Becky visited us during the Pinetown Boys’ High School winter break in late June and the first part of July.  The weather in South Africa was cold and wet, so we provided her with true contrast: record, scorching, crispy  heat and no rain, at least until the end of her trip.  The temperature was over 100F/40C degrees almost every day, and forest fires near Grand Junction, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs burned hundreds of homes and thousands of acres.

Her flight  from Durban to Denver was unpleasant, and the trip back was a either an adventure or a nightmare, but I’ll let her tell that story if she wants to.  She’s back home now, though, even though her luggage is MIA.

Here are some highlights of  her visit.

  • Becky rented a bicycle from Sunlight Sports and we took the Rio Grande Trail, a converted railroad grade, partway to Carbondale.  I was very happy when my knees didn’t hurt.  When it cools off, I may see if there are any nearby roads sans oilfield trucks to try again.
  • We took Katy, Emily and Josh to a street fair in Glenwood Springs where we were mystified by a (remarkably good) high school magician, watched a juggler, and the kids had their faces painted.
  • I took Becky on an abbreviated motorcycle ride to Meeker.  I don’t know who was more surprised at how much she enjoyed it – me or Georgia!  Our trip was shortened, though, because of road construction on the way up.  A sign read “Motorcycles Use Extreme Caution,” and I remembered how all of my friends who had crashed their cycles had done so in road construction … so we turned around and came home.
  • Becky, Terry, and Emily, Katie and Josh, went on a camping excursion not far from Grand Junction.  The next day I heard from the grandchildren that they had been eaten alive by mosquitoes (despite a liberal application of mosquito repellent) and had seen a young bear across the Colorado River.

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And the best part was that Jackie took  a couple of days off of work and joined us, so for the first time in a couple of years, we were all together again.  Jackie, Becky, Georgia and I went to the miniature golf attraction in Glenwood Springs; the owner remembered the time Becky worked for her while she was in college.  Remember Skee Ball?

Thanks, Becky and Jackie, for visiting us.  Suggestion:  Next time make sure that Greg comes too!