If You Give a Child an Atlas

As we approach Burlington, Colorado, my daughter notices the Kit Carson County Carousel on the atlas.  We spontaneously decide to follow the signs off the interstate to find this carousel. 

What’s happened to the scheduled, inflexible, impatient traveler I normally am? 

For a quarter, you can ride on the back of a seahorse, a camel, a zebra, or even a deer with enormous antlers.  There we ride, in the middle of nowhere, going 12 miles per hour on a gorgeous carousel built in 1905. 

Later, my daughter spreads the atlas across her lap.  I see the spirit of adventure rising up in our old minivan.  You can go anywhere and do anything!  Why not follow the trail of Louis and Clark?   Why not? 

A few hours later, we stop in Kansas and find friends (the Newmans!) who recommend a local restaurant for dinner.  Why not?  We stay a night in this city and enjoy the unknown and the spontaneous. 

My friend reminds me, “Spontaneous things are better.”  I’m finally learning to relax, be flexible, and have adventures.  What will we find on the atlas today?  Suddenly, a day in the minivan doesn’t seem so difficult. 

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Journal:  What spontaneous thing did I do recently?

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0 Responses

  1. Glad you are having fun on your way home. There is also the beginning of the Santa Fe Trail in Kansas City. There's a nice little museum about it all and you can walk along the trail for a little ways.

  2. Also fun to read the billboards and see how much KS has to brag about ~ like a 5 legged cow! And it's amazing how many astronauts hail from KS. 🙂

    Although I've heard about the Burlington Carousel many times, we've never stopped. Good for you!

    I'm sorry you've left CO and we never met. Next time!

    I'm curious about the labels you put on your blogs. I want to start doing that. It seems you put as many labels as possible; I was thinking of one. Your thoughts?

  4. hang on just a minute….my friend Sue Tell knows my friend Heather? My worlds are colliding (in a good way)!!