Tomboy Farm

Durango, Colorado

Gateway to the Incredible Four-Corners Region

                If you are lucky you will be greeted by CubScout the Watchcat when you pull into the driveway. Instantly recognizable by not only his jet-black color, but he is usually wearing his incredibly embarrassing (at least that is what his cat friends tell him) “Bird-Bib” that his “Mom” makes him wear when he goes outside. This bib stops him from pouncing on birds but still enables him to be a good “mouser”.

          If you are really lucky you may catch a fleeting glimpse of his very skittish and shy little “sister”, Ling-Ling, but probably not.

          We have been here for five days and counting and not seen even a glimpse of her. Ling-Ling is pure white and is NOT a Panda, although she does share that name with one. When LL came to the farm and was “taken in”, she was affectionally known as Little New Guy, hence the acronym.

          Tomboy Farm is officiated over by Travis and Lorelyn. Lorelyn is my daughter and Travis, her husband. Officiated is probably the best word to use here. With the two cats, two goats, (Cloe and Zoey) 15 chickens, (who will remain nameless here) and a myriad of projects, dormant and ongoing, it is the proverbial “Work in Progress”. Progress is the key word, whenever one comes here, there are definite signs that something has changed since the last visit. You may not be able to put a finger on it, but rest assured, something has changed.

          Tomboy Farm epitomizes the concept of “Definite Random Eclecticism” (I just now made that up) , but it fits this operation to a T.

          Travis and Lorelyn are “Collectors”.

          It is a disease.

          If you are a collector yourself (as I am) you totally understand this process. If you are not of this mindset, you harbor thoughts of,      “These people need a Twelve-Step Program to help them deal with this affliction”.

          But, thankfully, there is no cure.

          If there were, there would not be any places like Tomboy Farm or Luna Parc back in Sandyston, New Jersey. To visit one of these gems is to put oneself on “Sensory Overload”. There is no way to grasp the randomness and specificness of what lies in front of you at every turn you take.

          Lorelyn is the Deputy Director of the Legal Department of the Southern Ute Indian Nation and Travis is the Owner-Operator of Wheeler Works, an incredibly diverse LLC that dabbles in, Excavating, Irrigation Ditch Maintenance and Design, Water Resource Management, Windmill Installation and Repair and a myriad other qualifications that Travis enjoys.       Travis is a true “Renaissance Man”. He can converse with you on practically any subject and is an excellent resource for many. His experiences include Two WINTER maintenance gigs underground at the South Pole where he was responsible for keeping their all-important generators humming. He went to Zimbabwe to help repair an old railway system, also he is an Engineer, Fireman, and Roundhouse Technician on the Durango-Silverton Historic Narrow-Gauge Scenic Railway. This railroad is on the bucket-list of every railroad aficionado in the world.

          Lorelyn came out West to work for the Nation Park Service as an Interpretational Ranger. Her placements were at Muir Woods, just north of San Francisco, Sequoia National Park and finally at Mesa Verde National Park not far from Durango, hence her present location. She lived long enough at Mesa Verde to apply to the University of Colorado Law School as a resident. She was going to major in Natural Resource Law but when exposed to the relatively obscure (but rewarding) world of Native American Law, she could not help but change her specialty.

          The past few days found Travis halfway up in the state installing a Solar Array for a couple that live 18 miles from the nearest utility. That home makes “living off the grid” an understatement. Lorelyn was embroiled in the usual legal stuff that only someone who deals with separate nations can appreciate. Tribes are “Nations” and as such the legal ramifications are incredibly intricate. But none the less, yesterday found time to spend hours canning home-made salsa to put up for the winter and future enjoyment.

          But that’s just part of the randomness that I explained earlier. One minute she is on the phone (and this is the weekend) with someone discussing the intricacies of some contract while she is peeling Poblano peppers that have been fire-roasted by yours truly.

          You never know what is in store for you when you step onto Tomboy Farm.

          Durango should be one of you vacation destinations. It is the best place to use as a hub if you visit the Four Corners Region that includes, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.  Durango has a great airport that connects with Denver, Dallas, and Salt Lake City to name a few. Getting transfers through these cities is easy and make getting here a breeze. The National Parks in these States are awe inspiring and just driving around will have you craving for more.