Oh What a Difference a Year Can Make

FOREWARD

Hey all.

Lisa, me, and the pups embarked on another adventure this past summer--Road Trip Adventure 2017--visiting some new places and a few of our old favorites.  Through the years we helped each other discover what it really meant to live: traveling through the States, National Forests and Parks, breathing in the Atlantic and Pacific breezes, sitting and watching mountains try to move, listening to an entire mountainside of Aspens fluttering, snuggling animals, loving fiercely...living, happy. 
Anything less would not be living.

Not long after this trip--and a couple more boondocking nights for good measure--we faced a new set of challenges as Lisa's health declined, and on September 13th, 2017, with an Aspen leaf on her wrist and her hand in mine, Lisa lost her battle with cancer.

She shared her joy of life with so many people who are now better because of it.  Lisa wanted to share what would be our final adventure with all of you, writing down the details of every day and campsite and meal, but never had the chance to put it out there--or most likely.... knew that, I, would NEED to do this.

Now, 6 months later, I want to share the memories from 'Lloyd Road Trip Adventure 2017' as Lisa saw them.  This blog captures many of the wonderful times that will live on with me forever.  
Her words. 
Our story.

Enjoy the memories, we do. XO.
Kevin, Scout, Reno, and Springs the cat.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

'I think it is safe to say that the 2016-2017 school year was rough for the Lloyd household. In October, I was given a shocking diagnosis of Stage 4 metastatic Melanoma. Several stays in the hospital (including an ambulance ride that I don't recall and some time in the ICU) turned our world upside down. There is no cure for this type of cancer, but thankfully there are newly discovered treatments that can hold it at bay for a time. I missed a ton of school, and Kevin did too as he stayed by my side for the tests, the medicines, the long nights in the hospital. 

I spent a lot of time visualizing myself in a hammock in the woods under Aspen leaves during those weeks of being poked and prodded. Kevin would play a game with me where he would ask me to "name a campsite" that we'd been to and we would laugh and talk about our time there. 

When my Melanoma tested positive for a genetic mutation known as B-RAF, (a type of mutation not typically associated with sun damage as many melanomas are), my oncologist started me on a new gene targeted therapy. Thankfully, my tumors responded and began shrinking. This meant that I started feeling better and could begin resuming "normal" activities. 

After some intense physical therapy to regain strength to stand, walk, bathe, dress, etc on my own again, ( my time in the ICU weakened me tremendously), I set my sights on returning to the classroom. I'm happy and proud to say I was able to do so for the final nine weeks of the school year. I was even able to go on the 8th grade trip to Washington DC. 

As I returned to "normal" life--if you can count dozens of pills and side effects "normal"--Kevin and I began to dream about being able to road trip this summer in spite of everything. And here we are. We've created a new "normal." We've got a few shorter trips planned this summer, and this one is the first. 

This year's blog is dedicated to all of the people in our lives who helped us get through this year. We will keep fighting, and we have the strength to do so because of your love and support. There are too many to name...you know who you are. XO'

Day18: Yellow Springs, OH to HOME

 'In the morning, we slept in a little since we were only an hour from home.  Once we were up, though, we were like a well-oiled machine as we packed up one more time before our final leg of the adventure.
The dogs jumped in the the truck and waited for us to finish putting things away, and in what felt like record time we were on our way home.  Thankfully we knew we only had one day at home before the scamp would be coming along with us on another adventure--to the Duck Creek Log Jam Music Festival--so the fun wasn't truly over just yet!

As we drove the final few miles to Columbus, I couldn't help but reflect on where I was just a few months earlier and feel thankful for the people in my life who helped get me back up on my feet (literally) so that I could get back to living life.  Sure, things have changed...I have to conserve my energy, and avoid the sun, and remember to take my medicines, but I'm still able to get out there and explore the country I love with the man and the pups I love.  This year has been quite the "adventure."  Thankfully, I got to have a relaxing, beautiful, and fun-filled REAL adventure over the past few weeks.


THANK YOU to:
My amazing husband, Kevin, for taking on so much responsibility so that we could go on the trip--from driving to cooking to packing and unpacking and repacking at each spot so that I didn't overdo it.  I was tired just from watching you, but you never complained and always took care of me.

My parents, my in-laws, my brother and his fiance, Kevin's brother and our sister-in-law, and my colleagues and friends for always being willing to help and for always wondering how I'm doing and for always working to make me laugh in the face of all this.

My Doctors and Nurses who want to see me do the things I love doing and work to help me reach those goals.

Kevin and I look forward to more adventures--maybe even one more after my brother and his fiance Laura get married in July--so stay tuned!'



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for living this chapter of our lives.
Be Kind - Work Hard
-Kevin

Love you babes.

Day 17: Jerfferson, Mo to Yellow Springs, OH

'Our final long day in the car would bring some memorable moments.  After spending the night nice and chilled in the air conditioning, we packed up once more and hit the road bright and early--knowing that we had a long day ahead of us.

