Drive to Durango

We went to visit Rich and Tanya in December 2004 in Santa Fe and Colorado....and we drove. Linda could not cope with standing up for airplane rides with her condition so we packed up the Honda. First we drove to Boston and picked up Jeff. Then we drove to Linda's Dad's house in Michigan. Next was a stop in Iowa with our friend Matthew and then finally to Santa Fe where Rich and Tanya were. We then drove to Durango where they have a condo and then back to Philadelphia with a very short stop in St. Louis. We needed a vacation after that.

We had a winter storm that knocked out electricity for 3 days. Anisa is doing an art project by candle light.
Anisa and her Granddad in her classroom. Rich was here for the Holiday concert.
Linda with her Dad outside Anisa's school
Elizabeth, one of Rich's stepdaughter decorating the Christmas tree
Rich trying to get an ornament on the tree
Everyone sitting at dinner. Counterclockwise around the table. Rich, Anisa, Linda, Jeff, Christine (Rich's wife), Elizabeth and Valerie
An Iowa sunset. Had to stop the car by the road to get this.
Matthew's cat Victoria.
Anisa staying by Albert and Victoria, the cats, while they take a nap
Anisa with the cats in Matthew's house.
Matthew's house. It is a beautiful contemporary house in Ames, Iowa.
One of the many decks.
Lots of glass
Lots of horizontal beams
Decks that jut out over the gully. It is a three story drop from the end of the deck.
The entrance.
The side of the house.
THe house is set pretty far back from the road.
This is Rich's (Linda's brother) and Tanya's (his wife) house. Rich is an architect, and he basically tore down his old house and built this one. The wood burning stove is so cool. It looks like there is a fission reactor going on in there (not that I would know!)
Their kitchen breakfast area.
Anisa in the kitchen making ornaments.
The kitchen...all designed by Rich.
The window in the kitchen looking out
The cooking range. The tiles above the granite counter are a beautiful blue/green/brown sandstone.
The living room with Jeff playing on his computer
The outside of the house. It was orginally an adobe house.
Rich and Tanya's bedroom.
Two pieces of art that have hanging in their living room
The drive to Durango. It took about two hours. The scenery was great. You kind of want to own a ranch out here. Rich is driving the truck.
Rich in the truck.
More driving.
Anisa opening presents.
And more presents.
Rich finds something amusing. This is in Rich and Tanya's condo in Durango
A very neat router.
Anisa with an American Girl doll from her Grandad.
Rich and Tanya went skate skiing. It is sort of like roller blading on skis.
Rich.
Tanya gliding.
In the meantime Anisa and I played in the snow. The trail was by a water reservior.
Anisa on the lake shore playing with her stick. She was pretending to make soup with a stick.
The reservior.
Rich skate skiing.
Here he is again. He says it is faster than the traditional cross country skiing.