Secrets 2: Looking Through Different Eyes - 49. Chapter 49 S2

Chapter 49 – Flying High

As Dad was driving to our next destination, I asked a question. “What is the name of the place we’re going to?”

“That’s right, I didn’t tell you that, did I? We’re heading to Pagosa Hot Springs.”

“Do they really have hot springs there that we can soak or swim in?” Devin wanted to know.

“Yes, they do, and we’ll have a chance to try them out before we leave there, because I reserved rooms at the ‘Healing Waters Resort & Spa’.”

“Great, I can’t wait to try that.”

Dad said It would be a two-hour drive to get there, so Devin and I had plenty of time to chill, listen to our music, and even play video games on our phones before we arrived. When we finally reached the resort, we discovered it was a fairly modern and nice-looking place that appeared to be fairly well-maintained, so we all got out and went inside to check in.

“Welcome to Healing Waters Resort & Spa,” the lady behind the counter greeted us. “How may I assist you?”

“I made a reservation for two rooms under the name of MacPherson,” Dad said.

“Ah, yes. I have it right here. You and your wife will be in Room 8, the King Suite, and the boys will be right next door in Room 7. It’s one of our suites with a Queen size bed.” She then handed us the keys to our suites, not key cards. “The rooms are all non-smoking and you’ll have access to the hot spring pools 24 hours a day while you’re here, but there will be no lifeguard on duty, since this is technically still our off-season. That means you’re also getting our off-season discount price on the suites. Even though we’re open all year round, our primary season doesn’t start until the Saturday before Memorial Day and then runs until the Saturday after Labor Day. We have a second primary season that runs from the Saturday before Thanksgiving until the Saturday after New Year’s Day .”

“We appreciate the information, as well as the discounts,” Dad replied, and we all knew he appreciated the discount more.

“Will you require anything special during your stay or do you need any additional information about the local area?”

“Not at the moment, other than for you to tell us how to get to our rooms.”

“Both suites are located on the ground floor and there is an outside entrance to each of the suites. After I tell you how to get there, you may want to pull your vehicle up in front of your suites to unload. You’ll also notice that across from your suites there’s a grassy patio area with a large shade tree, and you may choose to use that area to relax and enjoy the nicer weather or if you have the urge to smoke.” And then she told us how to get to our suites.

“Thank you,” Dad replied, and while he went to move the SUV, the rest of us walked to our rooms. There was a covered walkway between the lobby and the outside entrances to all of the rooms on the first level, and along the way we passed an enclosed area with some vending machines. One appeared to contain snacks, another sold cups of coffee and hot chocolate, and a third sold soda and juices. There was also an ice machine with a scoop.

Upon reaching our suites, we unlocked the doors and went inside. Devin’s and my suite was quite impressive and consisted of two rooms. The primary area contained a sofa and matching arm chair, a coffee table and a flat-screen TV that was hanging on the wall across from the sofa. There was also a separate kitchenette that had a microwave, mini fridge, and a breakfast bar, although I don’t think we’ll be needing those things during our stay.

The other room was the bedroom, and the bedspread on the queen-size bed had a southwestern theme. There were three sections with three black mustangs running across it, and those sections were separated by other rows featuring patterns that Native Americans in the southwest often use when weaving blankets. There was another TV on the wall that we could watch while lying in bed and a private bathroom. Inside, there was a large mirror above the sink and a separate shower stall that we’d use as soon as we retrieved our duffle bags.

After we’d checked out our suite, we went over to see what Mom and Dad’s suite was like. It was much larger than ours, while basically laid out the same and contained similar furnishings. They also had a king-size bed with a different style southwestern themed bedspread, and their bathroom had a slightly larger shower stall.

“How is your room?” Dad asked after we’d looked around.

“It’s fine and pretty much like this one, only slightly smaller.”

“Great, so let’s go outside and get our luggage, and then we’ll all take a shower and change before we do anything else. After that you can walk around outside, watch tv and relax in your room, or do whatever else you might want to until around 6:00, because that’s when we’ll all go out for supper.”

“Why are we going to eat so early?” Devin asked.

