Adventures of Amy and Momoh

Oh my god, we’re back agaaaaiiiiin! Brothers, sisters, everybody sing…

Last week we had a heckuva fun Vegas trip to see the Backstreet Boys. Momoh’s first trip to Vegas was a success ~ BSB at the Sphere, Fremont Street Experience, Bellagio fountains, and a (hot) nighttime walk down the strip. We had so much fun seeing BSB the first night that Emily talked most of us into going to see them again the next night from the floor instead of from the seats. Two very different experiences – both worth every penny. You know what they say – “as long as there’ll be music we’ll be comin’ back agaaaiiin”. And Emily is already planning our return trip to Vegas for NYE to see them again – it really was that much fun!

We road tripped again – only about 2000 miles this time instead of 3500, so basically an easy day’s work for our crew. We had the best VRBO with pool options for everyone – swimming or billiards – to beat the 100+ degree heat. Neo even got to come along on this journey and loved sleeping in the cool air-conditioned house. He basically had to, though, because >100 degrees is too hot for a 108 year-old guard dog to stand watch and supervise outdoor swimmers.

On the way home, we stopped at the Hoover Dam and visited the Grand Canyon! We stayed at the Cameron Trading Post, which was established in 1916, and enjoyed Navajo tacos and a nice night of relaxing at the hotel. After a long, hot, and pretty emotional day in the car, we all needed a break…

At the Grand Canyon, sweet old Neo showed his age. We got out to walk around a little bit (less than 10 minutes) at the visitor’s center and tried to keep him mostly in the shade, but quickly learned that the cement was still too hot for his poor old paws. He collapsed on the ground right outside the car. I scooped him up and got him in the car, blasted the AC, and put water on his paws to cool him down the best I could. He refused to drink water for a while and I sat in the third seat of the van with him until he seemed a little more like himself and finally laid down. This has been a summer of scary moments with my old man, and though I’m never going to be ready to say goodbye, things like this remind me of how little time I probably have left with him. We are so lucky to have so much love surrounding us ~me and Neo~ as we figure out the hard parts of old age.

I’m so happy that Emily and Momoh were there to be with us, comfort me, give Neo all the pats and love, and take charge in getting us to the next place. Emily was a great GCNP driver! Once Neo laid down, we stopped at most of the vista points along the South Rim and left the car running so Neo could stay cool. It was really smoky due to the wildfires all over the west, so the views were a little obstructed, but always worth the stop. Plus, we saw a lot more of the Grand Canyon than we saw at Crater Lake in July… Every time I lose a “bet” to Momoh that Neo isn’t going to make it home, I’m grateful for a few more days/months/moments and HAPPY to lose the bet.

The next morning we left Cameron Trading Post for the 4 Corners and really enjoyed driving through Navajo Nation. The land is hot, a bit barren, and looks difficult to navigate in any capacity, but BOY IS IT BEAUTIFUL. Arizona might be known as the Grand Canyon State but we were stunned by the incredible amount of awe-worthy geology across the northern part of the state. We took pictures as we entered Momoh’s 9th new state of the summer – checking off Arizona and New Mexico on this trip. After we left 4 Corners, we drove through beautiful southern Colorado and over Wolf Creek Pass. It was fun to see Durango, the Collegiate Peaks, and eventually Red Rocks alive and bumping as we came into Denver on Hwy 285. We would have gone through Leadville, but opted for the I-25 instead since it was so late in the day. No need to tempt fate or hurt Bambi’s mom by accident just to save 3 minutes of driving… You have to watch for deer, eh? in these beautiful Rocky Mountains!

Now that we are home from our second BIG road trip of the summer, it’s time to settle in and “get back to work” as they say. The semester is coming (too) soon, Momoh is starting his new job, and Neo is back to his old self – barking at the WyoTech students as they go to/from school, romping in his backyard, sleeping on our feet when we refuse to let him out AGAIN, and eating all the treats his heart desires. We are looking forward to cooler days this fall, a bit more routine, and a whole lot more WyHOMEing time in our newlywed phase.

-xo- Amy