Barbara Washburn TEXAS TRAVELER

Wanting to escape the Texas HEAT, we recently took a trip to one of my favorite states, Colorado. Lake City is nested at the edge of Uncompahgre National Forest, surrounded by the soaring San Juan Mountain peaks, and skirted by crystal-clear Henson Creek.

Climb aboard a bus for the short trek up to Acoma Sky City. Perched atop a 367-foot-tall mesa, this almost nine-hundred-year-old pueblo village towers over the breathtaking landscape of western New Mexico with its desert floor and unusual rock formations. Without the availability of electricity, sewer, or running water, Acoma provides a window into the centuries-old history of New Mexico's southwest Indians and is home to 4800 tribal members who still carry on the colorful traditions and celebrations of their ancestors.

My hat goes off to you brave souls who travel alone. I would like to think that I had that degree of chutzpa…but when it gets right down to it, I know I don't. Fortunately, with wireless devices, you can stay in contact with folks back home. Also, it gives you a chance to brag about all the fun things you've been doing, and probably spark a little envy in them.


Here are a few things you can do to make yourself less vulnerable to those ever-present trip-spoilers.  

Consider these tips:

I've always loved the Texas Hill Country, but a recent trip to Fredericksburg to attend a family reunion opened my eyes to a whole new wellspring of places to visit and things to experience. I guess just about everybody knows that Main Street in Fredericksburg is lined with unique shops, boutiques, antique stores, and restaurants. Less than nine thousand people call Fredericksburg home, but they extend a hardy "Willkommen" to thousands of visitors who come to visit this small town steeped in German heritage.

Before leaving home: scan your documents and email them to yourself. In case you need them, you can log into your email and print your documents from anywhere in the world. This could include: passport, travelers’ checks, driver’s license, student ID, vaccination card, birth certificate, medical insurance information, etc.