“It’s so we can get up early tomorrow morning, because we have to be at the location that I made reservations for by 7:00. We don’t want to be late, or we might end up missing out on the fun, so you’d better set your alarms for 5:30 tomorrow morning before you forget.”

“Great!” Devin enthused. “Are we going to eat breakfast before we go up in the hot air balloon?”

“No, because it will be before most places are open, but it will still be fairly early by the time we’re done, so we’ll find somewhere to eat after we’re back on the ground.”

Dad, Devin, and I then headed outside to retrieve our things. Devin and I grabbed our duffle bags, but we left the backpacks where they were, and then I made a comment to Dad before we entered our suite.

“We’ll see you in a couple of hours then,” and he merely nodded in response.

Once we were in our suite, Devin waited until we’d both set our duffle bags down before he wrapped his arms around my chest, gave me a hug, and planted a very passion kiss on my lips.

“I think Pa was thinking we might want to have sex before supper,” he stated with a grin after he released me.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I believe that’s what he meant when he added ‘or whatever else you want to do’ when he was suggesting what we could do until we met up with them to go out and eat.”

“I guess that’s possible, but he might have just said that so we didn’t feel we had to do the other things he’d suggested.”

“Do you really think he was expecting us to do exactly what he said before that?”

“No, I guess not, so you might be right.”

Now that we agreed, we started getting undressed so we could take a shower and change. The cool water felt refreshing as it cascaded down our bodies, and after a few seconds we began to lather each other up. We not only washed each other’s bodies, but we conducted a little sensual exploration as well.

As soon as we were clean, we got out and dried off, and then we went into the bedroom to put on some clean clothes. As soon as we were dressed, we went outside to explore the grassy patio area that the lady had told us about as we were checking in.

It was located on the other side of the area where dad had parked the SUV, and it was completely surround by a wooden rail fence that had openings where we could enter the area. Each of those locations had a cement pad that extended on both the front and back of the opening. We assumed it was to prevent wearing that area down to the bare dirt and becoming muddy when it rained, due to the heavier traffic. It would also prevent the dirt or mud from getting carried into the rooms on the various footwear of the guests.

After Devin and I walked through the opening closest to our suite, we followed the cement walkway that led to the right side of the large shade tree. As we moved along it, we spotted several additional objects, and on our left were two wooden Adirondack chairs with a small wooden table in between. It was obviously an area where two people might sit and talk, possibly while sipping a glass of wine, or they could also use the table to have a meal, play cards, or have a game of chess.

On the right side of the walkway, were two large flower pots and each was filled with large yellow sunflowers and an assortment of pink and red petunias below them. One of the flower pots appeared to have once been a large wooden wash tub, while the other was made from a large wooden barrel with the top section removed. Presumably, both of the flower pots had been treated with a preservative to keep them from rotting out.

The walkway eventually led past those objects until it reached a large rectangular cement slab on which sat two picnic tables. On the other end of the slab was a kettle style charcoal grill that guests could use if they wanted to have a cookout. This led us around to the other side of the shade tree where we discovered many more items of interest.

Looking to our left, past the shade tree and to the left of the other opening in the wooden fence, we spotted two wheelbarrows that had been converted into flower beds. One was sprouting pink coral bells and red and orange begonias, while the other wheelbarrow contained burgundy coleus and white hostas. I recognized the flowers, because grandma MacPherson used to plant all of those same flowers in her flower garden before they moved away.

To the right of those objects were two straight-back wooden arm chairs, and closer to us, just off the edge of the cement slab was a four-piece grouping of wooden patio furniture. There were two arm chairs, a loveseat, and a coffee table, all painted white, and the chairs and loveseat had well-padded beige cushions. Beyond those items were five wooden lounge chairs arranged in an arc, and each had two separate pads. One of the pads covered the area where you’d sit, while the other rested against the upraised rear section of the lounge so you could lean your back against it. Any guest could use the lounges to take a nap in the fresh air or read a book, or you could move one into the sun in order to work on your tan.

Other than the cement at the second opening, there was no cement walkway on this side of the shade tree. The entire area, except for a small section where the charcoal grill set, was all covered in a green carpet of grass. And along the base of the wooden fence as it ran around that area were located rectangular wooden flower boxes, each filled with a different assortment of flowers. And interspersed between those lengthy flower boxes were small, white benches just big enough for two people sit on.

