Masters of RVing Adventures

I was downright giddy to leave Nomad Neal’s behind. Mark was happy with the upgrades to Jackson, and we were both more than ready to move on.

Everything Is Bigger at The Big Texan

Before leaving Amarillo, we decided to explore a section of Route 66 that we had skipped on previous trips. Last year, we stopped at Cadillac Ranch to add our own layer of spray paint to the upended Cadillacs. This time, we headed to the all-too-famous Big Texan Steak Ranch, hoping we might catch someone attempting its legendary 72-ounce steak challenge.

We were not disappointed!

Four challengers were seated at the elevated table in the middle of the restaurant, each attempting to finish a 72-ounce steak—along with all the required sides—within one hour. By the time we left, all four had given up, but three new fellas were on the clock!

We arrived around 4:30 p.m., having skipped lunch in preparation for our own considerably smaller steaks. The restaurant was nearly empty when we first walked in, giving us plenty of time to meander through the enormous gift shop. We almost walked out with a set of Texas longhorns to mount on the front of the rig! Can’t you just picture Jackson barreling down the highway with those?

The steaks were good enough to keep tourists stopping, but make no mistake: The Big Texan is as much about the spectacle as it is the food. Between the Old West décor, gift shop, roaming musicians, enormous portions, and steak challengers sitting on display, it is definitely an experience.

Of course, we also had to park Jackson at The Big Texan’s campground counterpart, the Big Texan RV Ranch. The campground continued the theme with whimsical yard art, colorful murals, and its own little Old West streetscape. It could easily have crossed the line into tacky, but everything was well done and somehow complemented the campsites.

Between the restaurant, campground, and other quirky attractions nearby, I would recommend this stretch of Route 66 in Amarillo as a fun overnight stop.

As an added bonus, Buc-ee’s was only an exit away. Naturally, I had to stop—and I even got to meet Buc-ee himself!

What fun!

An Unexpectedly Good Meal in Raton

Our next stop was quite different from the bright lights and whimsy of The Big Texan. Raton, New Mexico, was chosen solely because it gave us a reasonable driving day on our way to Colorado Springs.

Honestly, it seemed like a nothing sort of place at first.

The KOA manager offered several suggestions for things to see and do. The most intriguing was Capulin Volcano National Monument, but visiting it would have required close to two additional hours of driving. After a travel day, neither of us felt like getting in Cheeto for that long. Instead, we spent the afternoon catching up on emails and personal correspondence.

Eventually, guilt set in. We couldn’t stay in a small town and learn absolutely nothing about it! We took a drive down Main Street in search of somewhere to eat dinner.

That proved more difficult than expected.

A search for the best restaurants in town returned the place pictured below. Needless to say, we were hesitant. It was clearly the kind of restaurant that believed strongly in home-cooked meals—and not at all in updated décor.

Once again, appearances proved deceiving. The portions were generous, the service was outstanding, and the prices were refreshingly inexpensive. It turned out to be a surprisingly good meal and a reminder that some of the best travel experiences come from places that do not look like much from the outside.

A Week in Colorado Springs

We arrived in Colorado Springs eager to spend time with Dirk and Brie. Unfortunately, we were all trying to work around busy professional and personal schedules. As a mom, I naturally did not get as much time with them as I had hoped, but I am grateful for the shared evening meals and the two afternoons we managed to squeeze in together.

We stayed at the Colorado Springs KOA Holiday in Fountain. It was a good choice for our week, and our campsite had a lovely view of Fountain Creek. The sound of rushing water was especially welcome because it helped drown out some of the nearby road noise.

A Walk on the Wild Side

While Dirk and Brie were working one afternoon, Mark and I visited the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Built into the side of Cheyenne Mountain, the zoo begins at an elevation of 6,714 feet and rises to nearly 7,000 feet at its highest points. That mountainside location provides fabulous views across Colorado Springs—but it also demands quite a bit of uphill and downhill walking!

We had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon feeding the giraffes, listening to the king of the mountain roar, watching the bears cooperate while having their nails trimmed, strolling beside the penguins, wandering among the free-ranging wallabies, moseying past the elephants, and meeting many more of the zoo’s residents.

The animal encounters were wonderful, but the mountain setting made the experience even more memorable. At almost every turn, we found another beautiful view overlooking the city below.

The Afternoon That Did Not Go as Planned

We met Dirk for lunch one day while Brie had to work. Our original plan was to continue to Cripple Creek, a former gold-mining camp about 20 miles southwest of Colorado Springs near the base of Pikes Peak.

Before heading there, I wanted to eat at The Pantry in Green Mountain Falls, a quaint outdoor restaurant with a stream running through the middle of its dining area.

Mother Nature had other plans, when we arrived, it was pouring rain.

The Pantry only has outdoor seating. Although each table has an umbrella, the diners sitting beneath them were still getting drenched. We decided to pop into Pine Gables Tavern for a pint while waiting for the storm to pass.

Unfortunately, by the time the downpour ended, so had The Pantry’s lunch hours. It closes at 2 p.m., and we had missed our chance.

Sadly, we settled for bar food where we were and then took a walk around the town pond. By that point, it was too late to continue to Cripple Creek and still make it home in time for Timber.

I was disappointed that nearly every part of my carefully imagined afternoon had failed to materialize. Mark and Dirk, however, took it all in stride. Apparently, they had not become nearly as attached to my plan as I had!

Afternoon Tea at Glen Eyrie Castle

One of the highlights of my week was the afternoon Brie and I spent having tea at Glen Eyrie Castle.

The Glen Eyrie estate dates to 1871 and was the home of General William Jackson Palmer, a Civil War veteran, railroad executive, and the founder of Colorado Springs. Palmer and his wife, Mary “Queen” Mellen Palmer, raised their three daughters on the estate.

The property changed hands several times after Palmer’s death in 1909. In 1953, it was purchased as the headquarters of The Navigators, an international Christian ministry founded by Dawson Trotman. Billy and Ruth Graham had encouraged Trotman’s ministry, and the property became a place for discipleship, conferences, camps, retreats, and other ministry work.

Glen Eyrie remains the headquarters of The Navigators today, while also welcoming the public for castle tours, afternoon teas, overnight stays, conferences, and retreats. The property continues to be a significant site in the history of both The Navigators and Billy Graham’s evangelical outreach.

Our tea was served in the magnificent Castle Music Room. The menu included summer gazpacho, kale salad, a chicken-salad mini-croissant, two delicate canapés, one savory and one sweet scone, and two small desserts. By the end, we were so full that we had to take the desserts with us!

I chose a vanilla chai rooibos tea, while Brie opted for a mango-pineapple herbal blend. We paced ourselves over the two-hour experience, enjoying the food, conversation, and beautiful natural landscape outside the windows. In the distance, we could see the majestic red-rock formations of Garden of the Gods.

Glen Eyrie is also known for the bighorn sheep that roam the property. Sure enough, as we were leaving, Brie and I walked right into a small group calmly grazing near where we had parked.

It was the perfect ending to a lovely afternoon.

Onward to Creede—and then Moab!

Our week offered a little bit of everything: Route 66 kitsch, an unexpectedly good small-town dinner, mountain wildlife, rain-soaked plans, afternoon tea in a castle, and—most importantly—precious time with Dirk and Brie.

We are now heading to Creede, Colorado, for a three-day stay before continuing to Moab, Utah, for Mark’s favorite week of the trip: off-roading fun!

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