Leaving Home and Going Home

We are preparing the R-Pod for the return journey. It's amazing that when we sit in place for more than a few days, the shipshape travel arrangement disappears completely. After I strapped everything down, Russ drove into town to dump our tanks at the dump station maintained by the city. He also sterilized all the tanks with bleach solution. I was glad that we didn't have to empty our tanks the entire time we were here... seven weeks! While he did that, I washed all our laundry and restocked the pantry and fridge.

Last look at the kittens. They are now eating solid food.

Iris at the pond.

Russ' mom sewed some addtional masks for us

to take home to my parents. NM themed fabric!

Last week on our shopping day we drove out to Bloomfield to see the Salmon Ruins; unfortunately they were completely closed down, no trails at all. So we returned to the property by way of Navajo Dam, which was also closed to hiking. At least we got some great photos from the road.

The visitor center and the best overlook for the ruins.

You can't see anything of the ruins.

Angel peak is in the distance.

You can't see it in this picture either.

The sign looks promising.

Navajo lake from the top of the dam.

Notice the huge pile of tumbleweed in front of Russ.

Our final trip to Durango for the sin shopping was Monday. We walked the final section of the Animas River trail from Rotary Park to the Northern terminus.  Following our walk, we got take out lunch from the Animas Brewery, including take out beer in plastic cups for immediate consumption. We sat on the grassy hill in Rotary park and ate pasties with our beer. I drank the Lost Souls Lager, and Russ had the Hogsback Black.

Russ shows off the front of the Animas Brewery. 

Lunch.

I feel both sad and excited to make our way home. I made reservations where I could, but we are planning long driving days with no sightseeing on the return journey. Some states may close up again if we linger. We are returning earlier than we planned, because the city (Tacoma) is relocating our sewer main and we want to be home when they connect our side sewer to the new main. I guess this return trip starts with sewage (black tank flush) and will end with it.