridge. This was Day 3 of this 3-day Battle of Gettysburg. Up until this point, the Confederates were primarily dominating in Gettysburg. I was shocked to learn just how close the Confederates came to winning that Battle, taking Washington DC and hence winning the Civil War.

The lead artist, French painter Paul Philippoteaux, painted himself into this massive painting as this Union soldier leaning against a tree holding a sword.

Pickett’s Charge is considered the High Water Mark of the Confederacy because their defeat in Gettysburg marked their furthest advancement North and became a turning point in the Civil War for the Union.

As Lee’s troops retreated from Gettysburg, they faced torrential rains which swelled the Potomac River they had crossed to get here. When they retreated to the river, they could no longer cross and were trapped. It is said that if General Meade had coordinated his Union troops faster, he could have destroyed Lee’s Army at the Potomac and likely ended the Civil War. Instead, the Union’s delayed pursuit allowed the river to recede, Lee and his troops to escape and the Civil War continued for another 2 years.

700,000 soldiers were lost in the Civil War. By today’s standards, that would be the equivalent of 7 million Americans. We lost more soldiers in the Civil War than we lost in all of our other Wars combined.

Gettysburg was overwhelmed with the wounded and the dead. Many homes and businesses were turned into Field Hospitals and a National Cemetery was created there to bury the deceased. At the Cemetary’s dedication ceremony on Nov 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his infamous Gettysburg Address. Here is the monument commemorating that historical moment along with Lincoln’s actual signature on the upper left of these guest book pages.

I have such immense respect and admiration for this man!

Lincoln’s dreams and aspirations to reunite our Nation were finally realized 2 years after his remarkable speech when the 4 year Civil War finally ended. Tragically, he only had 5 days to begin to heal and celebrate this arduous, long-awaited victory before he was assassinated.

On my way out of the Museum I saw a large series of these very dark almost black paintings.

When I finally made my way to the beginning of this exhibit, I realized these paintings were done as a tribute to those who ran at night with the Underground Railroad. These paintings were portraying a realistic view of their journey. Brilliant!

After leaving the Museum, I solo walked Cemetary Hill and a section of the 11,000+ acre battlefields for a few hours before sunset. My somber reflections vacillated between deep gratitude for all who were lost here, huge relief that the Union prevailed which abolished slavery and incredulous awe at the bravery, fortitude and conviction of these incredible soldiers.

That evening I had a wonderful dinner at the historic Dobbin House Tavern in downtown Gettysburg.

This tavern was also a part of the Underground Railroad. The owners hid runaway slaves under the stairs behind sliding cupboard shelves.

The following day I took a 2 hr guided bus tour through another section of the battlefields. Here are some of those important landmarks starting with: the actual Battlefield of Pickett’s Charge depicted in that panoramic mural above, Pennsylvania Monument, Virginia’s Monument to Gen. Robert E. Lee (Richmond Virginia was the Capitol of the Confederacy so it makes sense that Virginia’s Monument honored General Lee), one of the Confederate Monuments, Devil’s Den, a monument honoring the 976 Maine soldiers lost here, one of the original homesteads on the battlefield and finally a statue commemorating a Union soldier on Culp’s Hill.

And finally, Little Round Top which was the left (South) end of the 2 mile Union Troop line that 2nd day of the Battle of Gettysburg. This is where General Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain from Maine (who would go on to serve four 1 year terms as Governor of Maine from 1867-1871) along with his tenacious men helped prevent the Confederate troops from swinging around behind the end of the Union line which would likely have been disastrous to the Union. Chamberlain’s fighting culminated in a dramatic downhill bayonet charge when they were beginning to run out of men and ammunition. The actions of Chamberlain and his exceedingly brave men likely played a big part in the Union’s victory that day.

Little Round Top was also where the last LIVE(!) Civil War bombshell was located in Feb 2023.

That cleared up my confusion the day before as to why they would put this sign in this park …

….ohhhh…. 💣…💥

We heard many stories of fortitude and bravery during this tour. That included the extraordinary story of the Union’s 6th Corps who marched in double-time (jogged) 37 miles in 17 hours in the Pennsylvania summer heat, with their 40 pound packs, in their wool uniforms. They arrived on Day 2 of the Battle of Gettysburg and went into immediate combat helping prevent the Confederates from breaking through the Union lines. What those strong, courageous men endured that day is hard to imagine.

Before leaving this impactful area, I drove around downtown Gettysburg to take in the history and the beauty of the relics found there.

Below is the Courthouse today that had been converted to a Field Hospital during the war. They performed so many limb amputations to prevent gangrene, that arms and legs were thrown out the side window onto the lawn. These limbs piled up as high as the first floor window ledges!

During the 1st day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederacy was prevailing, forcing the Union Soldiers to retreat through the streets of Gettysburg as they headed to the high ground of Cemetery Ridge + Culp’s Hill. If you zoom in on this next picture, there are musket ball markings all over the side of this building showing that the two armies continued intense fighting on their way through the town.

I’m so grateful that the nice weather and smooth drive allowed Me to make good time up the Eastern seaboard so I could make it to Gettysbuburg on my way home.

As I was reflecting on this tragic part of our Nation’s history, I kept coming back to these two sentiments: -the deep chasm between the Confederate + the Union ideologies is SO distressingly similar to what we are still experiencing between the Red and the Blue States today. -although Lincoln’s vision of the Union’s victory was to secure Freedom for All in this country, over 150 years later we still are dealing with so much discrimination towards so many here.

We’ve lived through a time when our deep divisions caused families, neighbors and friends to war against one another at a great cost to our People. My prayer this Christmas Season is that we can open our hearts and open our minds as to not repeat the mistakes of our past but instead create a Country which prioritizes Peace, Love and Equal Rights for all. ❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻❤️

Tonight I’m in Brattleboro, Vermont which coincidentally is where I stayed on the first night of this 10 week journey. I’m really looking forward to squeezing my sister Cheryl tomorrow, spending a nice overnight with her and her family then making my way to Kennebunk on Sunday afternoon!

I will be doing one final post here on this blog in the near future to wrap this all up and put a bow on it (pun completely intended). But if that doesn’t happen before December 25th, please know I’m wishing you all a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones and many blessings in the New Year. Take really good care of yourselves because you deserve nothing less and so you can actually enjoy the Magic of the Season. ❤️🎄🎄❤️

XoXo Sheila

As my old pal John Denver sang, “Almost Heaven, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River”… these are the relaxing, scenic roads I’m traveling as I cruise Northeast towards home.

Yes John, Take Me Home Country Roads! But you didn’t quite warn Me about this little surprise on my hotel’s lawn Tues night…

😳 I thought I had 3 more days before I started seeing any of the Frosty Flakes! Yes, real snow in Virginia!!

Today I arrived in Gettysburg PA, my last big adventure on this trip before heading to see my sister Cheryl on Sat on my way to Maine. But before we get to far ahead, let’s backtrack and catch up on some of the festivities along the way this week.

After leaving Florida, first stop was Savannah, Georgia. This Confederate town was filled with beautiful Southern architecture and tree-lined streets of Mossy Oaks.

Owens-Thomas House Museum with Slave Quarters below. Note the massive disparities between the two dwellings. A definite reflection of the enormous disparities between the lives of the people who existed in these two demographics. 💔

Below is a monument in Wright Square commemorating William Washington Gordon, the founder and first President of Georgia’s first railroad, the Central Railroad which greatly enhanced Georgia’s economy.

And this unique Monument was erected in honor of many men of African descent who fought in the Revolutionary War, saving Savannah from the British.

Oh, if there are any Girl Scouts reading this blog, you may be interested to learn that Savannah was the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts in 1912. Here is the childhood home of this important historical woman as well as a statue of her in the museum’s garden next door.

From Savannah, headed to South Carolina to visit Oyontuji African Village. I had thought, based upon what I had read, that it would be a kind of a living Museum, similar to Old Sturbridge Village in MA. But instead of celebrating the New England Settlers, it would celebrate the Yoruba Tribes/Culture of Western Africa.

Oyotunji was actually more of a spiritual training center for people interested in practicing the worship of the Yoruba’s Ifa religion . This village was settled in 1970 so I expected something more established, more sophisticated than what I found. But I took the tour of the shrines to their Deities with my Guide Ifafunke (Ee fah fewn kay). It was interesting enough.