The entire patio area was well laid out and very inviting, so Devin and I decided to sit on the beige cushions of the loveseat and chat, as we enjoyed the lovely afternoon. We also kept an eye on our phones so we’d know when it was time to meet up with my parents.

After whiling away the time discussing the things we’d done on this trip so far and imagining what we might see and do at the Southern Ute Museum and Mesa Verde National Park, we noticed the time. It was 5:50, so we walked over and knocked on the door of my parents’ suite.

“You’re early,” Dad said as he opened it, “but we’re not quite ready. Your mother is still in the bathroom putting on her makeup and fixing her hair, but she should be out shortly,”

Since I was well aware of how long that might take, I urged Devin to follow me as I walked over and sat down on the sofa. About ten minutes later, we heard the bedroom door open and Mom’s voice boomed out through the opening. “Did you call the boys and see if their ready?”

“I didn’t have to. They showed up early and have been out here waiting for you.”

“Oh, I’ll be right out.” A few seconds later she rushed into the room and spoke. “I’m sorry that I held the rest of you up, but I’m all set now, so let’s go out and get in the SUV. I looked up a nice place for us to eat.”

“Ok, but I’m paying,” Devin announced. “I talked to my dad while we were getting ready to go to the wine tasting, and he told me that he put quite a bit of extra money in my account so I could pay for some of the things we were doing. He doesn’t want you to have to pay for everything, so I’m also going to pay for supper and more of the things we do during the rest of the trip.”

“Aaron didn’t have to do that and you don’t have to pay for our meals or anything else,” Dad responded.

“I know I don’t have to, but I want to, so I’ll take the check when it’s brought to the table.”

“Ok, if you’re sure that’s what you want to do.”

We ended up at the Alley House Grille, which had a nice laidback atmosphere. It also had a decent menu, although a little pricey, so I whispered to Devin. “Are you sure you want to do this. This place isn’t exactly cheap?”

“I know, but my dad and I don’t want Pa to have to pay for everything, so I’m paying for this.” That was fine with me, and I was convinced that Dad was happy that Devin had volunteered to pay, especially after seeing the prices on the menu.

“Ma and Pa, you can order a cocktail before we eat, if you want.”

“No, I don’t think that will be necessary,” Mom responded.

“Ok, then do you think we should start with a salad or something else?”

“A salad will be fine,” my parents agreed.”

“Ok, then you can choose whichever salad you want, and while they’re preparing those it will give us time to look over the rest of the menu.”

When the server arrived, we all ordered one of the five salads listed on the menu and something to drink. Dad ordered a beer, while Mom opted for coffee, and Devin and I both requested an ice tea. When the server returned with those items, we ordered our meals. Devin talked me into getting the same thing he was having, a Filet Mignon, while Dad chose the Grilled Elk Tenderloin and Mom ordered the Prime Beef Bolognese.

We chatted throughout the meal, and after we finished eating our entrees, Devin talked us into ordering desserts as well. Mom wanted to skip dessert, but Devin insisted, and Mom made a face when Dad ordered the Raspberry Chocolate Cake. She chose the Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée, and Devin and I selected the Blackberry Cheesecake.

Everything we had was delicious and the presentation was wonderful, but that was expected, considering the prices they were charging. By the time we finished, we were all stuffed and had to waddle out of the restaurant, and once we were in the SUV, my parents and I thanked Devin for treating us.

“Hey, that was nothing, considering what you’ve done for me on this trip and on the other trips you’ve taken me with you!” he replied.

As we were pulling up in front of our rooms, I noticed it was only 7:30, and as we were getting out of the SUV, Mom spoke. “Why don’t we make ourselves comfortable in the patio area and enjoy the lovely evening for a while?”

“I’d rather change into my swimsuit and soak in the hot springs pool instead,” Devin countered.

“That’s a wonderful idea!” Dad replied, and Mom reluctantly agreed. “It should also help to relieve the bloating feeling we’re probably all feeling and it will relax us so we’ll be able to fall asleep when we turn in. I hope you already set your alarm for 5:30.”

