We are back in Denver after a week on the road, camping in Grand Teton and Yellowstone, seeing friends and getting close to the land.  We had a Dodge Ram Pro-master Van that we rented through Outdoorsy.com.  It is the perfect size for two people who get along.  It was fabulous to sleep under the stars and respectfully share the forest with the wildlife.

It was a healing journey through the Rocky Mountains.  When we returned to Colorado, we were immediately aware of the wildfires through big cloud formations and smoky skies.  In normal times I would be out covering the fires, but these are not normal times, so this year Jerry and I took his furlough and my birthday on the road.

There have been a number of things I learned living out of a campervan.

You need to lock the drawers, or they will fly open while you’re driving.

Dogs have their own minds about how they prefer to travel.  Despite the comfortable space Ca$h had in the back, she chose to ride shotgun under my legs on the passenger side where things didn’t bump around so much and fall down on her.  She loved the outdoors and enjoyed lying in a shady spot of dirt or scrub.  This trip was a lot more fun with Ca$h along. This blog is called Travels with Ca$hy as a nod to my literary hero, John Steinbeck and his Charley.

You have to have reservations or get up early to get a good camping spot.  There are big campgrounds with all the conveniences that accommodate over 300 campers and RVs, but I preferred the smaller private ones or the ones in the national forest.  Showers are closed in the national parks because of Covid-19.

It is hard to get connectivity in the national parks.  I’m sure by design. To get AT&T I had to tuck myself beside the second stone bear on the stairs at the Mammoth Post office. That was pretty near the only sliver in the park where I could get service.

Backing up a campervan is tricky.  Recreational vehicles are beasts.

We brought a lot more than we ended up needing.

It is nice to break up a camping trip with friends who have nice cabins with showers.

Our journey was great fun.  We had fabulous weather and clear nights.  I would awaken from the silence.  Going outside at one in the morning the stars would dazzle.  I was misguided into believing that camping was for tree-huggers or a fallback when your plans fell through.  Now I realize this is a great way to be with family, friends and nature.  A way to get away from Covid-19 while still staying in a mostly safe and splendid bubble.  I can see myself doing this in other places.  It’s pleasant sitting outside writing while my dog snoozes among the wildflowers.

Today Ca$h and I are back in the Teletrends office and it feels like a new beginning.  I know these are very challenging times, but I came back from this journey feeling optimistic and grateful.