Did you know that if you’re driving along I-70 near Goodland in western Kansas, you can visit a giant replica of Van Gogh’s “Three Sunflowers in a Vase” painting on an 80-foot tall easel? I didn’t, until after I had returned from my trip to Colby for the Mingo Madness geocaching mega event in May. I saw so many beautiful and interesting things that weekend, found some great geocaches and met some wonderful people. I can't believe I missed THAT!
I’ve learned to say “yes” to opportunities that may not come again. I remember the spring after Ray died, his brother Bill and sister-in-law Pamela invited Nick and me to join them at Pamela’s mother’s condo in Florida for a week. That year, my spring break fell the week after Easter, and happened to coincide with both Nick’s and my niece and nephew’s. My first response was, “Are you kidding? I don’t have time to go to Florida! I have to do report cards!” Pamela reminded me that her mother had wifi and I could just as well work on them there as at home. At the time, being in my house was depressing. I was already starting to seize every opportunity I could not to be home. But leaving for a whole week when report cards were due? That would be just plain irresponsible, wouldn’t it?
Of course we went to Florida and had a great time. I did spend some days alone in the condo working while everyone else went to the beach, but I was probably more productive just being in a different setting. And I did get to go to the beach, go on some epic runs (I think I was training for some race or other) and find some geocaches. We visited Universal’s Volcano Bay water park. Aside from our return trip being a nightmare because of our flight getting cancelled, it was a wonderful week and I am glad I decided to go.
I was nervous about travelling to Kansas alone to hang out with a bunch of people I didn’t know. But I went and was glad I did. I found “Mingo”, the oldest active geocache in the world, as well as a ton of other fun caches. I met a lot of really great people. I discovered that Kansas isn’t all flat prairie and cornfields. There are beautiful canyons and badlands and cactus and pronghorn antelope. When I returned and saw other people’s photos of the giant sunflower painting I was kicking myself for not visiting that roadside attraction.
Recently Nick, Matt, and Matt’s girlfriend Andrea got to visit Bill and Pamela and the cousins at their home by Lake Norman in North Carolina. We played on their boat, relaxed at the pool, and hung out with Ray’s parents who moved there last fall. We went to Carowinds, which was my go-to theme park when I was a teenager. And when they had an extra ticket to the immersive Van Gogh exhibit in Charlotte, I jumped at the chance to see that.
Being surrounded on almost all sides with images of Van Gogh paintings, each one morphing into the other, accompanied by music, was definitely a unique experience. I enjoyed it, and I imagine it might inspire a younger person to visit an actual art gallery to see some actual Van Gogh paintings.
I am told there will be another Mingo Madness geocaching event in 2025. I may get the chance to see that giant painting after all.
No comments:
Post a Comment