We spent the night just around the corner from where Mark Twain was born, and so when a detour on the road we were traveling along took us directly to the town where e grew up (Hannibal, MO), we had to stop.  Well...I had to stop (I am a Language Arts Teacher after all).  Kevin was a good sport and agreed to tag along with me.

Visitors can pay for a tour of the home and other related sites, but we were crunched for time so we just walked around the town reading the historical markers and checking out the notable buildings.  We saw: Mark Twain's boyhood home, his fathers law office across the street, Becky Thatchers home, the home of the boy who inspired the character Huck Finn, and the picket fence Tom Sawyer convinced his gang to pay to have the privilege of painting.

The Mississippi River flowed just yards from Twain's home, so it is no wonder so much of his writing centered on it!  I was in my glory exploring the town--especially since it was an unplanned pit stop.  We discovered the Mark Twain Brewery just around the corner from Twain's home, so before we piled back into the truck we decided to stop in for a taste and a quick lunch.  We found a few brews we liked, so we bought a few varieties and loaded them up in the cooler before getting back on the road.... and I got to be a total nerd!

Unfortunately, our pit stop meant we would be arriving at our campsite an hour or two later than we originally planned, but it was totally worth it!  Kevin drove every single mile of the trip, so he suffered the most on our final long driving day, but he got us to our final campsite--John Bryan State Park in Yellow Springs, OH.

Yep, we decided to end our trip how we started it.  With a nice hot pizza from HaHa's Pizza and our favorite camping spot in Ohio.  After picking up our pizza around 8:30pm and heading to the campground we chose a site and after struggling to find level ground (our favorite spot was taken), we finally sat down to some dinner as the sky darkened and evening fell.

It was a long day in the car, but the memories made in Mark Twain's hometown already stand more vivid than the drive itself.  As the skies darkened, I couldn't believe it was already the last night of our Telluride Road Trip Adventure.

I was exhausted from a long day in the car, so before long I reluctantly headed to bed to read for a bit and spend one more night in Carmen--Our Scamp.'

Day 16: Highland, KS to Mark Twain State Park, Jefferson, MO

'We packed up in the morning and continued our journey home bright and early on Day 16 of this years adventure.  The weather was warm and sunny, and we enjoyed riding in the truck and listening to music.

One of the things we love about road trips are the unexpected detours that come along the way, and the next two days of our trip would provide a few fun ones!  The first came with a roadside sign that informed us that we were at the geographical center of the United States!  We accidentally stumbled upon the geographical center of North America a few years ago, so we weren't about to let this stop pass us by.  Kevin reacted quickly and pulled over to the side of the road so that we could take selfies with the sign!  In case you are wondering, the center of the US is located in Oak, Kansas along highway 36.

After taking pics we got back into the truck to continue our journey towards our campsite for the evening--Mark Twain State Park.  We made good time on the road on this day, so we pulled into our wooded spot right along a large lake before dinner time.  The park is located close to where author Mark Twain was born (hence the name of the park).

In order to be near water we had to stay at a spot with electricity...which was fine by us since it was hot and humid and that meant we could run our air conditioning!  After setting up camp and starting the air conditioner so that the scamp could cool down before bed, we walked with Scout down to the lake.  (Reno opted to stay in the cool trailer...big surprise).  Scout loves water, so he loved retrieving his toy from the lake for what seemed like hundreds of times!
I enjoyed sitting on a large piece of driftwood and watching the fun until the clouds seemed to disappear and the sun grew relentless.  By that time Scout was tired too, so we decided to head back up to our shaded site to make dinner.

We had burgers for dinner, and we looked out at the lake as we ate.  It was delicious and peaceful.  Afterwards, we settled into out predictable routine were I read in the hammock and Kevin sits by the campfire
This site had free showers nearby, so as the sun set I headed up to the shower-house to scrub myself clean.  It was so refreshing after a few long days in the car! Now that I have super short hair, it's not so time consuming and difficult to take care of...so that is at least one perk of this cancer business thus far!

By the time I returned, our site was dark and the campfire was crackling away.  I decided to just climb under the covers after letting my hair dry outside for a bit, and Kevin decided to enjoy the campfire for awhile longer.
When he did decide to come to bed, we slept like rocks in the coll air conditioning!'

Day 15: Lake George, CO to Prairie Dog State Park, Highland, KS

'A good night of sleep with the soothing sound of the rushing river left us ready for another day on the road to our next destination--Kansas.

Kevin put in at least seven more hours of driving today, but we were rewarded with a completely isolated spot at Prarie Dog State Park in Kansas.  After figuring out how to register and pay for our site (their system was a bit confusing/complicated), we set up camp. When I think back to our night in this spot, I am always going to remember the wind.  It was a hot Kansas day-the thermometer read 99 degrees, but the constant breeze and shade of the cottonwoods kept us cool as Kevin cooked steak and potatoes (delicious) while I read in the hammock (at Kevin's insistence, of course).

