Old Memories and New Journeys

Driving from Laramie to Fort Collins was driving through the mountains and I had no clue...but as I was driving I remembered the first time I drove through mountains. It was when we were heading down to live in South Carolina. I remember going up and down the highway and the kids and the ex were asleep. The road was so winding and turning that you would be going slow up a hill and then all of a sudden you would be going downhill so fast that you had to balance stepping on the break and letting the car get out of control. At first I was scared and felt the responsibility for the family, but after a bit I realized I had it under control.

That was how the mountains felt today too. I think that over the next few days I will be in and out of the mountain range, but I know that I can handle it...even though at first I might have a few minor doubts.

There has to be a higher plan...or why would Fort Collins the craft and microbrewery capital of the world be on the way to the Rockies and Estes Park? That is the destination for tomorrow, but for today and I was going to take it easy and sample the local fare.

Who would believe that before I arrived in Fort Collins and as I was twisting and turning on the road, I would see a sign that said ABBEY and wondered what it was. It was a Benedictine Abbey that has a working farm, is set in one of the most beautiful spots and was so calming andThe peaceful. I took a walk around the grounds and really enjoyed seeing the rocks, the mountains and feeling the peace that seemed to surround the area. I even did that stations of the cross that was on a path through the rocks. I felt bad that I no longer know them, but it still was a spiritual experience.

I arrived in Fort Collins early afternoon and had lunch at a local brew place and then took the tour of New Belgium Brewery - the mother company for Flat Tire Beers. What a great place to go. I cannot believe the tour is free, you get to sample about 5 beers and then get to have a beer of choice at the end of the tour. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and recommend it to anyone.

The good news of being a single is that they put me in the next tour that was going to walk through the brewery. I am not sure if I cared as much about how the beer and the types were decided upon as I was to taste the various kinds. At the beginning of the tour we were asked where we were from and what was our favorite NON New Belgium Beer. I said Bell's Oberon or Blue Moon.

On the tour, tThere was a couple that said they were gypsies; and that was intriguing to me. At first I wondered if I heard right. So as the tour went on, I had a chance to connect with the woman in the group and she told me that have been wanderers for the past nine years. They have an RV and a car and they just go from place to place. They started out in Florida and have been all around the country. Sometimes they end up working in one of the National Parks, but most often, they just stay a while in one place and move on. The woman said they just got tired of corporate life and decided to put it behind them.

I gotta tell you........I am not sure if I could do it permanently, but I have liked not being part of corporate or anything else for the past 6 days.

I also met one of my future friends at the end of the tour. I had my last beer and saw a couple at one of the side areas. I stopped and said hello, told them I wasn't sure of the last taste 'Erics" and then started telling my life story. The good news is that they didn't shoo me away and that as we talked I learned they are moving back to Rockford, IL as soon as they sell their place in Fort Collins. I really liked them immediately. Maybe it was because Ron said that he could understand why I was a "black and white" girl, but I could also see me hanging out with Cheryl on a Saturday afternoon in the city.

This Burning Woman's Journey is turning into a Connecting Woman's Journey too. I have met some of the nicest and most interesting people.