“Yes, I did that shortly after you first told me to do it,” I replied.

Since we were all eager to do this, well mostly all of us, we went to our rooms to put on our swimsuits and grab a towel before we met up again. We then made our way to one of the smaller pools, and after taking off our footwear and placing our towels on a nearby bench, we slipped into the inviting water.

“This is nice,” Devin said after a couple of minutes.

“Yes, it’s very relaxing,” Dad concurred.

After remaining in the water for about 40 minutes, we all agreed it was time to get out and dry off, and Devin asked a question while he was doing this. “Are we supposed to shower again before we go to bed.”

“No, it’s better if you don’t and allow the minerals from the hot springs to absorb into your skin,” Dad answered.

“Ok, I’m glad I asked.”

We then headed back to our rooms to perform our nightly rituals and get some sleep. “We’ll see you boys first thing in the morning,” Dad said as we parted ways.

“And don’t forget to put your phone on the nightstand so you’ll hear it when it goes off,” Mom added.

“Like you forget that we’re grown up and don’t need a mother hen any longer?” I teased, and after noting her reaction I continued. “We really appreciate all you do for us, but we’re old enough to do some things on our own without you checking on us.”

“Ok, then I won’t call in the morning to make sure you’re up,” she replied, slightly irked, “but it will be your fault if you make us late.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be there on time,” I said as Devin and I were entering our suite. We then took off our swimsuits, made sure we were dry, and went to the toilet before brushing our teeth. When we came out of the bathroom, we put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before climbing into bed. Devin then spooned up behind me and wrapped an arm over my side, and we quickly fell asleep.

To my utter surprise, Mom didn’t call in the morning to see if Devin and I were up and getting ready, but Dad called to tell us something that he’d forgotten to mention the night before.

“The company in charge of the balloon flight had a notice on their site that suggested we dress in layers before doing this. The message stated that it will be cooler when we arrive at the preparation site and the air will also get cooler as the balloon rises. If it will be easier, you can just put on a pair of sweatpants over your shorts, or can wear jeans instead and bring your shorts with you so you can change in the SUV later. And wear a light jacket or sweatshirt that you can take off as the day warms up. Oh, and if it happens to come up, we’ve all signed our liability release forms, because I forged your signatures to your forms, since I didn’t think you’d mind.”

“Nah, that’s fine, Dad, but thanks for the alert.”

When we arrived at the assembly area, we watched in awe as the crew unloaded the totally deflated balloon, which resembled a long stack of folded sheets. They then asked for volunteers to help unfold and spread it out, and then they used a very powerful fan to blow air into it. It took a while for the balloon to fill up with enough air to open the mouth sufficiently so the crew could walk inside and pull out the ropes they had stored there when packing it up after their last flight.

As they pulled the ropes out, they connected them to a very long and high wicker basket that was laying on its side and had been unloaded after the balloon was spread out on the ground. Once the ropes were secure, they ignited a powerful burner that was attached to the basket, and would also be used during the flight, to heat up the air inside the balloon.

I was in awe of the length of the flame that shot out of the burner and began heating up the air inside until the balloon reached buoyancy. This just means that the balloon began to rise into the air, and as it rose above the basket it pulled it off of its side, so the base of the basket was resting on the ground.

Watching the entire process was really interesting, and while the crew prevented the balloon from lifting off the ground, we were greeted by the person in charge.

“Good morning. My name is Austin and I’ll be your pilot for this flight. My job is similar to being a pilot on an airplane, because as pilot I will be in charge of controlling the burner that determines how high the balloon rises. And later, I’ll also be responsible for adjusting and controlling the balloon’s descent for the landing. While I’m doing those things, my business partner, Mike,” who raised his arm and waved so we’d know who he was, “will be leading the ground crew. I’d now like any of you that have flown in a hot air balloon before to please raise your hand.” Only two hands shot into the air, and then Austin continued.

“Ok, since most of you are new to this, I’ll begin by explaining a few basic facts. There are three main parts of a hot air balloon and the first is the basket, which can also be referred to as a gondola. The second is the envelope, which you see hovering above us in the air, and the third is the burner system, which I will use to heat the air inside the envelope to determine how high we go.

