Back to the vacation blogs...

The hills in the background are actually an optical illusion; Hays is a wasteland of humanity. I'm sure some lemonheaded freak of nature who has "I'm a Hick from Hays" or "Kall me a Kansan" will probably do a Google search someday, find this blog, and leave some nasty, badly misspelled comment referencing chew or the love his wife & sister (same person) has for the town, but let me assure you, this place is an absolute wasteland.

The day we left Colorado Springs and I picked up my Michael English book, we trekked back across Eastern Colorado through Limon (COMPLETELY missing that gas station THIS time around) and were headed back to the Holiday Inn (and this one was not a "Stay Smart; Stay Holiday Inn Express" site, let me assure you) with the two-story water slide (they bill it as three stories tall, but unlike most of the people in Hays, I can count) we'd stayed at on the way out.

We were, well, let's say unimpressed with this Holiday Inn on our way to Colorado. It was an old Holidome type of hotel that was built probably in the late 60s or early 70s...with probably no updates since then, either.

Well, the a/c didn't work in all the rooms (we had to change rooms once on the way out b/c of the malfunctions), and I found a few dead bugs strewn throughout the hotel...but the kicker was that the in-room a/c unit that actually did work in our second room had the wires and the plastic connectors dangling down from under the motor.

Nice. Last time I pre-book a hotel like that - I don't care WHAT the discount is.

So, while the people there were really nice, Tammy & I decided when we left and headed for Colorado Springs on Monday that - even though the kids thought the 2 story water slide was just the berries - if there was ANYTHING wrong with that hotel when we came back through, we were getting our money back and going elsewhere.

We got our wish.

When we left on Monday to go to Brandy's on the way out, there was a note on the front desk saying the water slide, pool, & hot tubs would be closed for cleaning. We came into town on Thursday, and sure enough, the same note was there.

Who didn't see that coming?

Once we confirmed it, we got out of that rathole and went down the street to the newly built Hampton Inn. As always, I asked my budget nazi & resident Dave Ramsey guru Tammy to go in and ask for a price...and sure enough, she got it for like 10-20 bucks off of the normal rate.

Again, who didn't see that coming?

We ate, had a great night in the pool and room, and got out of dodge the next morning. Wonderful breakfast...on vacation, I'm all about the hot breakfasts...

The Hampton Inn and a few other places are good there...just don't go south of the overpass to the majority of the town. It's ugly...really ugly...down there... but I hear there's a catch-all type of approach they're looking to apply to improve the town's appeal, at least south of the I-70 exit.

It'll really be a huge improvement.

I need you!

I've typed on here many times before that I'm covering the more comedic, quick-hit type of reports from our vacation, but I'm going to leave Tammy in charge of hitting the "shock & awe" moments of heading into Colorado Springs, going through the Rockies west of Denver, etc...in fact, I sort of wanted to wait on her to do that until I wrote any more and until I made some overall changes to our blog.

But, as you can probably see, she's not done that.

I've begged, pleaded...I've even offered money.

No dice.

So, I'm enlisting your help. If you're one of the 4.5 people who actually read this thing, take the time right now to flood this entry's comments section or our inbox with pleas that she take 5 minutes of her time to do an entry sometime before Thanksgiving of 2009. It'd be greatly appreciated.

Remember, the blogging you encourage can spur your own.

At rest...

OK, perhaps I should clarify my most recent post...

Those who haven't known me for long - and they've seen my poundage and relative lack of hair, as well as my contacts instead of glasses most days - don't think the photo I borrowed from a friend of a friend's blog for my most previous post looks at all like me...

However, for those who have known me for some time and know that looks reasonably like me, let me clarify - it was NOT me; it's a borrowed photo, and I was only kidding about Tammy snapping that photo - that's why I put the "thanks to Brandy's friend, Scott..." below the photo, but perhaps I wasn't clear.

So, just to clarify...right now...calm as a day in the mountains, cool as a cucumber...

You can pick your nose, but you can't pick family

More vacation blogs later, but first, Tammy snapped this quick photo after I got off the phone with Mom earlier tonight...

Thanks to Brandy's friend, who also just happens to be named Scott, for the remotely close likeness physically and the uncanny likeness mentally.

