Dream Journal

What a dream! Rebecca and I are on our way to Volcano National Park in Colorado. We’ve been there once before. It’s a drive around this mountainous area that includes a volcano and a glowing lake of lava. Roxann and Tom are with us, but not really active. As before, we’re approaching from the south side. Last time we visited, we went counterclockwise. I tell them we’re taking the clockwise route this time. I can see the route perfectly on a map in my head.

Rebecca had called out for my uncle John and aunt Pam and their daughter Ashley to join us. I was horrified and didn’t want them with us. But we were on a freeway and almost to them, so it was too late. We pulled over into a parking lot where we were to meet. They were in two vehicles — John and Pam in a weird truck and trailer setup and Ashley in a truck. When we saw Ashley it came with an adult warning of some kind, and she was positioned low in the driver’s seat with her bare legs sticking out under the front of the truck, revealing her yellow underwear. They didn’t get out of their cars but followed us to the park.

We set off, but I see on the map that we’re going the counterclockwise route again. Oh well. We’re driving in cars, most of the time, but sometimes they’re as narrow as my body. Rather than roads, these were more like routes . . . suggestions of roads. Due to their being poorly marked and defined, several times during the dream, we made wrong turns and end up in hot, deadly volcanic regions. We drove around the glowing lava lake, then came around this rise, high up. As we turned the corner, we saw the huge energy collection panels that were attached to the National Park lodge near the peak. The route continued across these panels. I switched to watching Tom drive from above. His wheels almost went off the edge! There was a long fall below. Rebecca suggested I drive and I agreed. Tom pulled over. I drove more carefully across the collectors, but right afterwards got the route wrong and led everyone into this rocky hot zone alongside the lava lake. I thought we were going to die but I gunned it up a steep slope and Rebecca, Tom, and I ended up shooting up — no longer in a car — just high enough to grab the rails that had replaced the road here as it passed over a gulch. Rebecca and I caught the rail by one hand. Straining, we hauled up our luggage and got ourselves up onto the rail. I had particular trouble with my iPhone. Then we pulled Tom up as well. Adventure! About 10 feet ahead of us the rails ended in rocky ground, where the route continued.

We drove on and made it to the highest point on the road, which revealed a busy National Park lodge complex, with food, a gift shop, rides, lots of people, and amazing views of the top of the volcano. The lodge was made up of all these connected buildings built around the volcano. The volcano was continuously erupting hot smoke and debris like a blast furnace from an opening that was maybe three feet across. The lodge had windows right beside it, allowing for an amazing view. A ranger said it was the second most powerful volcano.

As I watched the impressive eruption, I imagined (and thus saw) chunks of black rock raining down from above. At first they were small sprays of gravel but then larger black rocks came down. They came down inside the building, ignoring the ceiling. I dodged about to avoid them. Some came down on this stairway and I imagined (and thus saw) them rolling down the stairway in such a way that it was like a video game challenge. I went up the stairway dodging the very real (to me) volcanic rocks.

Done with my little fantasy game, I looked around for the others but couldn’t find them. I discovered another view from within the building of a great glowing chamber of the volcano, a hot pinkish red color. It drew my attention briefly, but I was beginning to panic about losing Rebecca. I saw John and Pam hanging out in the lobby. I remember rushing back and forth across the building and walkways calling for Rebecca, and I’d hear her calling back from time to time but she was like “on the other side” which I couldn’t get to. It’s like the building and outside walkways were divided into a near side where I was and a far side where I thought she was.

Back inside the building, I found the start of a mine cart ride. I followed it around to the “other side” where it led, to the side where I thought Rebecca was. But I didn’t find her. I stopped to get some water and got a ticket that could be used to fill up on gas before leaving. I think someone gave me some food, too. I left this section of the building and just outside someone was handing out treats from a tray with a variety of sweet things. I grabbed a dark chocolate bear claw.

I made it eventually to the exit area in a lower part of the building. The exit area had cars and gas pumps and that’s where I found Rebecca and the kids! I gave someone my white ticket to fill up gas, and away we went. This side of the volcano was more forested. But I think I left alone because I ended up driving up the wrong path on my own where I saw three wolves. Cool! But I quickly backtracked before they noticed me. I soon ended up on another wrong path where some wolves saw me and came after me. I hid in these big white bones, going out of my body to watch them attack me. The wolves were weird, floating, thought forms created for drama. I tricked them or something then returned to the drive.

This side of the volcano was part of a big and beautiful glowing vista, too. It was getting dark. So I woke up. It was 5:30.