Interesting to learn but 1 hour of watching my guide gyrate and chirp around these crude structures was more than enough for Me. 😇 It may have been more interesting to witness a festival here when there were a few hundred people in attendance but Festival Season ended in October.

Luckily, my trip to Beaufort County SC was not all for not. Right down the street from Oyotunji is where Harriet Tubman worked a great deal of her brave missions along the routes of the Underground Railroad. She led ~ 70 slaves to freedom over 10 years prior to the Civil War, during her 13 missions back to the plantations, liberating enslaved family and friends.

Below is the Harriet Tubman Memorial Bridge. This was the site of the Combahee River Raid of June 1863. This is where Harriet and African American soldiers from the 2nd South Carolina Infantry emancipated over 700 slaves from the local plantations.

This is one of the roads traveled along the Underground Railroad route. It leads to the Oyotunji Village. These woods are so incredibly dense and marshy. Under these conditions, and considering the snakes, insects and wildlife out there, it is miraculous that anyone could survive these trips yet Harriet Tubman never lost anyone.

Plantation entrances along the main roads are scattered throughout the South. Here are a few in this area.

After a few quiet driving hours processing all of this, next stop Myrtle Beach to visit my old friend Elaine and her furry friend Hunter.

Elaine was one of my closest friends back in High School-aka a member of the Banana Bunch. We went to Ft Lauderdale/Disney for Spring Break in college. And a few years later, she was one of my bridesmaids. I too had been one of hers. After we both were married, she moved to Florida and I went to Colorado so we haven’t seen much of each other over the years but we’ve kept in loose touch. Luckily, good friends like fine wine age nicely through the years.

We wined, dined, chirped late into the night, biked, walked the beach and had a sunny oceanfront breakfast. Then all too soon, (except for a small laundry delay 😉) it was time to “go”…

As Bob Hope used to sing, “Thanks for the Memories (Elaine)” and for being such a wonderful chef, hostess and lifelong friend. (I thought being that you are a singer, you’d like that musical reference 🎶) Until we meet again, likely somewhere in the sun since we both worship that big glowing sky ball, Bon Sante Mon Amie and Merci Beaucoup. Big Hugs ❤️🤗🤗❤️

That evening, there was a very special dinner planned in Charlotte, NC. After waiting over 18 months, I was finally able to meet the love of this wonderful guy’s life …

Remember my Elvis in Ghana? His fiance Alley lives in Charlotte! We FaceTimed Elvis to share our night😍 They are working on a Visa to get Elvis to the United States but it’s going to take at least another 16mo so these two kids are trying hard to make this work. 🙏🏻🙏🏻

Popped through downtown Charlotte the next morning to see the sights. This included a statue of Queen Charlotte, the namesake of the city. She was the wife of King Charles III who ruled this Colony in 1768 when the city was chartered.

That afternoon I headed to Flat Rock, NC for my final friend visit to see Robin+David in their beautiful new retirement nest. Robin and I have been friends since I was 24 years old when we all lived in Colorado-I was engaged, she was married with 3 kids. We met working as RNs in the Neonatal ICU (NICU) there.

I remember the actual day we met. I was sitting up front in the hospital orientation on my first day of work at St Joseph’s Hospital. We all had to introduce ourselves and give our name, occupation, and Department in the Hospital where we would be working. A few minutes after I introduced myself, I heard from the back of the room, “My name is Raawwwbin, I’m a Nurse from New Jehrrrzee and I’m going to be working in the NICU”. My head spun around towards the back and I thought, “Cool, another East coaster. I’ll have to go meet her at the break.” Well I did and now we’ve been friends for 35 years!

She also reminded me that when her youngest was born prematurely in Denver, I was his Primary Nurse for a few weeks when he was in our NICU. Now he’s 33 years old and 6ft 3″!

A big, big Thank You to Robin+David for spoiling me for 2 nights, touring me all thru Ashville, Hendersonville and the surrounding towns, neighborhood walks and Fireside Chats.

Then before long, and once again way too soon, it was time to go. We will find each other again soon, after I get settled, wherever that may be … Ashville? Golden? Mesa? I’m so glad that you two have found your forever home in NC and so very grateful that you graciously shared it with Me ❤️🤗🤗❤️

To all of my wonderful friends+family that I have been so fortunate to visit on this Cross Country Adventure … “Side by side or miles apart, real friends are always close to the heart”.

Back on those Country Roads I went, headed for Harrisonburg, VA … for no particular reason except that it was a good stopping point on my way to Gettysburg and it is yet another beautiful Southern town.

And being that Virginia is in the Bible Belt, during a 90 min walk through this quaint town, I passed at least 9 Churches, all of different denominations including this first church which was the first Mennonite Church I had ever seen.

Harrisonburg is also the home of James Madison University. What a thrill to stroll around this gorgeous campus.

It is Finals week and students have to eat right? So when I went past one of the Dining Halls, these little robots were scurrying down the walking paths delivering food all over campus. Awesomesauce!

Good Luck on exams Dukes!!

And on that note, it’s time to call it a wrap for the night. Had a very moving day in the Museums and Battlefields of Gettysburg National Military Park. Heading back there tomorrow morning for a few hours and then I begin my last leg of the drive home.

Peace, Happiness and Good Health Road Buddies❤️

XOXO Sheila

Sunshine is good for the soul. And so is visiting with cherished friends. If only I had more time there. ❤️❤️❤️

Making my way to my compadres/amis in Florida meant first crossing the Panhandle. That was quite a ride! Honestly didn’t see much of that area because there were torrential downpours with a few episodes of hydroplaning for 3 hours which developed into a warning on my phone that said, “Tornado warning in the area. Take cover.” 😳

Uhhhhhh ….. looked left, right forward and backward. 👀 👁👁 👀 👁👁

No funnels spotted. Just a whole lot of heavy rain, black clouds and tall marsh grasses. So like everyone else, I just kept driving with hazard lights on and eyes wide open. FYI, turns out the old advice of “stop under an overpass” is a VERY bad idea because that can actually create a wind tunnel effect if the twister goes over that area, making the winds even stronger under the overpass. And in that torrential rain, unless I saw the actual funnel, I was NOT lying down in a ditch in a downpour! 😇

Then as quick as a finger snap, the rain seemed to instantly stop. I wondered if we were in the eye of the storm but the rain never restarted? So Tonto and I just kept easing on down that road to Gainesville. (Can you see the black clouds behind the tractor trailer in the bottom of the mirror? It looked A LOT worse than what this picture captured).

What a relief to make it to the Gainesville exit. Stopped in for a quick oil change to learn that my rear tire had a nail in it which caused a bubble to form on the sidewall. Who knows how long the tire has been like that. Could have been several thousand miles but Thank God I didn’t have a blowout on the Highway. I have truly felt held and protected on this trip during a few near misses and this was yet another example of that.😇

Found beautiful Sweetwater Wetlands Nature Preserve in Gainesville on my way to the hotel. Got a nice walk in before sunset.

That evening was the anniversary of my Mother’s passing 12 years ago. She loved to go to Florida every winter and absolutely was a Sun Goddess. I felt she and my Dad were there with Me that night. In fact, I saw two birds fly overhead into the sunset, I’m quite sure it was them.

The next morning it was off to see my fabulous friends Betsy+John on the East Coast in beautiful Port St Lucie. They are my former neighbors from Kennebunk and parents of ‘my’ Leah that I just enjoyed in Colorado.

They have been graciously offering me this visit for several years and I was finally able to come down to spend time in their good company at their wonderful, techno-equipped home. We toured, biked, dined, reminisced and mostly caught up on life since I last saw them 5 years ago during a drop off of Ameliagh at UConn when they lived there.

And they proved to me that in spite of the warm weather, Christmas really does come to Florida!

Now in spite of signs like this below, we never did see these alleged alligators on my visit to Port St Lucie. But I didn’t test the waters either.

Betsy and John were also kind enough to get me to their local mechanic so I could get my tire fixed.

Then waaaaay too soon, it was time to go. I hope to see you soon my friends, perhaps back in the Rocky Mountains with ‘our’ Leah. ❤️

Skidaddled across Florida to the West Coast in Venice where I was welcomed by my dear friends Betty+Dick into their beautiful home. They were my childhood neighbors, adopted family, employers of my babysitting services and yes, the parents of ‘my’ Baby Girl Beth(ie) who just hosted Me in Houston. Additionally, Betty was a Spanish teacher at my High School but we decided early on that it was best if we didn’t share a classroom-too close.