Redemption

When we awoke after our trip to San Antonio's SuperTarget ;) the night before, we got ready, packed, and headed to Panera Bread for breakfast with our hostess with the mostest, Miss Brandy. After getting a family photo in front of Pike's Peak (we'll post later) and saying our goodbyes, we headed over to...Focus on the Family. I just felt an absolute calling to get Michael English's new book The Prodigal Comes Home, and I'd seen it a couple of days earlier in the FOTF bookstore.

What a great, great read. If you're looking for an absolutely honest Christian autobiography that is written with warts and all, you need this book. It is a textbook definition of a life redeemed solely through Christ. I'll take time at some point in the future to talk in more detail about this book and the lynching Christian Contemporary Music circles launched against Michael back in 1994, but that's another blog. Let me just say, though, we left on Thursday morning, I did all the driving, but yet by Monday afternoon I'd finished this 200-plus page book. Awesome read.

Can you tell I've always been a fan of his? Talk about a voice that just doesn't, won't, and hasn't quit.

For now, though, let me leave you with this clip - it's not dubbed from my DVD, but it's a YouTube clip of Michael's performance closing out last year's ('06) Gaither Canadian Homecoming concert in Toronto. Quite frankly, if this doesn't reach out, grab you, and move you, you, my friend, are comatose or dead.



More vacation in the next post...on to Hays, KS.

Behind the Music: Brandy McNally

I've taken a lot - a LOT - of shots at Brandy Campbell, our host for the time we were in Colorado Springs. Now, she lists on her website that these shots weren't completely truthful (a notion which I summarily dismiss); however, that not withstanding, I wanted to take a few moments to talk a little about her, how important she is to us, and how her leaving really left a void.

When we headed to and left Colorado Springs, our boys commonly referred to "Brandy and Sabrina" as though they were a single person. Brandy and Sabrina (Price) used to fit right in at our house; one might've thought they could've been charged rent...especially toward the last couple of years Brandy was in town, Sabrina was around a lot more, and they were roommates.

Tammy and I have always been, are now, and probably always will be very social people. We like spending time with our kids and each other, but we also like spending time with other people, too - playing cards, playing games, watching television, or just talking - that's fun for us like nobody's business. It doesn't have to involve money...in fact, with the new emphasis we've taken on becoming debt-free, we'd prefer it not include a huge outlay o'funding. We want to spend time with people that we call and people that call us - it's a two-way street.

On a side note, since Brandy left and Sabrina is on the road a lot with her ministry, that list of drop-of-a-hat fun friends has dried up somewhat. Don't get me wrong - we have great, great friends in Hannibal...but just not too many who probably welcome us calling at any given time and saying, "Hey - get over here and let's do something fun, even if it's watching paint dry...if you're here, we'll find a way to make it fun." We've - or who's kidding who - I've probably been the cause of a lot of answering machine purchases in this region! People probably don't mind hanging around Tammy, but I'm pretty certain they're probably not big fans of me hanging around too often.

You don't realize how good of a friend you have until he or she is gone. We both still feel that void today...most noticeably on Friday or Saturday nights when we're sitting at home. But enough self-pity...

Many times, when I find an opening, I kid good friends unmercifully. And if you've read this blog over the last few days, you know Brandy's been square in my sights. But, I hope she knows how deeply she's loved by this family and how deeply she's missed on a continual basis. We're so proud of the ministry and the huge steps of faith she took in moving to Colorado Springs to start a brand new chapter of her life, and we've seen first-hand God moving dramatically in her life to take her to a level of servanthood she probably didn't even know existed. I can guarantee I'm not anywhere near that level. It's amazing to watch someone who is.

She's traveled around the country and around the globe on mission trips - not because it's her job (though in this most recent case it was), but because she wants to and feels God is calling her to go and share. Let me put this into perspective - she's one of millions around this world who feels God's purpose clearly and completely and is answering it with all her being. But we know her; she's just like family. So, I wanted to make sure to set the record straight - though I wouldn't trust her directions to cross the street, I completely and totally trust in the direction she's receiving and following in her life. We can all be so blessed to have that kind of clarity and opportunity.

Back to the Future

I also toyed with titling this entry "Scott, his pet boy Sherman, and the WayBack machine," but I was woefully afraid no one would know what the heck I was talking about.

