Riki’s thoughts…
Last weekend, we had a friend come visit for the weekend, Mark Miller. Mark’s family and Kelly’s family have been adventuring together for Mark’s and Kelly’s earliest years. It was my pleasure to get to know Mark in high school and to face our freshman year at Colorado State University together. Reconnecting with him has been a joy for us both.
With Mark came the pleasant companions of Nostalgia and Whimsy. Our weekend included tasty food, well-chosen wine, home-roasted coffee, laughter and adventure. Mark is an expert gamer, who seemed to master every game we played, even beating the skills of Josiah and Annie, regardless of the simplicity or complexity of the games. Phooey, Nertz, Abducktion, Ransom Notes, and Wingspan were all enjoyed during the evenings.
Saturday’s adventure was to the Goblin Cathedral and Soda Springs in the Jemez River valley. It was a wonder for me to see Kelly and Mark adventuring together again. A thirty-year gap between outdoor adventures seemed but a few days, as they fell back into step with one another, sharing their wealth of knowledge of flora, fauna, and geology. I loved throwing out questions about things we saw and hearing how much two boys raised in the Colorado mountains have learned (and still remember!)
Sunday’s adventure was closer to home, as we explored the Sandia Crest and a short hike to Stone Mountain. The weather was lovely, the walk was pleasant, and seeing those two friends together again made me so very happy. Josiah and Annie joined us for both adventures and many of the games, and their young wit and energy were perfect complements to a gathering of half-centenarians.
Connecting with Mark will be a regular feature of our trips to Northern Colorado. We also look forward to possibly bumping into Mark in the old stomping grounds. And we cannot wait until he has the opportunity to come back to visit in New Mexico. We have so many more places to see, moments to remember, quips to laugh about, and games to lose to Mark.
Kelly’s thoughts…
Mark was one of my closest friends growing up. We spent countless days together at each other’s houses or biking around town or exploring near our hometown. We and our dads had a huge number of adventures, and our families went camping together a lot. Mark was a close friend in high school when Riki and I were dating, so she knew him as well, and later was at the same university. So, it was great to reconnect in recent years with Mark and catch up.
When he came to visit, naturally we did some great NM exploring and had some great food and game-playing with Josey and Annie. So much laughing and reminiscing. We hiked through the Goblin Cathedral one day and walked out to the stone house on Sandia another day. Such a great time with such a good friend!
The summer is shaping up to be a beautiful one with great flowers, animal sightings, family and adventure!
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