So, day zero was the evening that we left and just tried to get a head start to Red River. We stopped at a pre-selected place for the night, around midnight. We were up with the sun and on our way so that we'd have an extra half day in Red River, NM. At a gas station, everybody unbuckled and stood up to make the rounds to the bathroom. Judah said, "I need to go to the bathroom. Actually, I think I need to throw up." I grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the camper as fast as I could. We walked around the front of the camper and he started puking all over the ground. This whole thing was quite embarrassing. I'll spare you the details, but during COVID-19 having a puking kid in public is quite the attention getter. Poor guy threw up for 10 minutes on and off and he looked so pale. I carried him (he's almost 8, so this was quite the feat in itself) back to the RV and we put him up in the front seat for a while with cold A/C blasting in his face. He thought it was pretty cool that he got to ride in the front seat for the first time. My "Mission-focused" husband didn't want to wait until he felt better to get going, and really he needed the cold air and it was hot while we were sitting still. Within thirty minutes he perked up and was feeling good again.
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| Bob was reading a Larry Boy chapter book on the tablet while we drove at night. He had never read a chapter book on the tablet and was absolutely fascinated by the page turning feature that simulates an actual book page turning. |
Red River, NM is where I went almost every summer as a child. We stayed in the valley then with my dad's good friend at their cabin. When Drew was around 9 months old (That means 9 summers ago!), we took the kids to Red River for the first time to stay in a cabin that we rented for a week. This time, we had to stay just outside of town because of the RV and not towing an extra vehicle. We got the best lot in the RV park, all the way in the back, right next to the river.
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| The last morning we were there the kids were playing volleyball and Isaac kicked it into the river. Genna, Isaac, Judah, and Drew all took off after it. Drew crossed the first bridge they came to and they were running alongside the river for a while until they were able to knock it to the side by throwing rocks at it. I enjoyed seeing the teamwork involved to get back Genna's volleyball. I think it was entertaining for the other people sitting outside their RV in the beautiful morning too. |
When we arrived in the early afternoon, we set up and connected the RV and caught a free shuttle into town. Town is just one long main street with some side streets in a valley.
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| skipping rocks |
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| In Town |
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| This tree had been carved all over with initials. So Brian added ours. |
We got Brian a fishing license and did a little shopping. We found out that there'd be no Western shoot outs because of COVID employee shortages. Bob bought a gem, and Judah bought his first pocket knife.
We had planned to go to my favorite Mexican restaurant in town that day, but we arrived when it was supposed to open and found out it was closed that day. So we went to a place that is new since I was a kid, Red River Brewing Co.
Walking back to the RV park after dinner, we stopped to pet the horses and feed them some dandelions.
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| This was Bob's bed. He loves to read! |
We were in need of a good night sleep and Genna was awake part of the night getting sick in our camper. It passed quickly, and she felt great the next morning. We never found out what that was about.
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| Breakfast on Day 2 of our trip. I made eggs and bacon tacos for everyone in my teeny tiny kitchen. |
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This camping enamel mug was an early anniversary gift for Brian so he could use it on the trip for his coffee. This is my St. Alban drawing with a prayer added in text on the side.
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| Someone made me a daisy chain crown for my hair, and I was braiding Hannah's hair first thing in the morning |
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| Reading by the river in the mornings for me was brief, but sweet! |
We split up boys and girls for our only full day in Red River. The girls and I went shopping the whole day and the boys and Brian went fishing the whole day. We met up at their last fishing attempt at a small lake at the end of ton before dinner. Then we walked to Sundance, that Mexican food place that we had tried to go to the night before. However, we got there right when it opened and there was reservations filling the place up until 7pm. I was dead set on going to this restaurant and so we made reservations for 7pm and went to get all the thirsty kiddos a drink at a small place nearby. We were out of water by this time so everybody got cherry limeades.
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| Goin' Fishin' |
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| Farewell, Red River! Till we meet again! |
Day 3, we were up and closing up the camper, ready to hit the road again toward Arizona.