We too toured, biked, dined, reminisced and mostly caught up on life since I last saw them a few years ago in Hampton, NH at their 50th Wedding Anniversary Party.

These ‘muy’ cool Baby Boomers have pinball machines in their home! We had a little tourney, guess who won?

Beginner’s luck? Did they throw the game to be good hosts? We’ll never know. But humbly I bow because I wasn’t even close to Betty’s record high score!

Oh and yes we did find alligators … pointing right at one from across the pond. No need to get any closer than that!

Also enjoyed a nice dinner at Sharky’s On the Pier … sans alligators. Didn’t see them on the menu, preferred the seafood.

By the way, Beth(ie), you were here with us in spirit. Here’s a pic from’a few’ Halloweens ago … 😍

Once again, waaaay too soon it was time to go. I’ve known Betty+Dick for 48 years and I still enjoy all of the fun and laughs they freely offer. ❤️

Turned North and started heading into the home stretch of my trip so I can be back in Kennebunk by the weekend of December 15th. But not before one very important stop at The Villages to visit my wonderful friends Diane+Ronnie. It was such a joy to see them and relax in their beautiful home.

Diane was one of my French teachers in High School, our High School Class Advisor (we Blue Knights were Proud to Be from 83′) AND a good friend of Betty whom I just visited in Venice. Ronnie is Diane’s wonderful husband who is such a warm addition to our friendship.

Once again we toured, dined, reminisced, met their feisty friends/sister and mostly caught up on life since I last saw them 2 summers ago at a seaside dinner in Kittery Point, NH. But instead of biking, Diane zipped me all over their super active Villages in one of their His+Her golf carts. F-U-N!!

She also took me to the pickleball courts and I was able to play my first-ever game of that zippy little sport. We found 2 very patient guys that were willing to put up with our antics during a doubles match. 😇 I loved it!

Then waaaay to soon, it was time to go. Perhaps we can meet for a Christmas cocktail and some further meaningful conversations when you are in Portsmouth for the Holidays?🥂

Betsy, John, Betty, Dick, Diane and Ronnie … Thank You all for your AMAZING hospitality, decades of meaningful friendships, being loyal blog followers and for being such a special part of my amazing journey around the United States. I left Florida yesterday with a heart full of sunshine!! I am deeply grateful to and for all of you!! ❤️🌞🤗🤗🌞🤗🤗🌞🤗🤗🌞❤️

Te amo … Je t’aime.

XoxoxoxO Sheila

Ohhhh…That’s why they call themselves The Lone Star State. I seriously didn’t know that until I saw a HUGE Texas flag flying near the highway.😇

Howdy Partners! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with your loved ones.

After a cherished visit with my kin in Mesa, on the morning after Thanksgiving, it was time to bid them farewell and start heading East over these pretty prickly hills towards my Flatlander friends in Texas.

First stop was El Paso Texas, right on the border of Mexico! How cool, I was in Toronto just a few weeks ago. Rrrrroadtrip!!

I’ll be following Route 10 across the Southern part of the Country right across Florida. This Highway borders the Rio Grande River for a bit in El Paso, providing a nice view over the river, right into several of Mexico’s Northern mountain ranges.

Western Texas felt like one BIG, FLAT and DULL car trip. Stopped in Sonora one night (coincidentally rhymes with a snorer-what a yawner of a town) just because it was a good stopping point. Jumped back in the saddle early the next morning and rode ‘out of Dodge’ as quickly as possible🤠.

Ironically, all 3 of my Texas pals that I want to visit, live in the Houston area!! Thank you Jesus!! It was so nice to get out of those seemingly endless Texas Plains and into their good company. But admittedly, there were parts of that drive that went past some impressive ranches, a historic jailhouse, Native camp displays and Western downtowns.

Made a quick stop in Austin before landing in Houston. This was a nice break and a pretty city to visit.

Gas prices were some of my happiest discoveries in Texas …$2.57/gallon!!! What a relief after coming out of California paying over $6/gal. (Surf’s Up in Cali and so are the gas prices!). But the prices at the pump around most of the country held tight at about $3.50/ gal which was very doable.

Then finally it was off to see “my first born” Beth(ie) and her family in downtown Houston.😍

When I was 10 years old, Beth’s parents moved in up the street from my family. Her mom was pregnant and Beth was born a few months later. I adopted them, they adopted me and some wonderful lifelong relationships began. Sidenote, a few years later, Beth got a little brother who was born prematurely. His success story influenced part of my future career as a Neonatal ICU nurse.

Although Beth will forever be my first ‘Baby’ Girl, in actuality she is quite grown up. Specifically, she’s a Vice President at Exxon/Mobil, as well as the wife of another smart engineer and Mom of a creative, sweet boy.

Thanks Beth+George (Sean too) for being such wonderful hosts! Would you consider renting your pool house to Me? Loved that nest!😘 ❤️🤗🤗🤗❤️

The next night was a reunion with some special people that I met in my hotel when in Vietnam last summer. Do you remember Du the Pharmacist who immigrated to Texas? I read his book documenting his 11 escape attempts from Vietnam thru the time when he was finally successful and safely a citizen of the United States.

When I met Du, he was in Ho Chi Minh collecting his new wife Huang and infant son Martin to bring them home to America.

This was another very happy immigration success story on my trip. They invited Me to their house to have dinner. To my delight, I pulled up to a beautiful upper middle class home all decked out for Christmas, inside and out.

Initially we were all over-joyed and amazed that we were metting again. That feeling continued as we chatted over salmon and wine about Du’s book, his life in the last 10 years where the book left off, along with Huang+Martin’s adjustments to their new life in the United States.

This was a very special night that I will always remember. As I drove away, my heart was overflowing with happiness and gratitude for this persistent, driven family that was finally safely thriving here together.

Spent the next day exploring Houston’s bike paths on another sunny 60° day. Houston is the 4th largest city in the United States-that surprised Me because biking around, it really didn’t feel all that busy … until I left town later that evening in rush hour traffic and got my reality check.

Before leaving Houston there was one last reunion that I couldn’t wait to attend. Seven of us girlsfriends rented a house for our Senior year at UVM. Mary was one of our roomies but she had the gall to get married and move to Houston a few years after graduation.😘

So outside of her beautiful family Christmas cards, I hadn’t laid eyes on that witty one for over 30 years.

We had a nice dinner outside and did our best to squeeze in a whole lot of catching up in that 2 hours. What a treat it was to see you Mary. And I must say, we’ve still got it lady! Keep smiling! ❤️🤗❤️

As the sun was setting over Texas, it was time to start the journey to the Land of the Bayous. So the following morning I awoke in Baton Rouge. Yes I drove my Jeep (not my Chevy) to the levee but the levee was dry.

As I stood there admiring the levee off to the right, which went on for many many miles along this river to prevent flooding into Baton Rouge, I couldn’t help but wonder why Don McLean wrote “BUT the levee was dry”?? Seems to me that if you get to a levee and the levee is NOT dry, you best be in a boat and not your Chevy!?! But hey, what does this Yankee know about levees anyways?

Enough pondering. As I continued through the back country of Baton Rouge, saw my first wild armadillo! It was very entertaining to watch this little critter searching for ants and posing for the camera on cue. (Truth is it took about 30 pictures to get that one. What a difference digital vs film technology makes).

Here are some sights from downtown Baton Rouge including the tallest State Capitol in the country. The Old State Capitol building is the 2nd picture below which served that purpose until it was occupied by the Union Army during the Civil War.

This giant levee below (and super nice walking path) goes on for several miles, protecting Baton Rouge from flood waters of the Mighty Mississippi River. Oh and yes, I have officially made it East of the Mississippi!! Beautiful sight!

Louisiana had even more excitement in store in New Orleans. I found the Big Easy, easy to love. The locals were friendly, welcoming and the jazz music just oozes out of a multitude of spaces especially in the infamous French Quarter. Their pride and admiration for their City and their history was palpable everywhere you went.

New Orleans was founded and developed in 1718 by Jean Baptiste a French explorer. It later burned to the ground twice in the late 1700s and was rebuilt by the Spanish who had taken ownership of the Colony by then. Both influences can be seen in the architecture throughout the city.

The original settlers in New Orleans were Creoles. This generally means a person of mixed colonial French, Spanish, African American and Native American ancestry.

Got tickets on a guided tour / double decker open-air bus that went around the city for about 90 minutes. It was very informative and entertaining.

