Let the Tour Begin, not quiet how we expected it to start...but...

You know, when you take a leap of faith, you think you have it all sorted out...and then you get this HUGE curve ball that gets tossed your way...you can dodge it, or catch it and make it a home run... I prefer the latter.  Our first night in the Mustang Mansion, was not as planned at all, but it couldn't have been any sweeter!

Little did we know we would be making a move to NM, we had been tossing the idea around in our heads 'loosely'...the idea of being close to Santa Fe for art purposes, and two of the local sanctuaries had been something considered...

And so off we packed, and in a record 7 days, unsure of our destination, but having an idea...we embarked with our belongings, cats, dogs, horse trailer loaded full of all the art, and pulling the Mustang Mansion southbound to NM...if this sounds frightening to you, remember, I do have a bit of gypsy blood in me, haha...so off we went...

We made it as far as Weslenburg Colorado, this of course was after we had entered NM going over the El Rito pass and back over again...but thats another story for the book that will follow the ending of this seasons tour...can't give you all the juice early on, haha. And so there we were, parked at the visitors center on the edge of the NM border, still sitting in Colorado with a beautiful vista out the windows and the rumbles of the 18 wheelers as they napped on the roadside stop. We put the dogs to bed in the back of the jeep (which conveniently decided to break down on us numerous times in the journey to NM, thus our reasoning for parking as the sun went down before us) The winds began to pick up and we drew the drapes and nestled with the cats on the cozy bed as the Mustang Mansion began rocking and serenading us with the winds blowing through the aluminum channels on the front window...bet you didn't know we had a singing tincan! Its actually a beautiful song to listen to in the quiet of the night. Needless to say the three cats hogged the bed squeezing Cip to open up the dining table sleeping quarters, lol.  Ah yes, with coffee in hand...we knew the Mustang Mansion adventures were just beginning...

The next morning we brewed another fresh cup of java, started the engines and headed down the road...after a few break downs (literally) with our previously faithful jeep...we opted to call for help...I called Judy Barnes whom we had developed a wonderful 'phone' friendship with and employed if she were up for 'house guests'...and if she would like to pick them up as well. We gassed her up and she arrived before sundown and we traveled behind with Mustang Mansion in tow through beautiful terrain that mellowed the heart as we watched the sun dissapear behind each mountain turn. Finally we arrived in the dark after miles of dirt road and dust to the Wild Horse Mesa...we enjoyed yet another cup of hot coffee, warm embraces and good conversation before we bid each other good night.

The morning was like opening a christmas present, not knowing what the dawn would bring as we arrived the night before...double surprise with incredible vista's of the Sangre de Cristo Range surrounding us like a big hug, and a new foal with the band of mustangs that make thier way to awaken Judy every morning...this was the beginning of our trip...it only gets better from here...you will be reading more as I journal from stop to stop sharing stories and pictures as the Mustang Mansion makes its way across the plains and mountain ranges of the west...for now, keep us warm in your hearts that we fulfill the dream of the journey...to make the Mustang known...to encounter a people who hunger for them to remain, wild and free.

'running with the horses!
Melody