Gunfight at the OK Campround... Really?

Traveling with us is always, shall I say, an adventure, and today was certainly an adventure both good and bad.  

The day started out rough with the dog, Windsor, having issues again.  But the boys stepped in while I was tending to the dog by marking a complete breakfast of French Toast, sausage and bacon!  It was yummy and they did a great job at making it.

After breakfast we drove a short distance to Dinosaur Ridge.  This was a hidden gem of a place.  It's here that some of the first dinosaur fossils in America were found, including the first Stegosaurus, the Colorado State fossil!  We learned that today too.  The ridge was once the very edge of the vast inland sea and there are literally thousands of fossils and foot prints and more visible in the cliffs here.  We opted for the guided tour at just $5 per person.   Both Alex and Daniel rated this stop a 10 out of 10 and probably higher if we could.  They didn't want to leave and if it wasn't for poor Windsor feeling sick, we probably would have spent the day there.  It's a really fun place to explore and learn about so many different eras of history from the earliest life through to the age of extinction.  

Above Top: The boys pointing at a sauropod foot print. 

Above middle: The 3 of us with Dino footprints

Above middle: Daniel face to face with a Dino.

Above Bottom: footprints in the sand.

  Upon returning to the camper, we found the dog way too lethargic.  He wasn't even able to stand up, so I scooped him up and took him to a local animal hospital where they administered fluids and kept the dog for observation.  

So, just when I thought we were rounding the corner for the better, I literally drove around the corner into our campground, only to be stopped by a policeman, who told me I could not enter due to an ongoing incident with a guy with a gun!!!!  I kid you not!  Well, at this moment the boys were already in the camper by themselves only a few yards from where the activity was going on, so I insisted he let me in. The policeman responded "if you try, I will arrest you!"  We'll, now I'm both furious and freaking out.  The police man asks me want site the boys are in and I tell him, and he tells me to call them and tell them to lock the door and got down on the floor!!  OMG... Or you kidding me!  So I call them and they do what I ask right away.  So for the next, very tense and anxious 10 minutes, the policeman stays with me, giving me updates while I stay on the phone with the boys.   Well, in the end, they catch the guy and as best I can tell there was no gun, but only a chance he might have had a gun and everything was back to normal.  I can tell you, we had huge hugs all around when I got back to the camper...  

Then, as we were making lunch, the Vet called to tell me the dog is sicker than she can handle and he needs to be transferred to an animal ER.  So back into the car I go, this time with the boys, and we pick up Windsor and drive another 10 minutes to the Animal ER where the dog will now likely stay for the weekend.

By now, I've been on the Phone with Missy and she has arranged a flight from Rapid City to Denver to ride in as my Knight in Shinning Armor and rescue us 3 boys and the dog, from near certain ruin!  It was a wonderful surprise and blessing to know she would be with us 2 days earlier than expected.

So, back to the day.  After dropping Windsor off, we came back and I took the boys to the lake and they swam for an hour before we went to dinner... There was no way I was cooking tonight...  

This evening I drove over to the airport, picked up Missy, gave her huge hugs and on the way back we stopped in to see Windsor.  I'm happy to report while, he's not out of the woods, he is looking better and we authorized dog acupuncture for tonight to help him with his stress!  Yes, they do acupuncture on dogs...  Surprised me for sure and Missy thought it was a bit quacky, but hey, we are in Colorado, we were expecting them to recommend a dose of pot for him too... But they didn't.  

All is well here, tomorrow we are getting up very early and heading to the mountains for the morning.   Pending any dog crisis overnight.  

Below: a shot of one of our resident Prarie Dogs that live in the park.