Below is the Super Dome where so many displaced people were sheltered during the Hurricane Katrina Disaster in 2005.

Before hopping off the bus we saw this Memorial recognizing the destruction Katrina caused in New Orleans. It was made from some of the floating debris from that horrible event.

Lastly, we bused past this restaurant which was once a part of the Eiffel Tower and served famous people such as Picasso, Chaplin and Hitler. It was deconstructed in 1981 and began its relocation here to its new home.

The Bus Tour tickets also included hopping off the bus for a walking tour in the French Quarter and another walking tour in the architecturally-diverse Garden District (neighborhood).

And a white wall surrounding an above ground Cemetery. Due to the very watery ground in this below sea level City, this is how they built many of the cemeteries here. The Pyramid-shaped tomb on the far left is where Nicolas Cage will be buried upon his demise. This is the same ancient cemetery where Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen is buried. 

They do love their Voodoo here. Note the Voodoo Dolls in this first picture below outside the doors of this Cultural Center.

Then during the Garden District tour, here was some of the beautiful, diverse architecture we witnessed… the first picture is a long narrow shotgun-style house which was designed to let the air flow through the house for better cooling.

But a trip to New Orleans would not be complete without a visit to Bourbon Street. After all of the tours were finished, I took a stroll up and down the entire Street. I saw plenty of behaviors that were Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. It’s like a real-life daily carnival, but it really was beautiful and entertaining too. There is not an ordinance prohibiting public drinking so people are allowed to walk around with drinks in their hands. In fact, there are all kinds of bars selling drinks to go. Saw / smelled lots of pot too. Not my vibe for sure but it was fun to see.

Don’t let any mellow Bourbon Street pics fool you. As it got darker, it got pretty loud and wild there. 👀 🙈🙉🙊

Tucked into Acme Oysters per Beth(ie)’s suggestion. Sampled some Creole Shellfish Etouffee (ay-too-fay) covered with fried Crawdaddy Tails, complimented by a Prickly Pear Cactus Marguerita.

Very yummy but this really rich food gave me a Texas-sized bellyache that eve. But hey, when in Rome … bring your TUMS (or something like that). OR pet a mule on the schnoz, that cuteness cures everything.

This morning on my way out of town, I wanted to take a few more looks at a part of this Levee System which keeps this city dry. Also wanted to pay respects to those who were lost in Katrina along with those who were impacted by that destruction.

There was a levee was right down the street from my hotel. It’s hard to see in this picture but Lake Pontchartrain (it’s actually an estuary not a lake but that’s what they call it) off to the right is several feet higher in elevation than the neighborhood on the left below this levee. Eerie sight to Moi! 🙏🏻

I stayed in the 9th District of New Orleans last night. During Katrina, my hotel was underwater up to the 2nd floor. The remnants of the devastation was not hard to find even 18 years later.

It was amazing overall though to see how well they have rebuilt these neighborhoods. There were still some boarded up, dilapidated buildings, but for the most part, the homes and businesses looked fresh and new. Many of them are now built up on columns or stilts with the main living spaces up on the 2nd+3rd floors such as this house.

I could have stayed longer in this fascinating City but the clock is ticking and I want to be home before Christmas … so onward.

Blasted thru Mississippi, Mobile Alabama (below) and landed in Florida’s Panhandle this afternoon.

I’ve got 3 very special visits scheduled in Florida in a few days with some of my very loyal bloggers + dear friends. I’m really looking forward to being with ‘y’all’! ❤️

Let’s close this post with some uplifting updates from Ghana. You can never have too many uplifting stories right?

Elvis called Me today to report that they have finally been approved to increase the fees for future Medical Volunteers to cover the 3rd day of the Wound Care Program. I’ve been sponsoring that 3rd day for almost 18mo because those patients really needed more than the 2 days of care per week that they had been receiving before I arrived in Ghana. Now it looks like this 3 Day Wound Care Program will be a sustainable process for the foreseeable future. 😁😁😁

2. Vida, one of my favorite staffers at the Atimpoku Clinic, sent this picture showing this wonderful young wife and Mom graduated from Nursing School over there. 🥳

3. Precious, one my favorite nurses at that Atimpoku Clinic (and the co-designer of that African dress I wore to the wedding there) and her new husband, had a beautiful Baby Girl – Elena. ❤️

And at a time in history when things in the world, and in our own personal lives, can often feel so deeply heavy, these are nice reminders that our connection with others creates a sense that … Life is Good … Life is Brutiful … (Brutal+Beautiful)

Xoxo 💗 Sheila

I won’t leave you hanging any longer (AKA I can’t wait to show this to you) because I really want to finish sharing lower Antelope Canyon up in Page, Arizona near Lake Powell.

Before I go there, I just realized that I forgot to cover 2 things in the last post that I meant to mention … The initial COVID outbreak wiped out 40% of the Elders of the Hopi tribe because the vaccinations didn’t get there in time and because many of the tribe refused the vaccines favoring their own traditional therapies. 💔 The Hopi’s are having another COVID outbreak currently and are understandably extremely COVID cautious because of it.

The second thing I forgot to mention is that when I checked into the hotel on the Hopi Reservation, for the first time in my life I was asked to sign an agreement to honor their alcohol-free policy anywhere on Hotel grounds. I’m not that big of a drinker so that was not a problem. I suspected I knew why but I asked Adam during the tour if he could shed some light on that. He said they have had such a huge problem with the repercussions of drugs and alcohol abuse that they’re trying very hard to keep their facilities chem free. Understood and honored their request.

Back to Antelope Canyon. Just like the Grand Canyon, when you approach Antelope Canyon, rather than looking up for the amazing sights, look down into the deep slice in the Earth.

This beautiful place is situated on the Navajo reservation. Our guide Brandon was a full-blooded Navajo and very proud of his heritage. His people believe that Antelope Canyon was created by their Holy People as a way of connecting nature to the spirit world. It is absolutely magnificent down there and yes it had a very strong mystical/spiritual aura.

Our tour started with a competitive Navajo hoop dancer. Today he used 5 hoops, his record was 41 hoops in his younger years (can’t we all relate to some level of simmering with age?)😘

Then after a short walk we descended into the Canyon. I thought I snapped a lot of pictures in the Grand Canyon but I’m quite sure I snapped just as many in this 90 minute tour so I’ll pare it down to my favorites.

Before I show more pictures, remember I said the Hopi’s believe they were born into this world from a deep hole in a mound in the Grand Canyon? Well if the Navajos have a similar belief, then I think I found the ‘rock vaginas’ in this canyon that Navajo’s were birthed from … 🤣

Enough cracking myself up, there were some other sights down there that Brandon pointed out which made us smile … Bruce the Shark from Finding Nemo, Hopi Chief in full Headdress and Rocky Mountain Sunrise.

Being down here at times reminded me of some of our Sci-Fi thrillers from childhood where the walls were pressing in on the Good Guys. Check out the pic of my Academy Award nominated reinactment of that.

At the end of the tour, Brandon played us a Navajo song on his flute. It was very moving, made me wonder what it would have been like to be down here for one of their actual ancestral ceremonies all those centuries ago.

Then way too soon, it was time to start heading above ground again. So we climbed some ladders, took a few last pictures, then “birthed” back into the sunlight via a modest crack in the ground.

What an experience at Antelope Canyon, like none I had ever had and will not soon forget!

After that scenic morning, spent the afternoon taking in more sights while mountain biking on the rim of the canyon overlooking Lake Powell.

And on that ride, I was gifted another rainbow … a double one this time!

After this fantastic day, went out to a nice Italian dinner in Page and had my bike seat stolen!!! Ahhhhh!!! Unbelievable, by the time I get back home, I’m going to have a completely new bike! Silver lining though, I met a wonderful guy Adam in Flagstaff the next day on my way to Sedona that was a complete angel. He got me all fixed up again. Onward, thanks Pal! Promised him a great Google Review which he did receive.

Arriving in Sedona is not only stunningly beautiful but it is believed to have multiple electromagnetic energy fields and is part of a global magnetic vortex with energies similar to those believed to be at Machu Picchu in Peru and Stonehenge in England.

The weather the first day didn’t clear until late afternoon so just did a quick hike on the Broken Arrow Trail overlooking the mesas around Sedona. Still waiting for Michael Landon to ride by. 😍 This may have been the most beautiful hike of my life, at least so far.

