Are we a jinx?

What is with this weather.   We arrived in Colorado Springs, CO (my birth city) last Friday for what was to be a week of calm, quiet sightseeing and relaxation.  Instead we left 3 days early on  Tuesday night at 8 pm to outrun the Black Forest wildfires.  This area is so very dry and had record breaking high temperatures.   The campground  was at 100% capacity, but several families were arriving in their RV's hoping for a place to park since they were in the evacuation boundaries.  The picture below is taken from our coach window showing what the skies looked like around our campground.   We were only 15 miles from the fire and they were predicting a wind shift that would have brought it even closer.  I looked at Ron around 7 pm and he said "you want to leave don't you?"    We checked out at the office and told them to give our spot to those being displaced from their homes.   We spent the night in a Denver Walmart and left Wednesday for Cheyenne, WY which was our next stop anyway.    We did get to tour the United States Air Force Academy, Mesa Overlook and Manitou Springs.   We didn't get to the Royal Gorge (which is where a second fire is burning  out of control), Garden of the Gods, Seven Falls etc.   Guess we will have to go back another time.

The Air Force Academy was established in 1954 and moved to their present location in 1958.   It encompasses 18,500 acres at the foot of the Colorado Rockies.  Although the grounds are very impressive we spent most of our time touring the Chapel with 5 distinct areas for Jewish, Protestant, Buddha, Roman Catholic and "all other" worship. They have a nice museum and film highlighting the life of a cadet.

The Cadet Chapel, an all-faiths house of worship. is made of glass and steel and soars more than 150 feet with 17 spires.

  The Jewish synagogue's  foyer is paved with over 1,600 pieces of Jerusalem brownstone donated by the Israeli Defense Forces and the walls are made of purple stained glass panels.  A Torah scroll saved from the Nazis during WWII is displayed.   

Buddhist area of worship.

The Buddhist Chapel (Vast Refuge Dharma Hall) is 300 square-feet and is made of Port Orford Cedar, a rare, fragrant wood used for temple building in Japan.   The altar and alcove are also constructed of wood, American Cherry and Ash.   

Behind the altar of the Catholic chapel are abstract glass mosaic mural composed of varying shades of blue, turquoise, rose and gray tiles.    On each side of the altar are two 10 foot tall marble figures of the Blessed Mother and Archangel Gabriel.  

By far the largest area is the Protestant Chapel located on the upper level with a 99 foot high pinnacle ceiling .

The choir loft houses a classical pipe organ with 4,334 pipes.   The largest pipe is 32 feel high and the smallest is pencil size. 

The all faith room is void of any religious symbolism to make it acceptable to a variety of faiths. 

Taking a rest at the statue of Hubert Reilly Harmon, the Founder and first Superintendent of the Academy.

What's a visit to an Air Force Academy without a stop at the B-52 on display.

We attended Sunday Mass at Corpus Christi Catholic Church.   I was waiting for Ron to ask me why I didn't pick a closer church.   He is so easy going he never questioned it.   I chose this church because this is were I was baptized  ??@@!! years ago.

Baptismal font, although I doubt this is the original one.  

We are safe in Cheyenne, WY  hoping we didn't bring bad luck in the form of snow or a hurricane!

Hope all is well!

"if God is willing and the creek don't rise!"

Thanks to everyone who has inquired about our safety.  It does seem that we have been battling with Mother Nature for the last 2 months.

We spent about 5 weeks in St. Louis, doing the normal doctor appointments, visiting with family and friends.  We normally visit in August & September but had two reasons to move our time frame up several months.   One was a second cousin got married in May, so since we are mobile, we do try to make as many of these type of events that we can.   The second reason is we have yet to travel the northern states, so wanted to spend the months of August, September and October up north.  

The happy newlyweds.   I took a bad picture.....but cute couple!

 We arrived in STL on April 11 at the Lakeside 370 park.  This park is city owned with level, wide open sites.   Our plan was to spend our entire time  there.   Well....Mother Nature had a different idea.   The park is anchored between 2 levees in a flood plain.    (What campground is not in a flood plain, near a creek, air path and/or near RR tracks?)    To be safe the rangers knocked on our door one evening and told us we would have to evacuate before 4 pm the next day...just in case!    The city offered 2 nights at their rec-plex facility with  a large back parking lot to give everyone a chance to find another campground.   As most of the campers had Missouri plates, we suspect they just gave up, called it a night and went home, because we were the only one on the lot.   We then moved to a state park then on to a KOA to finished out our time in this area.  You know we had to be desperate to stay at a KOA!   But 4 moves in 5 weeks does not make for a peaceful time.

After leaving STL our goal was San Antonio, TX for 2 graduations.   One stop over was in Waco, TX at a beautiful core of engineer park on  Lake Waco.      That was the night the first tornado hit OK city, and although we did not encounter any tornado warning, the winds were hitting us sideways making it almost impossible to open our front door without it being torn off.  So we just sat tight and waited it out.   A second cell was approaching Waco predicting 70 mph winds and large hail, so we said a prayer  and within minutes the local meteorologist announced, "Waco has been spared", the cell has split and is travelling  north and south of town.    The power of prayer!!   Or maybe a birthday present for Ron!


The next morning broke  with cool, dry beautiful blue skies    Off we went to San Antonio.   We arrived at the San Antonio KOA, (yes another KOA, because of it's proximity to my nephews home) on May 17.


We were so glad we were able to participate in celebrating our great niece's (Ali) graduation from Incarnate Word High School and the next week our great nephew's (Jack) graduation from St. Lukes.   Both ceremonies were beautiful as were the after events.    I sure don't remember having an elaborate graduation from grade school.   On the other hand I don't remember ANY 8th grade ceremony.   Ron said at his school they handed him his report card and said have a nice summer.

Ali in line to receive her diploma.

Jack at Ali's graduation thinking about all of the things he would rather be doing.

Proud parents!

Jack receiving his diploma.

Proud family!

We had been planning to attend these graduations for months, but were still sorry we had to miss our niece Sarah's graduation from the Southern College of Optometry, Memphis , TN on May 19th.     After 4 years of very hard work she is now Dr. Sarah.   We are very proud of her too!

Congrats...Dr. Sarah!

Then the rains came.....9 inches in 3 hours, flooding many of the city streets and the back half of the campground.  The KOA is on a creek that exceeded its banks within 45 minutes, sending the campers and personnel scrambling to get everyone to higher ground.    Luckily we were parked on the high side and did not have to move.

Water gushing off the street into the creek.

The ground became so saturated so fast, it uprooted bbq pits and electrical boxes.  

This family barely made it with the help of their neighbors.   They just bought their camper a week before.


I have some great video, but can't figure out how to upload it...duh!!

Also, want to thank those who asked about our family in St. Louis after the EF 3 tornado went through last week.    All family and friends are safe with little to no property damage.    Is it just me or is the weather patterns getting more severe and frequent?   

We are now in Albuquerque, NM for a few days.   Our original plans were to spend several days in Santa Fe, NM, an area we have never been to before, but again Mother Nature stepped in and with the Pecos & Thompson canyon fires we did not want to be confined to indoors or to breath smoke all day long.   So Albuquerque it is....we will just drive through Santa Fe on our trek up north, and catch it another time.

Hope all is well!