Durango to Home

We spent Tuesday night in Durango with dinner at Seriously Texas BBQ (Hutch in L.C. does a better smoked BBQ, folks). Went to bed early, trying not to worry about the ATV and trailer in the parking lot (they are prime theft targets). We've gone to great lengths to make a theft extremely difficult via locks and kryptonite cable, so we were pretty confident they were secure. Next morning, with our ATV and trailer thankfully intact, we set off on a longer day with continuing great weather and not much traffic. It was an uneventful drive through some very familiar and equally boring territory, through some of that painfully desolate Ute and Navajo reservation land between Durango and Gallup, NM.
We gained an hour on the clock as we entered Arizona (you know, that silly daylight savings time thing), so arrived at our motel at ShowLow too early to check in. We quickly decided that our best move would be to boogie on up to the Hondah Casino, stay as long as we wanted, since the room was guaranteed till 1 am (long past our bedtime!).
C promptly found their one blackjack table, and wonder of wonders, the minimum bet was $3. Loving the game, she'd gladly play for a quarter! Four hours later and up $16, it was dinner time, and the minimum was raised to $5 a hand. It was fun, low-stress gambling, just what the doctor ordered.
Meantime, E had a met a fellow at the bar who knew people HE knew from the Springerville, AZ area, and long story short...they became bar buddies, next thing we knew we all 3 were meeting in the lounge after dinner for drinks and dancing. Yes, after a whole summer of lowkey living we picked our last night on the road for partying. How wise was that, huh? We did all have a good time, the band and the dancing were a welcome contrast to the past months of mostly outdoor life. Civilization does have its advantages, after all! Sure is nice to be able to enjoy the best of both worlds.
This guy we met is an elk hunting guide in the White Mts. and in New Mexico mts, a very interesting and gregarious fellow, AND quite an athletic dancer. We exchanged personal info, may connect with him and his wife another time when we get through the area. But if we never meet again, he'll have a spot in our memory book!
Not all that much worse for the wear, next morning we completed our trip home, reminiscing all the way through Salt River Canyon about the summer the truck blew the engine (pulling the 5th wheel and blocking the traffic lane), on the up slope going north out of the canyon, on a 2-lane road. Not a pretty story, but all ended OK and here we are 2 yrs later, with a new 5th wheel, permanently parked in L.C., and the truck replaced by a Honda Odyssey.
Perhaps the selection of an Odyssey, now that I think about it, was a subconscious choice of a headline for our life story, as we continue to journey and wander, with hope that our personal odyssey will last longer than the 10 years Homer described in his epic poem!
It's been gratifying to hear from friends and family that they've enjoyed the pictures and narrative we've done this summer, your positive and complimentary comments have been inspiring and motivate us to do more. Thanks!