The second day before leaving town, I was drawn to do one more hike to Cathedral Rock. The views were worth every minute of that steep ascent.

I learned a few days later that the other energy vortexes in the area have an upward flow of energy. But the energy at Cathedral Rock flows down into the earth, which is healing for those seeking introspection and balance in their life. Hmmm, these two qualities are very important to Me. Makes Me wonder if that’s why I was drawn there? Interestingly, the Cathedral Rock vortex is considered the strongest in the area which says a lot because Sedona is believed to have several of these.

With all of these meaningful miles behind me, I was finally in Mesa, Arizona hugging my VERY special Uncle Eddie. He is my Mother’s precious baby brother and is the last survivor of the eight children of their Pouliot clan. Most importantly, I have always been very lucky to have him as my caring, connected Godfather. He and my Mother were very close when she was with us, so our two families grew up together. Now Uncle Ed and his children live in Mesa, Arizona (and one in Seattle too) so I don’t see them as often as I would like to, that’s for sure. But spending quality time for 4 days with him and my cousins over Thanksgiving is something for which I am VERY grateful. ❤️🙏🏻❤️

I hope you know that I’m also deeply grateful for all of you that have been joining me in my travels and keeping me such wonderful company. I appreciate you immensely and I wish you all a very Happy, Peaceful, Blessed Thanksgiving with your Tribes ❤️🤠❤️

Xoxo Sheila

Now that you know what a NU QWST is, can’t wait to share the views and experiences from the driver’s seat in Arizona this past week.

Driving towards the Grand Canyon, is not quite what I had expected. It’s almost ironic that the land in all directions is relatively flat as you are approaching the Grand(est) of all Canyons, with only a few mesas scattered about in the golden desert. This was unlike many of the steep climbing Canyons I’ve traveled through+over recently.

The Grand Canyon is not located in a mountainous area but rather a desert environment with a massive downward slice in the Earth-4000 ft deep × 10 miles wide on average × 277 mi long, with its deepest depth measuring in at 6,000 feet.

Once you arrive at The South Rim of the Canyon, there’s no doubt that you’ve made it because it’s an absolutely enormous, breathtaking gap.

There are endless layers upon layers of immense sandstone sculptures, mesas and cliffs within the Canyon in various shapes, sizes and colors formed by the mighty Colorado River carving thru these rock layers for almost 60 million years!

The river has carved it’s way down so deep into the Canyon that there are only a few overlooks where you can actually see the water. Have you seen the river yet in these pictures? Me neither. But finally, here it is …

The river is about 4 miles away from the South Rim of the Canyon where I was. From there, it looked like a mere brook but in reality, it is approximately 300 ft across and 85 ft deep at its maximum depth.

Hance Rapid, one of the most treacherous rapids here, drops 30 feet in a short span. Can you imagine what it would feel like going over that in a Whitewater Raft? Check out the rapid in this next picture. It’s off in the distance above the plaquard.

I only had two days in the Grand Canyon so I decided to bike part of the South Rim on the first day and hike down into the canyon on the second day.

Hermit Road is a beautiful trek which follows the rim so that was the biking route du jour. At the end there is a sweet rest stop before you turn around and bike that same stretch of road right back again to the Park Village where you started. They rent e-bikes there but I really wanted the exercise. Besides, I said it was relatively flat around here above the Canyon right? Wrong- flat when you’re driving in a vehicle to get there perhaps but there were a whole lot of ups and downs on the rim including a 6% grade (UPHILL!) right at the beginning of the ride. Luckily no e-bike riders blew past me as I panted my way up in first gear for what felt like an eternity. But alas, after a lot of ups and downs (and thankfully no more 6% uphill grades), 7 mi later I made it to the rest area at the end of that road.

Mother Nature was kind enough to carve me out a lounge chair- like boulder in the sun to rest my bike and weary legs at the turn around point of Hermit’s Rest Area. Ahhhh

But what goes up must come down so soon enough it was time to jump back in the saddle to repeat that ride in reverse and to scope out a nice spot to eat lunch. Mission accomplished.

What made this lunch even more magical is that I took ONE bite out of this apple and that created a perfect heart. I swear this really happened! (Perhaps my Mother was wrong, because if I took smaller bites, look what I would have missed!)😘

The ride down was pretty smooth. This was by far one of the prettiest bike rides I’ve ever taken.

Caught a glimpse of the Park Ranger’s Headquarters on my way ‘home’ that afternoon. The rustic architecture throughout the park is very similar to this.

Joined these fine Rangers that night for another Starry Sky constellation presentation out in one of their back fields.

The Grand Canyon, like Yosemite is a designated International Dark Sky Park. This makes for a pristine sky to star gaze that I just couldn’t resist. We were fortunate to have a clear night and once again the Milky Way was very bright and very easy to see. Turns out that the Milky Way is actually a conglomeration of the light from stars in distant galaxies that are too far away for us to see. The stars we can see in the sky are not close to us but are close enough for us to see them. The ranger used a funny analogy saying that the stars we can see in our sky, are like bugs on our windshield that we look through to see the light of the stars in the Milky Way in the distance. Whoa, Far Out Man!!

I left that dark park with all of my car parts that night. Still a bit salty about my darkness debacle at Yosemite.

Poor Tonto! Had to duct tape my broken mirror back on because the parts are on back order so I can’t get it fixed until I get home. It’s a great look, yet not!

OK, enough of that. Since Day 1 was spent exploring along the rim of the Canyon, Day two was spent hiking down into it, at least partially anyways. There are 2 popular trails that snake down the steep walls into the Grand Canyon, the Bright Angel and the Kaibab trails. Here is a view of Bright Angel from the rim. Can you see the Big letter Z?

But I wanted a different view than I had on the bike trek so I went down Kaibab instead. There were 3 Mile and 6 Mile Loop options. The 6mi longer loop went all the way down to the Colorado River. I really really wanted to do that one but the trail is incredibly steep and my right ankle ran out of cartilage years ago so going uphill causes a lot of bone on bone grinding. Youch! I can only handle so much of that while chewing Motrin like candy. So I took the shorter Loop and then hiked along a different part of the Rim of the Canyon that afternoon.

Going down …

We zigged+zagged, zigged+zagged and then did it again+again until the turn around point about an hour later.

After some rock chats with some of the other hikers, it was time to head back up. Gulp! Down was definitely easier. Stopped frequently on the way up to “take pics and check out the view” (that was a great cover for actually needing to catch some serious breath)!!

We were told if a mule passed to hug the inside rock side of the trail instead of the cliff side. Holy Cow, that seemed self-explanatory to Me because you’re damn right if a mule passed I’d be clinging to that inside rock not dangling on a cliff, in case it got spooked!

The rest of the afternoon was spent hiking the nice, flat rim up top with more beautiful views.

The only thing I could hear was the wind blowing through the Canyon and an occasional bird call as I drank in the views and the warm sun.

These are only a fraction of the pictures I took at the Grand Canyon. Everywhere you look, is like seeing another unbelievably amazing landscape oil painting.

This land is the sacred birthplace of several Native Americam Tribes, one of them being the Hopi’s. Their Legends teach that they came to this earth via a deep hole in a sacred Mound in the Grand Canyon.

Next stop Moenkopi, AZ (pronounced Mung-ko-pee) meaning place of falling water. This town is an aquifer in the heart of the the Hopi Reservation. I was lucky enough to join an all-day tour of the reservation to learn more about these beautiful people.

As we drove through the reservation, Adam Suetopka our tour guide taught us a lot about Hopi culture. He is very invested in maintaining the Hopi culture and is hence considered one of the Traditional Hopi Natives. There are other lines of the tribe that split off into different villages because they felt the best way forward was to live a less Traditional / more progressive lifestyle.

We passed through several Traditional as well as Progressive villages. They looked quite similar and reminded me of some of the villages I saw in Ghana. I do not have pictures of them because they do not want outsiders photographing them without permission. Any pictures you see here, I had been given that permission.

We visited several Native Art galleries which displayed a variety of their beautiful traditional handiwork.

One of the Artisans was a silversmith. We spent an hour in Duane’s shop (see his trailer home/studio below) watching him finish making these silver cornstalk earrings. Corn to the Hopi is life, it is their primary sustenance. The spiral on the earrings represents the arduous journey of life and the spirit of resilience.

And when he was done with his masterpieces, I bought the earrings. I loved them, not only how they looked but the symbolism they embodied. They really resonated with Me.