“Now I’ll tell you more about the gondola and the boarding procedure. If you come over and take a closer look, you’ll see that the gondola is divided into three sections. The two sections at either end are where you will be riding, and those areas are able to accommodate a total of 10 to 12 people, half on either end. The center compartment is where I will be located and it contains everything that I need to control the flight. Any questions?”

There weren’t any, so he informed us about the safety rules next, and then he finished up by explaining how we were to load into the gondola. “At various locations on the passengers’ compartment of the gondola you will find there are reinforced foot holes in the side. All you have to do to get into the basket is to place one of your feet into the openings, grab ahold of the top of the basket, and as you push yourself upward, you’ll be able to lift your other leg over the side. Just be courteous and take turns as you’re doing this.”

When it was our turn, Dad climbed into the basket first, and then Devin and I helped to steady Mom and give her a little boost as Dad supported her on the other side, and then we followed. After everyone was in the gondola, the pilot hit the burner and the balloon began to slowly lift off the ground.

In a way, this reminded me of when I was first learning how to fly as a bird. I remember a similar feeling as I rose into the air and looked down at the ground, but I didn’t fly very high for fear of falling. Over time, I continued gaining confidence and finally summoned up the courage to fly higher and higher, until I was able to soar like an eagle.

Mom was actually pretty good about handling her fear of heights as we ascended into the air. However, occasionally I would hear Dad telling her that she didn’t have to squeeze his arm so tightly, because she was beginning to cut off the circulation. Mom eventually got up the courage to release Dad’s arm and merely hold onto the edge of the basket instead, and that’s when she started looking around and enjoying the sights.

“I’ve flown in planes before, but this is totally different. In a plane I was only able to look out the window next to my seat and stare down at the earth from thousands of feet in the air. I never looked out the window during takeoff and landing, though, since I was too scared. Doing this is totally different, however, because I can look around in any direction and see things on the ground more clearly.”

”Yes, the view is spectacular,” I agreed.

“I’ve never seen the trees and other vegetation from this angle before,” Mom continued, “or how the birds will fly close by, while at the same time giving us a wide berth. Look, I see a whole bunch of deer and other animals down there as well, and since we’re high above them and not making any noise, they aren’t running away in fear.”

“And neither are you,” Dad joked.

“At least until that mountain lion gets a little closer to that herd of deer,” Devin pointed out. “I believe it’s looking for its next meal.”

Throughout the flight, Devin and I were busy using our phones to take videos of this experience, while also concentrating to make sure that we didn’t drop our phones. If we did, not only would they smash on contact with the ground after falling from this height, but even if they didn’t, I doubt we’d ever be able to find them again.

At one point during the flight, I spotted something running along on the ground, so I nudged Devin and pointed it out to him. “What do you think that is?” I whispered.

“I’m not sure. It’s large like a bear, but the shape of its head reminds me more of a wolf, but wolves aren’t that big. The trouble is, its fur isn’t the color of either one, unless of course it has a disease, such as mange. If that’s the case, it would cause whatever it is to lose hair and for scabs and lesions to form on its skin, and that might explain why its fur appears to be a different color than either a bear or a wolf.”

“What causes mange? I know I’ve heard about it before, but I just can’t remember what causes it.”

“It’s caused by parasitic mites and sometimes humans can pick it up as well, if they’re around an animal that has mange. That’s because the mites can go from one body to the other when they came into contact.”

“Ah, I understand, and thanks for reminding me about that.”

While we’d been chatting, I was also making a video of what we were seeing. I was hoping that if I transferred the video onto my laptop later that the larger screen might help us identify what type of animal that was. Maybe it was just a large feral dog with mange or one that had an unusual coloring in its fur.

About twenty minutes into the flight, the pilot addressed us. “This morning the wind has been blowing in a slightly different direction than is normal, so it has pushed us away from the course we usually follow on these outings. It shouldn’t be a problem, though, and I’m sure the drivers of the retrieval van and the SUV with the ground crew will be able to follow our path and meet us when we land.”

