A Softball Tournament

WHERE ARE WE? The Darby Ranch Windsor Colorado 

NEXT DESTINATION? West to Utah

We were out of bed at 7 am this morning which is extremely early for us.  We had good reason because Emily Darby was playing in a softball tournament today in Erie Colorado which is about 40 minutes from here.  The temp was 0c and there was frost on the windows when we left this morning.   It wasn't long and the temperature warmed up with a high in the 70's today.  We got ole yeller out on the interstate and gave her a good run.  She isn't powerful but we did get her up to 75 mph for a while.  I was not sure how she would handle the speed and she performed wonderfully.

On the way in to the ball park we could see a bunch of balloons floating in the distance in the foothills.  When we got to the park one floated over top of us.  It was what they called the Colorado.   Great way to start a day.  One day maybe I will get up in a balloon.  Fingers crossed.

We were here to see Emily play ball and the first game was already underway when we got there.  Emily is the catcher and she is about as focused as any catcher around.  She can snag those high ones and low ones and has no problem throwing someone out on second base.  Her intensity is written all over her face.  She can hit the ball as well and Nichole caught her and a foul tip on her camera.  If she had connected with that one, it would have been over the fence.

We had lots of fun at the ball park with the Darby's and they make us feel like family.  We got a few shots of the kids today.

Here is a picture of Jonathan and I for the record.  The whole family comes out to support their siblings in their activities.  

The girls played awesome baseball but came out on the short end of the bat.  They are a good group of girls and I'm sure they will be back to take the trophy next time.   On the way home we had to stop and get our AT&T wifi Mobley activated.  It is our way of keeping in wifi in the outback so it is imperative to have.

Because of visiting the AT&T store, which was off the main Interstate, we ended up going back to the MH a different way.  The new route took us right by the airforce base where the airshow was going on again today.  We got to see the Blue Angels again, only a little closer up.  I just am not good with my Iphone when it comes to taking pictures but I tried.  Its not as if they are going very slow either so good focus is a bonus.

We got home in late afternoon and spent the afternoon just lazing.  The Darby's were tied up with another baseball tournament, but when they got home, they dropped by for a nice chat.  We always like to talk with them.   They are down home people.  Our day was a good one all in all and I hope yours was the same.   We haven't moved so no new window shot to show you.

Meeting up with Friends.

WHERE ARE WE? The Darby Ranch, Windsor Colorado 

NEXT DESTINATION? West to Utah

We had a good night in the Scottsbluff Nebraska Walmart Parking lot last night and were in no hurry to get going this morning as we only had 250 kilometers to go. The sun was shining and there was very little wind so should be a good day for travelling.  Harvest in this part of the country is in full swing with lots of Sugar Beets being piled, and corn being harvested.  Some of the corn is for the seed and some is for silage.

There are lots of beautiful hills on our drive today and some more jagged formations as well.  It has a good mix of cattle country with some crop farming as well. 

We took the road less travelled again today and enjoyed just putting along about 50 mph enjoying the countryside.  We are in no real hurry to go anywhere because the weather forecast looks great for the foreseeable future.  Our goal today was to spend some time with a family that we met almost 7 years ago while boondocking in Cottonwood AZ.   I will never forget the day we saw the big motorhome pull up near us on the desert and the people started to pile out.   1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 people and a huge white dog!!  We were floored that anyone would have the patience to travel with that many in a motorhome.  Well we got to meet them, and it didn't take long to figure out they were different.  They have life figured out and family is of utmost importance to them.  We fell in love with the entire family on those few days in the desert and have kept in touch ever since.  We did visit them a couple of times since then as they have sold the motorhome and settled on to an acreage near Fort Collins Colorado.  A half hour before we got to their place we got a good view of the Rockies.  We will be travelling through them next week!!

As we got nearer their place we saw some smoke trails from jets ahead and wondered what was going on?  Sorry Sue didn't clean the windshield!!

We only had a couple miles to go and when we got to their place, they hustled us out of the MH because there was an airshow going on at the airport at Fort Collins which is only a few miles west of their house.  The Blue Angels were performing and they put on quite a show for us for about a half hour.  Its really hard to get good pictures with a phone but we tried.  Although the pictures don't show it, we could see the blue and yellow of the aircraft as they turned out over us to do another pass down the showline.  The sound was incredible.

Tonight the Darbys were having a movie under the stars.   They have a big screen built and they invite people to enjoy outdoor movies with them.  Tonight they have invited the 18u Royals Softball Team to join them for the event.  They serve food and sell Royals stuff as a bit of a fundraiser for the team.  The Darby's have started and built a few baseball teams under the Royals name and they go to all kinds of tournaments.  Dave and Julie, and now their family, are born to mentor.  They do it for a living as well with lots of online mentoring.  They are very caring and do a wonderful job of what they do.  The movie was supposed to be outside but it was a bit chilly tonight so we all moved into their shop/barn.  

They had some games, painted some pumpkins, and honored their players and retiring players before the movie.  