To me these earrings symbolize some things that I’ve been working on: being my own sustenance, my own primary source of joy+happiness, focusing on tapping into this from within rather than looking to get this primarily from others. Also working on being as kind to myself as I am to my loved ones.

I’ve never spent that much on earrings before but I think this was a win-win for Duane and for Me.

Our next stop was Coal Mine Canyon. You can see the lines of coal within the multiple layers of these rocks near the top of the canyon.

In between site visits, as Adam was driving, he shared a great deal of information about Hopi Culture that I would love to share with you.

They drive with feathers hanging from the rearview mirror for protection in their travels.

Took notes as he spoke, here is some of the other cultural info that he shared with us …

-The Hopi’s consider their land the center of the Universe. -When women are ready for marriage they signify this by wearing their hair in butterfly whirls. (It looks like Princess Leia from Star Wars). Then after they marry, from then on they wear their hair in 2 braids, one on each side of their head.
-The Hopi Tribed arrived here on this land first then came the Navajo + Apache tribes
-The Hopi Reservation is situated in and surrounded by the Navajo Reservation. Adam was not sure why the United States Government situated the 2 tribes this way but some of the Hopi’s sacred sites became situated in the Navajo reservation which continues to cause some issues between the 2 tribes
-There is a sacred shrine in Mesa Verde, Colorado in honor of their Hopi Ancestors. (Coincidentally I did visit Mesa Verde back in the early 90s when we lived in Colorado. It is an historical archeological site of Native cliff dwellings). Cool stuff!
-Old Oraibi (Or-aye-bee), one of the Hopi villages is one of the oldest most continuously inhabited communities in US. It turned 800 years old in 1987. It is up on the top of this mesa in this next pic …

As we pulled into the final stop of the tour, Adam gave us each a piece of Piki bread that the woman make from ground blue corn and cook on stones over an open fire.

It is very thin and crunchy, similar to filo dough when you make spinach pie (which I love, especially Cheryl’s delicacy). But I thought Piki kind of tasted like eating paper.😇 So when Adam wasn’t looking, I placed mine next to a hole that we just saw a jackrabbit go down. Bon Appetit Bugs Bunny.

Now if that riveting bread information didn’t capture all of your attention, you may have noticed the petroglyphs on the cliff behind my Piki bread? Petroglyphs are carving made in rock. We were in a horseshoe- shaped canyon that had many petroglyphs engraved in various sections of it. These engravings were done during the span of years from ~ 1100 – 1400 AD when tribes either briefly passed through or vacated the area after having lived there for a span of time. As they left the area, they would engrave the symbol of their tribe and stories of what life was like there for them.

Adam had some interesting stories about these symbols that have been passed down from generation to generation through modern times. I wish I could explain what he said but it would be too complicated since I can’t actually point to each of the symbols.

When the tour ended, Adam pulled me aside to share some YouTube videos with me to further my Hopi education. I was so excited as was Adam when I asked his permission to put this on the blog.

Haven’t watched these yet but if you are interested, here are the YouTube videos:

“Techqua Ikachi” (translation My land, My life) – this movie was created by Adam’s Grandfather

“Hopi Songs of the Fourth World”

After bidding my new Hopi friend farewell, it was off to Antelope Canyon near Lake Powell on the Navajo Reservation. Those pictures were absolutely magical! You may have seen one of those natural pinky-orange swirling sandstone sculptures on a Microsoft screensaver?

Here’s a quick sample but for the rest of the shots, you’re going to be left in suspense until my next post because I’m busy in Sedona so don’t have time to get that pulled together now. Stay tuned …

As for now, it is time for Calamity Jane to get some shut-eye. I’ll leave you with a sunset image from one of the hotel path lights that caught my eye …

Grand dreams from the Wild West ❤️🤗❤️

Xoxo, Sheila

After turning these two National Parks upside down, like Forrest Gump, I’ve reached the end of the road so it’s time to turn around and start heading back towards home.

But not before popping down to Irvine to have dinner with a former business associate who grew to become a friend. He said if I ever made it to CA, we’d be sharing Tequila and Tacos. Well then … knock, knock Kellen … I made it to su casa so Margarita on the Rocks no salt please😇

I had stopped in Bakersfield on my way to Irvine and the rear wheel of my bike was stolen off my car right in front of the lobby a few hours after arrival! I always lock my front wheel and bike to my bike carrier but not the rear wheel because it’s hard to get off. I’ve traveled cross country like this for 5 weeks without any problems until now. Errr!! I’m going to hope that whoever took it needed it more than I did … because that was $180 fix.

OK, back to the better part of my visit to California last weekend. These National Parks were absolutely beautiful and Ameliagh did come up to join me for the weekend for some hiking in Sequoia. I was so excited to see her and spend some quality 1:1 time together.

We had some beautiful weather which made for some wonderful strolls in the woods alongside the most massive trees we had ever seen-the famous Giant Sequoias. Now my favorite Californians might know this trivia about Giant Sequoias vs Giant Redwoods but we did not. Per the National Park Service, “The giant sequoia is the largest tree in the world in volume and has an immense trunk with very slight taper; the redwood is the world’s tallest tree and has a slender trunk.” Both trees also thrive in different climates which is why the Redwood forests are up in the Northern part of the state while the Sequoias are found primarily in central-southern California.

Without further ado, here come some of my favorite pics of these beautiful giants:

At 270′, the Lincoln tree below is the 4th largest tree in the world. It was touched by the wildfires but thankfully survived.

We are all well aware of the devastating wildfires out West especially in these last few years but forest fires out here have always been an important part of the natural regrowth cycle of these trees. Fire can clean out the underbrush providing space and nutrients for new growth.

The sequoias are usually protected from fire due to their thick, spongy bark and very high tree limbs. Unfortunately, the recent wildfires burned with such ferocity, they burned over 9500 acres of the Sequoia Groves, groves of trees that can live over 3000 years if given the chance.

Thankfully, the largest tree in the world, General Sherman, survived in all of his majesty at 275′ tall and 37′ in diameter at the base of his trunk. (I’m pretty sure our Junior year apartment in college was smaller than that!)

Once again, the pictures really don’t do justice to the enormity of these beautiful giants.

Oh and we had a good laugh wondering how dangerous it would be to be hit by one of these Sequoia pine cones, expecting that they were probably going to be about the size/weight of pineapples … only to discover this …

Underwhelming for sure!! 🤷🏼🤣

Another important landmark at the center of this park is Moro Rock. The elevation of this Granite Dome is 6725′ from the valley floor. After hiking all day in the forest, we opted to drive up to the base of Moro Rock, then climbed the 350 stairs to it’s summit. (Witty sidenote-driving instead of hiking to base of Moro Rock this weekend, reminded me of climbing Mount Washington all day in New Hampshire a few years back, just to wait in line for a pic at the summit sign BEHIND people who had taken the train up!) What??? Step aside cheaters! 🤣

On the stairs to the top of Moro Rock are some skimpy railings and low granite walls to prevent you from plummeting 245′ off of this boulder making the climb a bit dizzying at times. But the views from the top were stunning!!

These pics progress in order from heading towards Moro Rock, views from the top, then leaving at sunset.

(Make sure to check out the right side of this next pic- that is what I meant about a mere flimsy railing near the top being the only barrier between you and the several hundred foot plunge. Geesh)

View from the top 😍 … but note the smoke. Wildfires in Canada reignited back in May and there’s been a smoky haze in the sky especially noticeable to Me from Chicago all the way to California.

Dinnertime, so back to the car we go…VERY, VERY carefully!

After being treated by Ameliagh to a delicious Mexican feast and a few margaritas, we sure slept well that night.

The following day we took a much shorter hike along the Kaweah River, did a polar plunge in that glacial river then sunbathed on the warm rocks to dry off. So nice!

We bid Sequoia a grateful farewell, then Ameliagh headed south for home and I headed north to Yosemite.

I really love Acadia National Park in Maine but I dare say, I do think Yosemite is the prettiest National Park that I’ve ever seen!

On my first day there, the lodge clerk made a great suggestion that I drive up to Glacier Point because it was supposed to snow that night so the road was likely going to be closed the next day. (Turns out it was, so glad I squeaked up there). Close the road even if it only snows a few inches you ask? Heck yes!! All the roads into and in Yosemite, ESPECIALLY Glacier Point Road, have hair pin turns, steep grades, no guardrails and the road drops off thousands of feet. It was a bit scary at times even on a sunny day. This road made driving in the Colorado Rockies feel like training runs for rookies.