We floated above the surrounding landscape, like a Mylar balloon that someone lost control of, except our balloon wasn’t filled with helium and our pilot had to keep igniting the burner to keep us aloft. After an hour, the pilot decided it was time to land and sought out a good spot to set down. Once he located a suitable area, he gradually began tugging on the parachute valve to release the hot air from the balloon. The parachute valve controls a flap that is located at the top of the envelope and is able to open and close, and we started drifting lower and lower. As we approached the ground, the pilot made another announcement.

“I’m going to use a touch-and-go maneuver to slow us down and our first contact with the ground will feel like you just jumped off a kitchen stool, so just be prepared and hold onto the side of the gondola.”

It was a slightly bumpy landing, but it wasn’t enough to frighten or panic anyone, not even my mom. She probably would have reacted differently, though, if the pilot hadn’t warned us in advance, or if Dad and I hadn’t been using our free hand to hold onto her.

“Now that’s what I call a successful landing,” the pilot stated as the balloon finally came to a stop. He also pulled on the parachute valve and opened a flap to release more air out of the envelope, and then he used ballast materials to keep the balloon from lifting off the ground again. While this was taking place, he instructed everyone to stay in the gondola until the ground crew arrived and we could safely exit the basket.

When the two vehicles eventually reached our location, I noticed that the ground crew leader, Mike, was driving the passenger van. The rest of the crew was in a 4-door SUV that was pulling an enclosed trailer. As soon as their vehicle came to a stop, they immediately jumped into action and rushed over to hold on to the four corners and center section of the gondola so we could climb out.

Dad exited first again, the same as when we boarded the gondola, and then Devin and I steadied Mom to make sure she didn’t lose her balance and fall backward. Dad was on the other side to assist her as she climbed down, and then Devin and I followed suit. As soon as our feet hit the ground, we took off our jackets, because it was starting to warm up. Since we didn’t have any convenient way to carry them, we tied the sleeves of our jackets around our waists and let the rest of the jacket hang down over our butts.

Once everyone was out of the gondola, the pilot announced a little surprise. “We have a special closing ceremony that we perform after every flight. It’s a carryover from the earliest days of ballooning in France, and we’ll celebrate our safe journey with a champagne toast. The ground crew will be going around and giving each of you a plastic cup that is only half full, but please don’t drink it until I’ve had a chance to make a toast.”

As the members of the ground crew made their way around to each of us, they did it in pairs. One would carry a bottle of champagne and the other held a stack of small plastic cups. After we each had our portion, the pilot raised his cup in the air and spoke.

“Here’s to sunny days, fair winds, and safe landings,” and then the rest of us responded, “Hear, hear,” as we held our cups into the air as well, and then we all drank the champagne.

“I opened the parachute valve earlier and released most of the air, but I left a bubble of air in the envelope so you’ll be able to take photos of yourself or each other as you sit or stand in front of the opening. All we ask is that you be patient and don’t interfere with any of the others during this process, but please do it quickly when it’s your turn to ensure that everyone has a chance to capture a lasting memory.”

As soon as we’d all had a chance to take a photo or two, the crew began unhooking the ropes from the gondola and storing them inside the envelope. Once that had been taken care of, the pilot opened the parachute valve again to allow the rest of the air to exit. As soon as most of the remaining air was out of the envelope, the ground crew used a device, which I later learned was called a “Squeeze EZ Patented Balloon Deflation Aid”, to completely deflate the envelope.

After that had occurred, some of us were asked to assist the crew as they began folding the envelope so they could pack it in its case until the next time it was needed. They then asked us to help carry the case with the envelope and the gondola as they placed them into the trailer behind the SUV. After that had been taken care of, the rest of us got in the passenger van for the ride back to the launch point.

“That was more fun and less scary than I thought it would be,” Mom said during the ride back in the van.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Dad responded, “but now I have to scrape up enough money to pay for the massage therapist to restore the circulation in my arm and get it functioning properly again.” That was when Mom punched him in the shoulder, but fortunately it was in the other arm this time.

When we arrived at the place where we’d parked the SUV, we exited the van, and then Dad walked away from us and headed over to speak with the pilot. When he reached him, he handed Austin some cash before he spoke. “This is for you and your crew, as a thank you for a wonderful and safe experience.”