Dave and two of his daughters, Lauren and Nichole.  Dave is a man of deep thoughts and emotions and enjoys encouraging everyone as much as he can.  Here he is honoring his daughters for their devotion to the club and the game.

Dave and Julie and a couple of the coaches.

Here is Nichole receiving her home plate on her retirement from the team.  

And 3 of their 4 daughters posed with their painted pumpkins.   Nichole, Lauren, and Olivia.

Way back when we first met the family, we fell in love instantly with the two youngest of the family.  They were hmmm I'm gonna say 8 and 10 years old.  They have grown and yes they still have a special spot in our hearts.  Emily and Olivia posed for a picture tonight.

I don't even know the name of the movie we had, but it was about women playing baseball back in the 40's when the guys went to war!!!   I did stay awake for the entire thing which is something for me!!

We will be watching Emily play ball tomorrow in a tournament, so there will be lots more about her.  I will also get some pictures of Jonathan as well.  One of the things that are important to the Darby's is the fact that there are no free rides in life.  You need to work for what you want and work hard.  They recognize that everyone has different goals, but there must be a goal, and you need to do whatever it takes to get there.  I think this picture sums up something that a lot of the world in now lacking.  These medals were earned!!!

Well we are parked up in their yard for a couple days while we enjoy being a part of all of the activities that are happening this weekend.  Like I said a ball tournament tomorrow and then we will either play more ball on Sunday or just chill in their yard or both!!

They have a beautiful yard and we are parked over behind the house.

The view from our window tonight is of the Darby's back yard where we are parked.  I hope you had another fantastic day.  We did!

Heading South Again

WHERE ARE WE? Scottsbluff, Nebraska Walmart 

NEXT DESTINATION? Fort Collins Colorado Country

We had a nice drive yesterday.  We got off the beaten path again and took the road less travelled.  If you are a rancher you would love this drive.  Miles and miles of open grassland with some badlands type hills in the background.  Kinda John Wayne country.   There are cows and buffalo all along the route. 418 kilometers was the total trip.

The first part of our trip along I-90 had some tell tale signs of the high winds we had yesterday.  We are glad we didn't decide to travel in the wind.  In the first picture it looks like the truck may have escaped because it was gone with only the trailer in the ditch, and the tracks look like the truck drove away.  The second guy was not so lucky but I'm thinking it was like slow motion.  Both incidents were unfortunate.

We did a quick stop in Rapid City SD at the AT&T store and this snow bank was in the parking lot.  Although there was snow, it was actually a nice day.  We did encounter some snow in the ditches all the way to Scottsbluff Nebraska.  

We arrived about 3:30 pm, just in time for a nap.   We found a place way in the back of Walmart and will spend the night here.

For what its worth, here is the view out our window tonight.  Walmarts are great places to spend the night if you have shopping to do and we did.  Just don't expect much for scenery!!

Although we love to have you follow our adventures, don't forget to live your dream.   

Into Everyones Life a Little Rain must Fall, and Wind lots and lots of Wind!!

WHERE ARE WE? Boondocking on the "Wall" close to Wall SD 

NEXT DESTINATION? A Ball Game or 2 near Fort Collins Colorado

Well we were told it was going to be windy today but we didn't pay attention to how windy!!  Remember we were parked within 15 feet of a cliff in the badlands and when the wind started to pick up overnight from 20 to 30 to 40 mph we had a hard time sleeping.  To top it off the wind was hitting us square in the side so the rock and roll started happening.  One always thinks of the worst outcomes while laying in bed worrying, and I'm not sure how many times I played the scenario of us rolling the 300 or so feet to the bottom.  First light of dawn I was up and low and behold the situation was not as critical as I had imagined.  We were still upright and holding up quite well.  I got my coffee and sat for a while working out a plan.  Do we move on down the road today?  Nope because nobody wants to drive a square bus in winds that are now gusting to 70 mph!!   So we will be staying put.  But not before firing up the MH and moving away from the cliff and facing it directly into the wind.  We also put in the slides and the rock and roll quit and we felt quite safe.  If you remember, on day one of our trip we lost one of our bedroom windows and I taped a garbage bag over it.  I had to redo our window plastic after it started ripping overnight.  That was quite a performance but the whole process was accomplished from inside the MH.  The wind howled all day and it rained off and on but we were able to relax and even had a couple naps.  We couldn't go anywhere because we could not open the door because of the wind.  I even had time to play some poker on line.  I wished it was real because I made about 5 million dollars this afternoon!!

The rain subsided mid afternoon but the wind continued to blow until about 9 pm.  The sunset cast a neat yellow colour across the grasslands we are parked on.  There are not many other campers left here on the wall.  What a bunch of chickens!!!!

We got to see a watery sunset, made some supper, watched some TV and hit the sack.  The wind has subsided so sleeping will be easier tonight.  We are moving tomorrow so we need a good sleep to be at our best.

No stories tonight, just a couple of things I saw on the internet today.  They must be true because it was on the internet and verified by science.

Hope everyone had a great day!!  Ours was!