Oh my – what a year it was! January began where 2021 left off – in the middle of a five month road trip that had begun in October. After ending the year in southern California, we started the journey back to Colorado . . . slowly.

Our first stop was Scottsdale, where we fell in love with the desert, and then Tucson. Our leisurely drive home also included a few days in New Mexico.

After a few weeks at home, we sought out warmer weather in Vero Beach, Florida, spending two weeks with our friends Steve and Marlene, mostly relaxing but also exploring new places.

Kansas isn’t on everyone’s travel bucket list, but we had a great time in the spring visiting my home state and our old stomping grounds in Lawrence, Kansas City and Wichita. Also many points of interest between here and there and here.

In June, we made the annual summer road trip to Montana to spend time with Philip, Kim and Owen, and once again found new places to check out along the way.

And then . . . BAM! No more travel for the final five months of the year after Carol was diagnosed with cancer. We made a cataclysmic shift in our priorities and began a very different type of journey that kept us at home over the winter and wondering about our future.

Read on for links to blog articles and photos from 2022, including some deserving photos that never made it into an article. Plus an end-of-year update on Carol’s medical status.

January – Snowbirds in Scottsdale

Our base for exploring the Phoenix area was a rundown condo in overall upscale Scottsdale. We found countless ways to keep ourselves entertained, all without setting foot on a single golf course. Three blog posts tell the story . . .

• “The West’s Best Western Town”
• Fire Trucks, Musical Instruments & a Botanical Garden Tucked into the Hills
• Miles & Miles & Miles of Trails

Here’s a selection of photos from the town of Scottsdale, two botanical gardens, three museums and endless hiking experiences . . . .

January/February – New Adventures in Tucson

Having spent only a few days in Tucson during previous trips to Arizona, we were eager to do a deeper dive, and we weren’t disappointed. Five blog posts from our month in Tucson:

• Flying Machines Plus Colorful Rocks & Murals
• Desert Life, Southwest Art & A Couple of Fires
• Outside of Tucson – Organ Pipes & Downhill Skiing
• Defunct Missiles & a Couple of Enticing Canyons
• Quilts, Baskets, Geronimo & Barry Goldwater

March – Fun with Friends in Vero Beach

No blog posts from our two weeks in Florida, but we always have fun when we visit our good friends Steve and Marlene. Much of the time just doing ordinary, everyday things, but also sightseeing. Sometimes nearby:

And sometimes a little further away:

Our three days in St. Augustine was a highlight:

May – Road Trip to Kansas

We left Kansas 42 years ago when Bill got a job in Colorado, and in many ways, we never looked back. Despite fond memories and close family/friends, we just didn’t make a point to visit. So when a friend asked us to attend his parents’ Celebration of Life ceremony in Lawrence, we jumped at the chance to revisit important places from our past and experience new sights . . . as tourists. Our month-long adventure yielded six blog posts! (And yes, we realize that Kansas City is mostly in Missouri rather than Kansas.)

• Kansas Road Trip – “There’s No Place Like Home”
• Lawrence – Cool College Town with a Hot, Messy Past
• Need a Reason to Visit Kansas City? Here Are 3.
• More Fun in KC – Treasure Hunters, Baseball World Champs & Jazz Legends
• A Visit to Wichita Was Long Overdue
• More Wichita – Handbells, Bluegrass & Salt Without the Margarita

From Lawrence . . .

Kansas City (Missouri) . . .

And Wichita . . .

June/July – Family Time in Missoula

No blog posts and no explanation needed – we love our visits to Missoula.

Earlier, I promised an update on my medical status. Surgery in August, followed by six rounds of chemotherapy starting in September. As of Dec. 14, five down and one to go.

Not my preferred way to spend the past few months, but it could have been a lot worse. Thankful that my treatment has gone according to plan so far. I’ll know more in a couple of months. Hoping for good health (who isn’t?) and the ability to resume at least a little travel in 2023.

And One More Thing . . .

When we plan road trips, we research things to see between here and there, then adjust our route and travel time accordingly. So to wrap up this 2022 summary, we would like to share some of the gems we visited while “Just Passing Through.”

Between Phoenix and home:

Road trip to Kansas:

Examples of art created by internees while confined at Amache:

Road trip to Montana:

Whew – what a year it was!

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