After the white knuckle drive to the top, the views made it all worth it!! Check out that world renowned Half Dome. It’s 8800 ft above sea level. Remember Ansel Adam’s famous photographs of this beauty? His ashes are scattered on top of this precious dome that he lovingly captured on his legendary film.

Hanging Rock up at Glacial Point was also quite impressive. It dives 6,700 ft straight down to the Yosemite Valley floor below. It’s one of those places where you can look down at soaring birds.

The snow clouds started arriving over the Peaks so it was time to Ease on Down the Road…Pronto Tonto!!

On the way down, pulled over to capture some of the fire damage in Yosemite-some caused by natural lightning strikes but some was the residual damage of those those recent unprecedented wildfires.

The second day there was spent biking the valley floor looking up, instead of down, at the Peaks which was equally as stunning😍

Here’s Half Dome from below. There is a Mirror Lake at it’s base in the spring / early summer which captures a beautiful reflection of Half Dome but it dries up in the fall.

Fortunately, I crossed a bridge and accidentally found Half Dome reflecting in the river! Hit the brakes, pulled over and waited for the sun to come out from behind a cloud to illuminate The Dome … then Voila! (No this 2nd picture below is not upside down, it is the actual reflection).

There’s another famous “rock”, a beautiful Yosemite landmark, and destination for many skilled rock climbers from around the world, El Capitan. In fact. Alex Honnold free climbed this 3000 ft rock face in June 2017. The movie Free Solo documents this journey. No ropes, no safety gear-just Alex’s superhuman strength, talent and will! Magnificent achievement and good movie.

There are several waterfalls running down the high cliff walls throughout Yosemite. They flow quite gently at this time of the year but in the summer I hear it’s quite the sight when they shoot out of the cliffs after a heavy rain. Below are Sentinel and Yosemite Falls.

It had been such an amazing day and then out of nowhere, it was sunny in the distance but the rain clouds moved in overhead with some pretty decent showers. The weather the night before said it would be 50° and sunny all day? But some hikers told me the forecast had changed that morning so it was now supposed to rain all afternoon. Bummer, now I was as far away from my car on the bike trail as possible.

I parked my bike and took shelter on a rock under a big Sequoia to see if the rain would stop. I was having a bit of a pity party about the weather and about an ongoing family issue in the background that never seems to want to resolve as hard as I’ve tried. Wiped the rain from my face, took a bite of my protein bar and looked up to see a rainbow landing in the meadow about 100 yards in front of Me! That gift from above definitely made me smile. Can you see it thru the pines? If not, got up and got an unobstructed pic of the rainbow in all of it’s magnificence in that golden meadow.

Soon thereafter, the rain did stop which was wonderful because not only did I make it back to the car in relatively dry clothes, but I had tickets that night for a Stargazing Tour in the Leidig Meadow in front of Yosemite Lodge which would be a lot more fun with a clear sky.

I thought I had seen a lot of stars soaking in my hot tub in Kbunk but this night sky was like nothing I had ever seen before. It was breathtaking! There were literally thousands of stars everywhere you looked and the Milky Way was a very obvious bright white swath. Even saw a shooting star!! 😍

Glad I had the rainbow and shooting star to carry me safely that night back down the canyon for the 1 hour drive back to my Lodge – yes on those roads that I’ve already described, in the pitch dark because they don’t have a lot of lights in Yosemite to prevent light pollution. That is such a great idea in theory, but unfortunately that night, I backed up to re-read a sign in that VERY DARK park and ripped the driver’s side mirror right off my Jeep!! 🤬 I’m pretty sure the campers heard my 3 F-bombs booming through the canyon as I slammed my fist on the steering wheel!! 😬😇

The last shots of Yosemite I wanted to share are of one of the Historic Stone Bridges and of the Conservation Heritage Center.

As you’ve now learned, California turned out to be quite costly for Me. This included fill ups at the gas pumps at over $6 a gallon! Glad it was so incredibly beautiful and (mostly) sunny + mild in Cali.

So with mixed emotions, I left the Golden State yesterday and excitedly headed towards the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon.

During that drive yesterday afternoon, had a really peaceful, liberating walk in the Mojave desert. It was another beautiful, sunny, Big Sky day and there was not a soul in sight. It was so quiet that I could literally hear wind filtering through the wings of the black crow that flew tree to tree following Me on most of my walk. (Glad it wasn’t a circling vulture like some of those old Westerns on TV).

This Crow was very chatty. I found the company comforting and amusing. It was quite curious how he followed me for so long, so I looked up the meaning of Crow Spirit Animal. Crows can symbolize prophecy, transformation, change and freedom. Tres Cool!

There were a good deal of Joshua Trees in this desert. These trees have become endangered due to development, the droughts of climate change and wildfires. Tiptoed very carefully through the desert to get these pics as to avoid meeting any of those rattlesnakes that I keep seeing on the signs.

Now since I had no one to play with out there, I thought I’d play with my shadow. In these flat areas in the land of the Big Sky, your shadow stretches about 40-50 ft near sunset. I’ve never seen that in New England.

Saw this sign during the walk. Me and My Shadow did not step foot over that property line. No need to test this theory😳

Made it to the Hoover Dam today and WOWSERS what a colossal testament to the power, creativity and ingenuity of human beings.

Prior to dam construction, the Colorado River had a long history of flooding the lowlands during high water seasons and significant drought in the dry seasons. The intention was to improve Water Management here to benefit the farmers who were struggling in these harsh conditions. This project also supported the development of several big cities in the West such as Las Vegas and Los Angeles to name just a few.

The income from the sale of the hydropower from the Hoover Dam has fully paid for the construction and ongoing maintenance of the dam. The power generated here is also an important part of the power grid out West.

During the Great Depression, thousands of men migrated to this area seeking jobs to support their families. In order to build the dam, they first had to divert the Colorado River which was an enormous engineering feat in and of itself. Then from 1931 to 1935, the Hoover dam was built. It stands 726′ high and 650′ thick at the base!! They poured concrete 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 5 years and completed the project two years early! The engineers designed a refrigeration system sending cool water through pipes in the concrete which cooled the concrete and expediated the curing process. Otherwise, it would have taken about 125 years to cure and the concrete would have been compromised by dangerous structural cracks.

Below is the original tunnel the visitors have used to tour the Dam since it’s dedication on September 30, 1935. As I said earlier, construction began here in 1931, which was the year my Mother was born. Rubbed that historic tile on my way through to connect with a piece of her lifetime ❤️

The construction, engineering and final product is absolutely unbelievable. Check out the cantilevered electrical towers appearing to hang off the cliffs. We were told by our tour guide that these tilted towers are holding the high voltage wires away from the canyon walls to prevent short circuits. (I was personally grateful that they also prevent us tourists from getting electrocuted, especially if it were raining).😇

It was a beautiful day so toured up, down, through and over the Dam as well as around the surrounding bridges + overlooks all afternoon😍

How refreshing (pun completely intended) to witness all of this clean hydropower. And during these drives, especially in the West, I’ve happily seen a good deal of wind + solar power too. Note the sea of solar panels that upon quick glance, look like a small lake at the base of these mountains. If you squint hard you can see hundreds of windmills behind that white car in the second picture. Those turbines may look small but they are massive and plentiful.

Time to call it a wrap but what kind of road trip blog would this be if I didn’t actually mention The Road itself?

Tonight I am staying on Historic Route 66, established in 1926 and decommissioned in 1985. It was one of America’s 1st highways, known in it’s heyday for being the most scenic and shortest highway from Chicago thru St Louis to Los Angeles. It was prided for bringing travelers ‘quickly’ (relative to the vehicle speed capacity in the early to mid 1900s that is) across the heartland of America. It symbolized freedom, mobility and chasing the American Dream. 

Sweet Dreams Y’all. It’s time to rest because tomorrow will be another day of getting my kicks on Route 66 … onward to the Grand Canyon 🌄

Big Love from Me and the Huge Red Rocks to all of You❤️

The Wheels on the Jeep go round and round, all through the Western towns. And all is still well on the Interstates+backroads of the Motherland. Landed in California this morning. Just diverted around Death Valley so I’m still alive!!😘

Covered a lot of ground since my last post so in between adventures, I’ve spent a good amount of time in the car and in my thoughts with all of the atrocities that are happening in the world right now. Been sending love and prayers to the shooting victims+families from that tragic day in Maine. I’m very happy that my loved ones are safe but heartbroken that so many others were not. Also sending support to all who experienced that stressful lockdown, how frightening. I’m grateful that is over and hopeful for healing for all affected by that violence.