On the Wednesday of our trip to Colorado, we awoke to head north to Denver and parts west - shortly after securing a one-day fishing license for yours truly (the boys fished for free in the great state of Colorado).

I've detailed before that I hadn't been to Colorado in nearly 20 years, and Tammy & the kids hadn't ever been there before this trip. This is where this point comes in handy...I was lucky as a kid - we were able to head to California nearly every year for like 5-6 straight years (and then another 4-5 straight years after that following a couple of years break). Every year, we'd drive through Colorado and head west on scenic Highway 6 between Golden and Idaho Springs, and we'd pull off on the side of the road next to Clear Creek and let me fish, throw rocks, etc.

This year, we headed north from Colorado Springs and got into Denver, driving past Mile High/Invesco Field, Coors Field, and Six Flags over Denver before exiting onto I-70 and subsequently Highway 6. I'll let Tammy write another time about the scenic beauty of literally driving through and at the base of the Rocky Mountains, but I'll write about this part - sure enough, about 10 miles into our Highway 6 trip, we ran across the same pull-off I used to stop at two decades ago. What a true treat to spend time with my wife and kids at the same spot I was able to have so many special moments as a child. It was just awesome.

Then later, we headed out I-70, windows still down, moonroof open, and breathing in all of that fresh, 70-degree cedar and pine air and went through tunnels and over mountains. A real treat for the kids was going thru the Eisenhower Tunnel just west of Georgetown and east of Dillon. It takes nearly 2 minutes to go through this tunnel at 60mph, to give you a handle on how big this thing is (if you've never traveled through it yourself).

Once we returned to Colorado Springs, we met up with Ms. Brandy, and after the boys had a brief dip in the pool (on a relatively cool evening, though the pool was heated with the overflow from the outdoor hot tub), we headed to a guided (by Brandy, of course) tour through Compassion International. Brandy, of course, is a staff writer for this great organization that does so much with so little. Tammy and I are prayerfully considering sponsoring a child in the organization. Brandy does a tremendous job for them, and we're proud of her work there.

But, then Brandy had to get us somewhere else in Colorado Springs. And, again, here's where Brandy McNally came up aces.

Tammy told Brandy she would like to go to a Target to stock back up on lunch meat, snacks, etc for lunches & snacks on the drive home. So, Brandy, being the great hostess she can be (did I mention she gave us great welcoming gifts when we arrived - welcoming gifts, friends...welcoming gifts!), she directed us from Compassion to the nearest Target store. We were all talking on the cell phone with Sabrina during the trip, and we ended up having a very detailed conversation with Ms. Price. This is because our SuperTarget we were shopping at was located in Tuscon.

Seriously, it was in Colorado Springs, but like, oh, 50-60 minutes away. Seriously - I had digested my meal already once we had arrived at Target.

OK. Anyway, we get to Target...oh, sorry - SuperTarget - at around 9:45. We're no sooner in the store - which assumedly was open 24 hours - when I hear, "Attention, SuperTarget shoppers: we will be closing in 15 minutes. Please complete any shopping and bring all items to the store front for transactions at this time."

WE JUST GOT THERE. I ran up to Tammy, Brandy, and David (Jonathan & I had just visited the SuperMen'sRoom) and said, "Did you guys hear that? They're closing in 15 minutes."

They were knee-deep in a quick-to-end conversation with Sabrina, so they hadn't heard.

And, our shopping spree began. Ever seen one of those old Laverne & Shirley shows where they've won a shopping spree & are running around the store? That would be us. Again, I'll leave the details for Tammy to write regarding her take on the deal, but the workers there were less than kind, to say the least.

Anyway, and that's how that day went. On to the departure tomorrow. But first...

Focus on our Family

Once we got back to Colorado Springs, our hostess, Miss Brandy, was kind enough to bow out of the office for a few hours to guide us...uhm...guide us around Colorado Springs and the surrounding area.

First, we headed to Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family headquarters just down the road from the Campbell homestead. That's a phenomenal facility with a great kids' area - a three-story slide and all, and it's all focused (no pun intended) on the "Adventures in Oddessy" series put out by FOTF. It's even got "At Wit's End" ice cream shop - and the ice cream is absolutely great. The boys ran all over that place, and Tammy & Brandy headed down the three-story slide once. Grunts and all, I headed down it twice. Sort of bad that every time an adult emerges from the slide, you get all kinds of looks from those parents at the bottom waiting for their kids to emerge...

