Still Updating

I had written the last post while we were still in Moab (obviously). During our last few days Greg was able to ride with Terry and Debbie, friends from Oregon, though he was still recovering from that flu. On Friday we went to a campground north of Grand Junction and spent the weekend there. Then back to Fruita where Greg was going to ride with Shawn from Texas. He did get to see Shawn, but the rain kept him from riding and we left on Friday morning, May 4th for Boise, Idaho to see Craig. We decided to head back to Oregon.

I knew that we would spend more than we expected, but it was unbelievable how much money gas and food sucked up. Greg was actually offered a job in Moab, and he considered it, but I think it made him realize that he doesn't want to live anywhere outside of the Northwest. We stayed at Craig's for nearly a week. He was extremely welcoming and has a lovely home. It was relaxing and rejuvinating. We left on Thursday late afternoon, stopped at a rest area near Hermiston for the night, and arrived at Jim and Charissa's before noon on Friday the 11th. It was like coming home. We are so comfortable here, hopefully not too comfortable for Jim and Charissa. I will post pictures soon, Greg put them on a disk and that makes it a little more difficult for me. I will have access to the computer and the internet now and that will help me to keep everyone updated on our progress.

April 22, 2007

It has been a long time since I’ve updated everyone. I’ll give a brief (maybe) summary. It rained nearly the whole time we were in Fruita. We left a few days before we had our reservations in Moab and went back to Rabbit Valley. The kids and I rode some as well as Greg this time. We had some cold nights, good that Greg wanted to get some warm sleeping bags. Henry said there was a thin layer of ice on the inside of his window one morning, but he wasn’t cold. We left for Moab a day early. We called to get directions for the campground and we asked if we could come a day early and he said it was no problem. Our spot was taken that night, but we moved into it the next morning. Pack Creek Campground is about 2-3 miles outside of the downtown area of Moab. It’s quiet and we have a great spot at the far end with nothing on one side. The campground is old, but clean. The showers are free and hot and the laundry is less expensive than most. There is a playground, but the kids have mostly enjoyed the creek. There is a path just across the campground road that leads down to a path that runs along the side of the creek all the way to the other side of the campground. A little wooden bridge crosses the creek and there is another camping site there. The kids all found places to make little forts in the trees. Greg has been doing the most riding ever, which was expected. The kids and I counted down the days until Jim and Charissa arrived with their kids. They came on Wednesday the 18th and it was so wonderful to visit with them again, to see the kids play together, we have missed them. Jim and Charissa have dear friends in Colorado and they came in on Friday. The men and Noah were riding Saturday morning so us women took the kids to Arches National Park, which is only a couple of miles from Moab. We had a wonderful time hiking. That night the men stayed with the kids and us three women went out to eat and visit. It was a wonderful time. When we got back, Greg had almost all the kids in bed, in fact he and Otto had gone to take a shower. Unfortunately, before I even got ready for bed Henry was complaining of a stomach ache and shortly after that we realized that a flu bug had somehow found its way into our family. Henry and Greg were miserable all night and slept most of Sunday. Jim and Charissa’s friends left fairly early that day and Jim and Charissa left shortly after 1:00PM. It was a sad moment. Olivia cried all the way back to our trailer after saying good-bye. I worked to keep my composure. Amazingly, no one was up during the next night, but as I write this there are three children, Otto, Olivia and Louis who have been throwing up all morning. It is one of the most challenging situations I have ever experienced. Louis was nervous about getting sick and I suggested he plan on it, after all, we are in such a small space that although it isn’t intentional, everyone is throwing up in the kitchen. It seems inevitable we will all have to suffer through it, though Greg told me he is praying I will be spared. It rained last night and had been raining and stormy all day, so we are all inside together. Most everyone is napping now, but we watched a movie earlier and will likely watch another before the afternoon passes. We are here until Friday and then I’m not sure where we will be going.