We were right on a lake, but unfortunately Scout couldn't swim because of an algae bloom, but both he and Reno enjoyed running in the open fields since we were the only ones there!

 

 

Once the sun set, I got chilly and headed into the scamp to read and fall asleep while Kevin stayed out by the fire to watch the stars and fireflies come out.  Before long, he called me outside to feel the intensity of the wind and to see the stars.
It was one of those moments.  The ones you freeze in your mind to hold on to when yo need an escape (like maybe from a hospital bed or doctors office waiting room or an MRI tube).  I'll never forget holding Kevin's hand and looking up at so many stars while the wind rushed past us--kissing our skin and tousling my "new" short hair.
It was beautiful.
Spontaneous.
Powerful.

Eventually, I started shivering again and climbed back into the scamp while Kevin put out the fire and packed camp for the night before coming to bed himself.

Day 15 was a good day.  One of my favorites of Road Trip Adventure 2017.'

Day 14: Gunnison NP, Crawford, Co to Lake George, CO

'On Day 14 we got up bright and early with the pups in tow, left the scamp at the campsite, and piled into the truck to make the drive along the rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison around sunrise(ish).

This park is one of the few that allows dogs on most of the overlooks, but I was a nervous wreck at each of them when we brought the dogs the last time.  So, since it was early morning and still cool, we decided to leave the dogs in the car for a few minutes with the windows down when we went to check out the views.

Oh! The views!  Pictures don't do it justice, and the park allows you to get right up to the edge of the vast canyon pretty much wherever you want!  It is breathtaking and nerve wrecking at the same time.  Carved entirely from water, the canyon has only deepened five feet in the entirety of human history.  The rest was carved long before we ever arrived on this planet.

After enjoying our drive, we returned to camp for a quick breakfast before heading to our next destination.  Little did we know that our day would end with another canyon!

We had our sights set on a few possible campsites, but after a few hours of driving decided to check out a few inside down a canyon drive in Pike National Forest in Colorado.

After paying a $7 recreation fee to drive in the canyon, we drove 7 miles down a bumpy gravel road to our eventual home for the evening.  It was quite a journey to reach our site, but the views were spectacular.  There were fisherman everywhere fly fishing, and the giant rocks and pine trees of the canyon were spectacular.  Kevin and I both agreed we would be willing to return to this spot--site #1 in Springer Gulch Campground.  Maybe just not on a weekend--we have a feeling that place gets some heavy use from locals.  It's so beautiful and tucked away like a secret in the canyon.

 

Scout loved playing in the river that rushed alongside our campsite, so we played with him for a few hours until he was good and worn out so we could relax at the campsite for the evening.  Which is exactly what we did...after Kevin took a short hike to explore the area of course.

It wasn't long before we were all tucked in for the night.  Tired from an afternoon of fresh air and cool breezes.'

Day 13: Telluride, Co to Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP, Crawford, CO

'After a week of enjoying all that Telluride has to offer, on Saturday we woke up knowing we had to say goodbye...but not before one last trip into town.

We decided to take Scout with us on the gondola and spent the morning enjoying baked goods from Baked in Telluride and took one last walk down main street.  It was "Wild West Weekend," so there were horses and carriages up and down the street.  This gave the town an even more picturesque and ethereal feeling.  It felt as if we had traveled through time to a magical place nestled in the mountains somewhere.  It's interesting how when you are given a diagnosis like I was and you don't know if each time is the last time--everything takes on a more vibrant and vivid tone.  I guess we should all look at life that way--because who really knows if this time is the last time (diagnosis or not)--but it is something I've noticed since my world was changed so dramatically back in November.

After riding the gondola back up to the cabin, we put the last of our belongings in the scamp and reluctantly pulled out of the driveway to start our journey back east.
Even though we really didn't want to leave, we had to because we have tickets to a music festival soon (Duck Creek.. Yip!Yip!).  We didn't want to race home though, so we left with enough time to fit in a few more adventures on the way home.

Our way home takes us by one of Kevin's favorite National Parks, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, so we stopped in for a return visit.  I've learned how difficult it is to find a campsite on the weekend in Colorado without a reservation, so I reserved the final remaining spot in the campground loop a few days earlier.  It was a relief to be able to just pull in to a spot and not have to worry about whether or not there would be any spots available when we got there.

It was dinner time by the time we set up camp for the night, so we decided to just hang out at the campsite and relax.  Kevin put up the hammock for me, and i read while he cooked up some amazing brats.  The weather was gorgeous, but I felt bad for the dogs at this site because the ranger informed us that we could not even walk the dogs around the campground loop because the mule deer were breeding and were extremely protective!  We actually knew he wasn't joking around since we were charged by a mule deer the last time we visited!  Our rescuer? Grumpy and typically timid Reno!  He charged right back at that deer.  I guess it is best that they instituted that policy after all.

As the sun set and I began falling asleep in the hammock, we decided to climb into bed in the scamp for the night.  In the morning we had plans to drive the scenic South Rim of the canyon--a drive we started the last time we visited but did not finish.'