Then there were those several weeks of the Speaker of the House drama, paralyzing our government at a time when important decisions needed to be made.

At the same time, a bit further from home, are the tragic events in Israel and Gaza while the Ukrainian War wages on.💔💔💔

This all feels very similarly to my time working in Ghana where the days were simultaneously filled with great joy and great sadness. Yet again, another experience of simultaneously processing competing opposite emotions. Doing my best to listen to enough NPR to stay informed but not too much that it becomes overwhelming. When things start feeling too heavy, it’s time for a channel change for some top of lung car singing/driver’s seat dancing/steering wheel drumming with people like Jim Croche “Rolling Me down the highway so life won’t pass Me by” or perhaps some Aerosmith “Sweeeeet Eeeeemooootions”.

It’s also very helpful during these moments to phone a friend AKA Cheryl et al. to process all of this.

Now let’s get back to filling the happy tank via the adventures … On the way to Mount Rushmore, the Prairies of South Dakota were beautiful. It really is the land of the Big Sky out here which feels so freeing to Me.

And the Badlands were like something right out of  a Sci Fi movie.

But one of my favorite sights in the Badlands was this very tiny and very brave Prairie Dog barking at this giant Bison resting on his burrow! I’m sure you can guess who won this standoff.

Still seeing lots of rattlesnake signs below but have yet to find the actual critter. Although you better believe that I stay on the trails and watch where I’m stepping.

At long last, I made it to Mount Rushmore and it did not disappoint! I found it to be quite impressive and very patriotic. Took the Presidential Walking Trail around the monument to get more up close and personal.

Ironically, Honest Abe had some words of wisdom for his beloved American people at his First Inaugural Address in 1861 that is still quite fitting today.

Thirty minutes from here is another impressive and important Monument. It is the Crazy Horse Memorial, the largest mountain carving on earth at 563′ × 461′!! (Bigger than a cruise ship and taller than a 60 story building).

Crazy Horse was a revered Lakota warrior who was known to put the needs of his people before his own. He led his warriors into battle many times in defense of their land, most notably at the Battle of Little Bighorn where he became famous for being responsible for General Custer’s Last Stand.

The monument is still under construction but below is what it will look like when finished. Crazy Horse’s left hand points across the Plains of South Dakota in reference to a quote of his when asked by a Calvary man where his land is now? He is said to have replied, “My land is where my dead lie buried”.

Korczak Ziolkowski was commissioned by the Lakota elders in 1948 to bring this Memorial to life. He passed away in 1982 but his wife Ruth and their 10 children are continuing the project. Their family line hopes to see it to completion someday. The Ziolkowski’s did not want financial assistance from our Government nor from big business because of their concern that the mission of the Memorial could be corrupted. Therefore, the Ziolkowski’s continue via the revenue generated from the site and private donations. There is a beautiful indigenous Museum and Cafe that overlooks the monument from about a 1/2 mile away. An admission fee is collected to enter this area. May I please introduce Korczak and Ruth Ziolkowski:

And here is some of the Ziolkowski’s work displayed at the museum (dueling Mustangs sculpture by Korczak) along with many beautiful artworks from various other local Native Americans:

On the way back to my hotel after that completely amazing day, I took the wildlife route so I could catch a few more Bison pics. Because second only to monkeys (and dogs), I ❤️ these big teddy bears…from a good distance that is.

After visiting all of these handsome (rocky+furry) devils, it was off to see another one, namely Devil’s Tower Monument in Wyoming. It was our Nation’s 1st National Monument and center stage for the alien landings in the 1977 classic movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

This Tower is unbelievably massive. It takes about 30 minutes to walk around the base and each side is so uniquely beautiful. There are several theories as to how the tower formed but they all agree this was caused by liquid molten rock from the Earth’s core that made its way up through the cracks in the Earth’s crust 40-50 million years ago. The molten then cooled and formed the very hard igneous rock we see today. This area was all under water when this occurred. As the water receded, the rivers wore away the softer rock+ sediment around the tower and left behind this beautiful structure.

Most importantly, Devil’s Tower is a sacred Native American site so there are private ceremonies here every June and multiple Prayer Flags tied in the trees, seen as you walk around the hiking trail at it’s base.

Onward, thankfully the rain held off until I left.

The plan was onward to Montana and the Northwest but Mother Nature had a different idea. A blizzard was coming in up there so instead I took a sharp left and headed south down into Cheyenne, Wyoming on my way to Denver.

In the end, the joke was on me because the snow went a little further south and 6″ hit Denver too while I was there!! (We lived in Denver for 7 years back in the day and I only saw flurries on Halloween once)! It all turned out well though because my 2 day visit to see my Leah turned into a 4 day visit. Back in the early 90’s I rolled a car in Vail Pass so I definitely wasn’t driving over the Rockies in the snow again by choice! Also, this gave Me some extra special time with my Leah.

I had a wonderful visit with Leah. She was five years old when we bought our house in Kennebunk, across the street from her wonderful Nortrup family. Leah grew to become one of our family, chief babysitter, ‘3rd daughter’ and lifelong friend. She became to our family what I became to the Mehlhorn family in my lifetime. I’m really looking forward to seeing my wonderful Nortrup + Mehlhorn friends during this trip in the upcoming weeks in TX and FL ❤️❤️

Leah, her beloved pooch Maggie and I squeezed in some hiking before the snow came. Then she taught Me how to make organic candles and we caught a few good movies … Killers of the Flower Moon (tragic but very important Indigenous history) and the much lighter Barbie.

By the time I finally headed over the Rockies on Monday, it was a beautiful sunny day so took the chance to “chill” in the very relaxing Iron Mountain Hot Spring in Glenwood Springs.

I met two sisters in one of the tubs that told me a local Ranger reported to them that 75% of solo cross country Travelers are women. Hmmmm, any theories on why that is? Beats me but I do know that middle-aged men don’t stay single long so how could they possibly go solo? 🤣

After a good night sleep in Grand Junction, CO it was time to leave the Rockies to travel down through the Canyons and across the Prairielands of Utah, Arizona and Nevada. These landscape pictures DO NOT do justice to the actual magnificent beauty of these areas. Everything is SO much larger and more colorful in real life. It was like driving in front of a Big Screen Movie in HD. I half expected John Wayne or better yet Michael Landon (hubba hubba) to come galloping by, tipping their cowboy hats, at any moment. I (would absolutely) Brake for Michael! 😍

One evening when I was in Utah, as I walked into a restaurant a man who saw me get out of my car, walked in behind me and said, “Wow you’re really far from home”. Well I was excited for a chat so when the hostess came back, I invited him to join me for dinner…. in fact he bought me dinner. 🥳 Stephan is a banker from Jackson Hole Wyoming. He was close to my age and had sadly lost his wife a few years back. He was on his way back from a several hundred mile hike in the Grand Canyon/Moab. We had an enjoyable dinner sharing stories about our travels. Now before anyone gets too excited, he has lived in a yurt heated by a woodstove in 6mo of snow WYOMING for 30 years … with an outhouse about 100 feet from the yurt! (Michael Landon at least had a cozy cabin with a fireplace…but I digress). I told Stephan that my sister and I are planning on skiing at Jackson Hole very soon. He asked me to swing by to say Hello. I sure will!

Yesterday I finally made it down into the desert and landed in Las Vegas. I’ve never been to Sin City (intentionally) because I was quite sure that overall I would feel it was artificial, superficial and overly indulgent. I left there this morning and realized that I was absolutely right! 😇 I’m an outdoorsy girl so this really wasn’t my cup of tea but I must admit, it was interesting to see. Walked the boardwalk for about 5 hours yesterday and drove around last night to see it all lit up in it’s signature Vegas glory.

Back into the desert I went this morning, whizzing past the tumbleweed, cacti and palm trees until my GPS said “Welcome to California”!

I’m really excited that Ameliagh is joining me this weekend to hike in Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon!!! It is supposed to be sunny and 75° so ahhhh, Life Is Good for a Mother-Daughter weekend☺️

Big love, hugs, good thoughts, and intentional prayers from the West Coast to all of You with the hope for Peace on Earth.

Xoxo Sheila 💗