“Thank you, sir, and I’m certain the crew will enjoy receiving their share of this. I’m also pleased that your wife began to relax once we got in the air, because there’s nothing more frightening to a pilot than a passenger that might panic and do something foolish.”

“We wouldn’t have brought her along if I thought the boys and I couldn’t keep her calm and prevent something like that from happening.”

As soon as he returned and we were all in the SUV, Dad asked a question. “It’s 10:30, so what would you say about finding a place to have brunch, because that way you can have either breakfast or lunch?”

“Or both,” Devin quickly added, “because I’m paying for this too.”

“You really don’t have to,” Dad countered sincerely.

“I know, but I want to. Besides, it my dad’s money,” he added and then chuckled.

“Fine, and I asked Austin if he knew of a good restaurant to have brunch and he suggested a place called The Rose. I’ll bring it up on the GPS and we’ll be on our way.”

When we arrived there, Mom went with a traditional breakfast and had a Mushroom & Swiss omelet, rye toast, and coffee. Dad, on the other hand, ordered a Double Green Chile Cheeseburger that came with fries, and he also ordered a coffee. After talking it over, Devin and I each ordered two scrambled eggs, an 8 inch (20 cm) Belgian Waffle, and a Bacon Cheeseburger and a Coke.

“If you boys keep eating like that you’re going to end up looking like your dad.” Mom stated after the server left the table.

“My dad doesn’t look so bad for his age,” Devin quipped back.

“I’m talking about your Pa, Mickey’s dad,” she clarified as she glared at her husband. “He could have ordered something sensible and healthy, but no, he ordered the biggest burger on the menu.”

“Give me a break,” Dad responded. “We’re on vacation and suppose to be enjoying ourselves.”

“But it doesn’t mean you have to eat like a pig. You’ll have to do a lot more walking to counter the effect that meal will have on your body.”

“We’ve done quite a bit of walking already and there are more places we’ll be going to where we’ll do a lot more walking.”

I thought it best to change the subject, so I asked a question. “What are we going to do after we finish eating?”

“We’re going to go back to the resort, because I thought you and Devin might like to swim in the hot spring pool this time, while your mother and I relax in the smaller pool we were in last night.”

“Ok, that’s cool, so is that all we’re going to do for the rest of the day?”

“Yes, and then we’ll turn in early again. We’ll be getting up early as well, so we can hit the road and head to our next destination. This time I’m even going to give you boys a choice about where we go next.”

“Great! So, what are the options?” Devin asked.

“We can either do things around Durango, or we can go to Mesa Verde instead, or we can do both.”

“How far away from here are those places?”

“That depends. There are a lot of different things to do all around Durango, but that covers a large area and some of those places aren’t close by to one another. That means there will be different driving times, depending on what you want to do, and the drives will range from one hour to two and a half hours.”

“What about the drive to Mesa Verde?”

“That drive will take roughly two and a half hours as well.”

“Ok, so what types of things are there to do around Durango?” I followed.

“Well, for one thing we, can take a round trip on the Durango & Silverton narrow-gauge railroad that travels through southwest Colorado’s San Juan National Forest.”

“We’ve already taken a train ride on this trip, so what else is there to do?” Devin asked.

“Well, we could take a ride on the Inferno Mountain Coaster at Purgatory. That’s a mile long coaster that winds its way through the trees while providing an unbeatable view of the mountainside, at least according to what I read online. And to make sure your mother will do it with us, I found out that each person will be able to control the speed of their coaster, since this is done individually.”

“That sounds more like it! So, what else is there to do?”

“Well, we could visit the Southern Ute Museum where we can view the Circle of Life ceiling.”

“Does that mean the Southern Ute Reservation is around here?”

“Yes, in fact the museum is located on the reservation.”

“Neat, I want to do that too.”

Dad then told us about a few other places we could visit, but they didn’t sound as interesting, so I informed him of our choices. “Let’s go to the museum and ride on the coaster, and then we can go to Mesa Verde.”

“That’s fine with me,” Dad confirmed.

