Travelog for: Candy Cotton

I got to visit the Edwar "Ted" and Pat Jones- Confluence Point State Park today!

This state park is a natural reserve and a favorite stopping point for migratory birds.  Many raptors, including bald eagles like to nest here even during winter months.  While I visited with my friends Soar, Jessica, Rikki, Rainbow Brite, Cookie Monster, Matthew and Tammy, I also we saw eagles, vultures, hawks, herons, crows, gulls, pidgeons, and many other birds.  Of course jays, robins, sparrows, starlings, finches, wrens, and doves are common in missouri anyway.  But it was a beautiful place to visit.  There is a wetlands marsh and grasslands area which is a natural preserve for many local Missouri animals.  Fishing from the confluence is also proibited, making this part of the river safe for fish and waterlife. 

When we got to the park (after driving along a gravel road for 2.5 miles), we found a display about the traders, trappers, explorers pioneers and settlers which may have crossed through here before.  Of course the most documented information comes from the Lewis and Clark Expedition up the Mississippi.  Here they met natives, camped, and found much of the western expansion possiblities. 

The park is nicely kept with a wide tree lined walk up to the point where both rivers meet.  Since they were both high we could only descend to the first marker.  The rest ws submerged.  However a natural information kiosk and plenty of sightings and photo ops made the trip worth while.  Strong marble platforms constitute the various teirs at the point.  Driftwood was also there for a nice scenic place to site and enjoy the sounds, sights and smells of the river. 

It was a breezy cool day with plenty of warm sunshine so Matthew and Tammy had to really hold on to me and the other TVs so we wouldn't get blown into the water.  Luckily we did get a picture together at the point. 

Trick or Treat! 

Though Candy wanted to give out carrots, our community only wanted well packaged things that were not easily spoiled or manipulated.  Candy spent her first US Halloween with us.  Fun!  We enjoyed Trick-or-Treating, telling silly jokes, and wearing costumes.  Candy was dressed as a superhero because all we had in her size was a cape and a handmade paper mask.  It was great fun! 

We handed out books, and a little note from Candy that said:

Hi!  My name is Candy Cotton.  I am a Toy Voyager.  I travel the world making new friends.  If you know any cuddly cute characters like me who would like to travel too, please visit www.ToyVoyagers.com.  There you can read about my travels, and enlist a new Toy Voyager as well.  I may be lucky enough to visit you someday too. 

Thanks for making it possible for Candy to visit us on this silly USA Holiday. 

Yay!  I am on my way!


I am heading to Colorado next!  I am so excited.  I decided to go to Colorado because my host retired from the USATV Trail in 2008.  He said he wanted to host in 2008, but there weren't enough positions on the trail. The new trail director will consult with me before I head out on the rest of my stops.  I am very excited to see all the TVs stayinig in Colorado's premiere destination for TVs. 

I am also excited to be travelling with Mittens.  She is a cute white kitten who will make a great travelling companion. 

Today I arrived in Grand Junction, Colorado.  We contacted my mum and told her I am not MIA anymore.  Mittens and I arrived together and we met lots of other TVs.  Cool Jules , Lucky-Ducky and Coney are all here.

Today some more visitors arrived -- including one from Australia.  I recognized that accent before he had even poked his head out tof the box.

Jimbo Elephant is on the USA TV Trail and Frogger, an American from Las Vegas, came along for a visit.

I haven't really done much since I got here.  The other TVs and I are mostly hanging around the house because its been cold and windy outside.  Wourpet said if it rains she'll let me out to play in some puddles for awhile as long as I don't nibble on the new flowers.
Today my host was having an anniversary and we each got some carrot cake -- with a carrot on top.

Today a new Toy Voyager arrived from California.  Snuffles has been traveling to some cool places and he had a journal with all of his adventures.  There were lots of very interesitng pictures that he showed us.



Afterwards Wourpet took a picture of all of us together because Mittens and Coney are both leaving tomorrow.  Mittens is going to Russia.  Coney is going back to Ft Bragg to do some more training in the Army and then he is going to Afghanistan.

Today we got to travel.  We got a nice comfiy spot on the dash of the truck where we could see out the window.


Soon after we started on our voyage it started to storm.  We were worried it would be a very stormy trip.



We drove right through the storm and soon it was nice and clear again.



We drove into some very steep mountains and wourpet told us we would be climbing right up over top of them.


and we did



and there was snow up on top of the mountains too!


The first town we came to was Rangely, Colorado.

WOW! I went boating today and got to drive the boat by myself. 

Today we went to Highline Lake State Park near the Bookcliffs and to Mack Mesa Lake.
We had a picnic at the picnic area at Highline Lake.






Then we drove back home through the farms north of Fruita.

Today we went up on top of Grand Mesa.  Grand Mesa is a flat top mountain and it is the largest flat top mountain in the world.



At the top we had lunch in Colbran and went from there even higher up the mountain to Vega Lake State Park.  There was snow at the park still and no leaves on the trees yet.

Today we had a birthday party for JamaBanaDukLuv
and we played some games.


Then we gazed in a crystal ball -- it was really exciting even if I couldn't see anything in there.



Then we gave JamaBana the Royal Bumps for his birthday. It was good there was lots of us because he is quite big.



We went outside and had a marshmallow roast at the fire. 



And then we talked and told stories of our travels far into the night.

I arrived in New York a few days ago but wasn't let out of my box until today! My host said she put my box in her spare/computer room because company was coming over and that she forgot that she put me there.

This morning she was cleaning and found my box. She immediately opened the box to let me out. I was nervous as I had been in there for so long. After a little while I decided to come out. Boy oh boy I had no idea that there would be so many TV's waiting for me. So far I've met Bellatrix, Gilbert, Resi, Theo Sheep and Willy Wau.

To pass the time in my box I slept a lot and read my travel journal.

This evening we decided to play Disney Monopoly. It was SO much fun! Gilbert, Theo Sheep and Bellatrix were one team and Willy Wau, Resi (and Chipper) and I were the other team. They used Nemo as their token and we used Sully and Boo.

Sadly after a few hours of playing the other team wasn't doing so well. They had a lot of property with traffic cones (houses) but we weren't landing on them very often. But of course they kept landing on our properties.

We were the winners!!!!

For some reason it was cool out today! We aren't complaining after all of the hot weather we've experienced lately. For lunch we shared some ramen noodles with our host. They were yummy but a little difficult for us to eat.