Anyway, once we left there, we headed to the Garden of the Gods mountain rockscape area. Again, it was just an absolutely phenomenal site - the rocks jutting up out of the ground to unimaginable heights, all at the foot of Pike's Peak. Just amazing to see...

...and see it we did. Brandy, aka Cortez, led us on our trek through the rock gardens, and I believe we perhaps ended up in Pueblo, possibly Phoenix, or maybe even Albequerque. I'm not quite sure. I do know, though, that we did not end up where we thought we were going. You know you're in trouble when - after hearing "Oh, shoot. I've been here before lots of times. This is a great area. I know exactly where I'm going", you hear, "Wait...uhm...what did that sign say over there? Well, that's not right...hmmm..."

I fully expected us to end up as mountain lion fillet later that night.

Thankfully, Columbus finally figured out how to sail the ocean blue, and we at least made it back to our CRV. Later, she got turned around the right way, and though Jonathan was just wasted walking-wise, Tammy, Brandy, and David headed up to the "Siamese Twins" area of the park to take a few photos at a great vantage point of Pike's Peak.

The entire time they were gone, I was praying for their safe return. I mean, they each were apparently newcomers to the region...

Anyway, once that was done, we headed to Ted's Montana Grill for Bison Burgers.

Oh my heavens. Now THAT'S eating. Chad Ford introduced me earlier this year to Buffalo Wild Wings, but I'm telling you, Ted's is an instant favorite, too. If they were across the street from one another, I'd have to flip a coin. Amazing food. Just amazing.

Next up, our trip through Denver and my trip back in time...

Gouged at the Gorge

Back to the vacation blogs...

Tuesday morning - July 17 - we awoke to head southwest to Canon City and the Royal Gorge area. It's just beautiful through that area; we turned on the CD we bought from DisneyWorld a couple of years ago with music from the ride "Soarin'" on it. It's just a majestic soundtrack, and I (scott) am such a dweeb.

Anyway, it was great fun rolling through the mountains on the scenic trip down through the Rockies. Tammy, about halfway down to the Royal Gorge, announced she didn't know we were in the Rocky Mountains. Again, much like our hostess with the mostest, geography's not her strong point.

So, we finally got down to the Royal Gorge about an hour later, and we came upon this little quasi-amusement park about a 1/3 to 1/2 mile back from the bridge over the Royal Gorge. The road just sort of stopped at a toll-gate kind of entrance.

Long story short, without going into too much detail, you couldn't even go near the bridge, more or less go across it, without paying an ADMISSION (read: not a toll, but ADMISSION) fee to this little park. The highlights of this park? A carousel, a skyswing ride (not included in the price of your admission), a tram ride over the gorge, a petting zoo, and about 493 gift shops. I don't know if they knew it, but I came to the Gorge to see it and drive over it, not to pet a flippin' goat.

So, I asked this gatekeeper what the admission price was to drive over & back. "$23 per adult, $19 per child". I'm sorry, no, you misunderstood me. I'm not wanting the admission prices to Epcot; I wanted to know how to get into the Gorge park & bridge thingie.

"$23 per adult, $19 per child."

Sweet heavenly lord.

Tammy, aka budget nazi of the midwest, informed me she didn't bring enough of our allocated funds to the park. So, I debited the sucker. Man, that hurt. Anyway, $84 later (unbelievable), we were headed over the Gorge. For those of you who know me really well, you know I'm very scared of heights. So, I was finally able to look over this wooden-slatted bridge bottom (and THAT'S comforting) by the time we came back over.

I'll be hard pressed to ever admit that it was worth $84, but the view was absolutely amazing. Just breathtaking.

One last thing in this entry...that skyswing thing - who in the WORLD would ever engage in this is beyond me. Just unreal. You essentially were put tandem (one on top of the other) in a harness and bungeed out over the Gorge.

No...why don't you just kill me? There's NO WAY I could ever do anything like that. You'd have to kill me first and then shoot my dead body out over the Gorge.

For those who are willing to make that happen, you'll have to stand in line...:)

Next - our visit to Dr. Dobson's City on a Hill, and more fun with the Happy Wanderer.