Road trip, zip line, spelunking

Mama, Jake and I have been on the road since Monday morning.  We traveled to Dumas on Monday and I started the visits I needed to make in this area on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Mama and Jake have been making the rounds between Dumas and Amarillo. On Tuesday they waited for me at the hotel and we went to Amarillo together so we could get together with Chase and Makaila. Our plan was to visit the caves in Palo Duro Canyon.

When we were driving to the park entrance we noticed a new company in one of the buildings right off of the road. It was advertising a zip line over the canyon. I turned around at the insistence of the passengers with me and we began talking to the man running the business about costs and schedules.

As it turned out the cost was not prohibitive and the next group was going to do the zip line run within the next twenty minutes – so we signed up Jake and Chase for the excursion. Mama, Makaila and I went along for the ride; for a nominal fee. There were three or four others in the party with us as we loaded onto an open, trolley-like, trailer pulled by a Jeer and we headed into the canyon. It was a short drive but it was enough to make Makaila close her eyes several times as we bumped and jostled out way to the launch point.

Mama and I were taken to the terminal end of the zip line and were able to video Chase and Jake as they flew down the zip line. I think it was the highlight of the trip for Jake; even though it took only thirty seconds or so to cover the 600 feet of space. After that we walked to the caves in the canyon and explored a little there as the sun set.

Jake and Chase were entering the caves as Mama and I rounded the bend that opened up to the cliff that contained the caves. They were not in very deep before they hurriedly retreated. Jake quickly explained that one of the walls of the cave ahead of them collapsed as they were going in. They took that as a sign that they should not go any further. I cannot wait until he shares that story several times back in New Jersey. I could be a really good tale by then.

On our way out of the canyon we stopped to get tickets to the play that is put on annually in the canyon – a young lady actually opened up the ticket office for us so we could get the tickets right then. The play is simply called, Texas. I got tickets for all of us to return on Thursday night. The only bad part is that the play starts at about 8:30 pm and runs about two and one half hours so we will not get back to the hotel in Dumas until well after 11 pm tomorrow night.

On Monday, as we began our trip over, Mama started to get an ear ache and it progressed to the point that she went to an Urgent Care yesterday. She was told she has “swimmer’s ear” and was prescribed an antibiotic for the infection.

Unfortunately she is not greatly improved yet.