Discover America 2025

As I left the campground near Santa Fe, I finally saw some wildlife. The deer were out for their morning food search. The deer near my home in Virginia are very skittish and bolt when you approach them. Here, they almost seem oblivious to people and casually cross the street. The drive through the rest of New Mexico and up through Colorado was all Interstate 25, but not as boring as you might think, as the mountains on both sides of the highway are majestic, with some still being snow-capped. I also passed Colorado Springs (with views of Cheyenne Mountain) and my brother’s alma mater, the Air Force Academy. There may be no more beautiful campus setting anywhere in the country.

I needed to make good progress, for two reasons. First, my solar panel cable connection broke during my trip to Texas. I ordered a replacement from Amazon and arranged for it to be shipped to my destination in Colorado, but I also needed to purchase wiring from Lowes on the way (conveniently located in Pueblo, right off of I-25). Second, I had developed a toothache a few days earlier, so I needed to visit a dentist (Friday afternoon).

I arrived at the home of my sister, Ginny, and her husband, John, in Larkspur CO early in the afternoon and she had arranged for a dental visit, explaining to them that I was on a road trip, with little flexibility. Unfortunately, the dentist determined that I need a root canal and asked, “Where will you be on Monday?” I told him that Monday (in the middle of Utah) wasn’t feasible, and the first place with some flexibility would be next Thursday when I visit my son in San Marcos, California. He said he would find an endodontist in San Marcos and coordinate the appointment. This is the sixth minor hiccup on the trip in just the first three weeks. Someone up there is testing my resilience and persistence!

Other than that issue, I spent a wonderful two days in Larkspur, with terrific home cooked food, great company, solar panel repairs, and a comfortable bed. Their home is in a very secluded neighborhood, with lots of wildlife visiting the neighborhood, including geese, wild turkeys, deer, and bears. John advised that I needed to lock my camper and my car, as bears have apparently figured out how to open those doors to get at food. Luckily, we only saw deer, which were even more oblivious to us than those in New Mexico. On Saturday, John took the dogs and me to a very large dog park near their home which was on the edge of the mountains and right next to a horse trail complex leading up to the mountains. Great views all around. I also went on a long, casual bike ride with Ginny. Thankfully, we used electric pedal-assisted bikes, otherwise I would have never made it through her hilly neighborhood.

On Saturday night, Ginny and I went to the “early Sunday” service at their church, Saint Francis of Assisi, in nearby Castle Rock, so named because of the large rock formation in the center of the city. The church was constructed in 2011, so its architecture is very modern, and built higher up than the city, offering views of the mountains and the valley. All in all, a restful two days.

Pictures posted include the deer near Santa Fe, the church, a statue of Saint Francis outside the church (with Pike’s Peak in the background), and a picture of Castle Rock which I downloaded (again with Pike’s Peak in the background).