Llama Beans

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Geo: 36.4072, -105.573

76 degrees
8100 feet above sea level
7 Llamas
2 bridges
1 guide (stuart)
1 Big surprise

Today we did something that might seem strange and unique. I wanted to do something here in New Mexico that seemed to fit the area. We traveled up into the Carson National Forest mountains and met a man named Stuart with his 7 beautiful Llamas. We had lunch with the Llamas. We hiked up the mountains with the Llamas carrying our stuff. Everyone loved the Llamas. They are so cute. Stuart, the guide, is a pure lover of nature, the outdoors and his Llamas. He saves abandoned and abused Llamas. He is super knowledgable about the mountains and the flora and fauna. We ate all kinds of leaves and berries along the trail.

When we got to a river, we let our llamas go while we crossed the bridge, they crossed the river and we picked them up on the other side. We hiked for about two miles up and stopped at a spot along the river for lunch. He set up turkey and cheese sandwiches with spreads and sauces. We had mixed green salad. He sent Elizabeth and I out into the woods to collect wild parsley and rose petals for the salad. How cool. There are no poisonous snakes out at this time and no Lyme disease ticks. There are ticks but they can only give you Rocky Mountain fever. Oh. Good. That makes me feel better. There are bears and wild cats but we were instructed on what to do if we should encounter one. For a wild cat look big. Scaling Paul came to mind. For a bear, don't look big or tasty. We did not encounter any wildlife of that sort. He said the llamas would let us know if anything was around by all turning their heads toward the danger. I said, "and we all get on the other side of the Llamas." It was such an amazing adventure. Paul and the kids loved it even if they thought I was crazy for booking it.

When we got back to the house, we had a surprise for the kids. Uncle Stone came from Vegas to spend a couple days with us. Actually the kids knew he was coming a couple months ago but he thought he had to cancel a week or so ago. The kids were so disappointed. So were we. On our way here, he texted me to give me his flight info. I had no idea he was coming. He had texted me the same day he cancelled to say he was coming but it didn't go through and he didn't know it. So I didn't tell the kids. They were so surprised. Tonight we are going to cook up some fajitas and margaritas and relax.

Tomorrow...something to do with water. Come back and see what it is.

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