After we finished eating, Devin paid the bill and left a tip, and then we went back to the resort. “There’s no need to rush and you can swim as long as you want,” Dad said as he was driving. “We have the rest of the day to spend in the hot springs or do whatever we want. In fact, I think your mother and I will relax for a while out on the grassy patio to let our meals settle first, before we put on our swimsuits and go to the small pool again.”

“That’s probably a good idea,” Mom concurred, and then a smirk formed on her lips. “Otherwise, he might sink to the bottom of the pool like an anchor or the blubber that’s been forming around his waist will make him float and cause him to look like Moby Dick.”

“That won’t be a problem,” Dad snapped back defiantly.

“As long as no one shouts, ‘Thar she blows’ and throws a harpoon,” Devin joked, which earned him an angry glare from Dad in response, and a giggle from Mom.

In order to get out of the line of fire, I urged Devin to get out of the SUV as soon as Dad pulled into the parking spot and came to a stop. Then we rushed over to our suite and I hurriedly unlocked the door and pushed Devin Inside. “We’re going swimming, so we’ll see you guys later,” I said as I turned back to face Mom and Dad before closing the door, and then I confronted Devin.

“Keep that up and Dad might not let you come with us on the next trip.”

“Hey, it was only a joke and Ma thought it was funny.”

“But Pa is the one paying for most of this trip,” I quickly reminded him, “so try not to bite the hand that feeds you.”

“Ok, I get the point,” he agreed.

As soon as we were in our swimsuits, we each grabbed a towel and headed over to one of the larger hot spring pools to swim for a while. After we tired ourselves out swimming laps, we got out and rested for a while, and then we jumped in the pool again, but this time just to splash around for a while. This time when we got out, Devin whispered in my ear so the others there wouldn’t overhear what he was saying.

“Let’s go back to our suite and make love.”

“Ok, that’s a great idea,” I confirmed, so we got out, grabbed our towels and dried off on the walk back to the suite. And then we made love until Dad called and gruffly told us to get ready to go out for supper. I told Devin about how he sounded when I talked to him and made Devin promise not to make any more jokes.

We went to another nice place to eat, and once again Devin informed us that he was paying, which began to soften Dad’s mood. I learned later that after we’d parted ways, Mom had been harping on him about his weight again and stated that it was so bad that others were starting to notice, using Devin as an example. I believe Dad began to realize that Devin hadn’t really been insulting him, but merely making a joke, so he was quickly getting in a better mood.

After we finished eating and got back to the resort, we all put on our swimsuits again and relaxed in the small hot springs pool for a while before turning in.

“I want to go out for breakfast at 8:00 and be on the road heading to Ignacio by 9:00,” Dad announced before he entered his room. “The drive there will take about an hour.”

“Ok, we’ll be ready then.”

When we woke up at 7:30 and hurriedly got ready, and then we packed up our duffle bags, because it was obvious we weren’t coming back. And then we waited for my parents to join us outside. After we tossed our gear into the SUV, we accompanied Dad as he went down to check out. After assuring the lady that everything had been fine and we’d enjoyed our time there, he handed her his credit card and signed the receipt.

After we left there, we grabbed a quick bite to eat before taking off on another road trip, this time to Ignacio, CO. That’s where the Southern Ute Museum is, and it’s located in the center of the reservation. After we turned onto the reservation at near Chimney Rock, Devin and I began looking out the windows to see what it was like. We wanted to know if it was about the same as the Navajo Reservation when Devin nudged me.

“Look over there,” he whispered while pointing out the window. I quickly grabbed my phone so I could take a video of what we were seeing. At the same time, Devin opened the window so I’d could get a better shot.

“Is that what I think it is?” Devin whispered.

“I believe, it is,” I confirmed as I focused on the large wolf-like creature with red eyes. “Do you think that’s what we saw when we were up in the hot air balloon?”

“I’m not sure, but it would make a lot more sense than some of the other things we thought it might be.”

At one point, the thing we were watching noticed that we were looking at it, so it began running parallel to the SUV and watching us as well, however it broke off this pursuit as we got closer to Ignacio. I hope someone at the museum might be able to confirm what I’d captured on video.