Adopted Pack

    This 400+ mile drive I am used to, Daniel is not. I would drive this twice a week for twenty weeks last summer for work. As an archaeological field technician I walked countless miles where we are headed. Daniel is one of the best photographers I know. Pretty much the only reason I am dragging him down to the Valles Caldera in New Mexico. My plan is to drag him down into Valle Grande. The rim of the caldera encircles it and would make for incredible nighttime photos. My wired brain is dragged from its musing. "Are we there yet?" Daniel asks continuing his death grip on the doorframe as we fly down the road. I roll my eyes we aren't going that fast. "About two more hours until we get to Los Alamos." I grin slightly hyped up on coffee and far to jittery to be tired. "We have been driving for over six hours" he whines "Jen I didn't think you were serious when you said it was an eight to ten hour drive" I cant help but laugh I did this twice a week commuting from northern Colorado to New Mexico. "Do you want to drive on the way back?" I glance over at him. "You know the trip back is always longer because of Denvers traffic" He groans and looks out the window. We wind down Highway 68 along the Rio Grande river. Small towns pass in a blur to me since I have driven this route so many times. Kayakers have begun to brave the river as it is swollen from spring run off. They dip and roll through the waves. I have stopped occasionally and watched them as I used ti white water kayak with my dad. Everything is green this time of year before the arid climate takes a toll and everything begins to dry out.  I watch the road scarcely listening to the book on tape that I brought with us since there are so few stations to listen to on the radio. Time seems to pass quickly as we soon reach the outskirts of Espanola. Daniel seems like he could use a break so we stop at a Blakes Lotaburger so we can stretch our legs. He unfurls from the car stretching his back. He has a huge personality that is barely contained in his small stature. People look our way as he is tattooed heavily with full sleeves on both arms and tattoos up each leg.  "People are staring" he whisper yells at me. "Why are people looking at us?" he seems very uncomfortable under peoples stares. My heart breaks knowing he is over stimulated and uncomfortable. Recently he underwent testing and was diagnosed as an adult with autism. He is very much an extrovert so it is sometimes a challenge for him.   "Well I am white and although you are brown you have more tattoos than most people around here" I muse staring down the girl behind the counter as she undoubtably is admiring his vibrant tattoos. The colors stand out well against his tanned skin. I quickly order for us and we get back in the car to finish our journey to the Valles Caldera.