Lawrence > St. Louis, MO = 287 miles

Today, we looked at more houses, ate breakfast with Kirsty, went to the Britt shop, got some European Candy (Walnut Whip is where it is at), and left for Kentucky.

This was the first time that I slept during the trip.  Brian got pulled over and got a speeding ticket.  I really thought the guy was going to let him off.  I also thought our puppies would be convincing as well.  I don't even think the guy saw them.  Just trying to reach quota. Guarantee it.  Those blue canaries.

We continued down the road.  By this time, it is probably 10:45 or so at night.  Brian pulls up to a gas station, starts the gas pump, and goes inside to buy some milk.  He hops back in the car and starts driving and we heard this awful noise.  The gas pump had still been in the car.  The pump was still in the car, but the hose had been pulled off the pump.  Apparently, this happens all the time.  

We decided to call it quits after this and count our losses.

Total mileage = 2,376

Day 6

Day 6 - 162 miles

This may have been one of the most entertaining mornings.  Took the dogs out, let them go potty, fed the dogs, Brian took the dogs, I went up the elevator to get breakfast, I made a waffle, I came back down the elevator, I turned the corner, and Brian is standing outside of the room with the dogs.  We locked ourselves out of the room.  For those of yall who know us well and have been following Kitty Cat Diary, this may not come as a surprise.  But yes, we locked ourselves out BUT we had the keys.  So the way this particular room was set up... front door and a back door.  The front door was dead bolted AND the thing that swings over it was swung over.  The back door does not dead bolt, BUT it also doesn't allow you to enter that way.  Hence we were locked out.  The manager was finally able to figure out how to let us in.  

So we packed up fast and ran off to Lawrence.  FYI, I am moving to Lawrence, KS to start graduate school in the end of May.  So, we were going to try and find a place for me to live.  We reunited with Kirsty.  She used to be a tennis pro at the Athens Country Club.  We met these guys. 

Two parrots.  The one on the left is awesome.  He talks, he sings, he mimics cell phone rings, he calls guys he doesn't know "Walter!"  He called Brian Walter the entire time.  Pretty hilarious.  The one on the left cannot pronounce words very well.  But she will dance.  They will BOTH dance!  It is great.  The one of the left, he will get in a car and start singing On the Road Again.  How incredible is that?

Kirsty also has a gigantic backyard.  These two were in doggy heaven.

Brian with the bird.  The grandma thinks the bird has autism.  When the train comes by he will start plucking all of his feathers out, which is why he is bare chested.

Anyway, I found a place to sublease for the summer!  Brian and I ate dinner with my lab and professor.  And he actually admitted Lawrence wasn't that bad!  I would say it was a successful trip.

Day 5

This day was definitely the most terrifying day of all.  I will get to why in a little bit.  The morning started out wonderful.  We walked around downtown Santa Fe with the puppies for a little bit to wear them out, went to breakfast, ate some amazing food, bought entirely too much turquoise, and bought a hat for the derby.  

This is where we ate breakfast.  They served French pastries.  

Probably the best burrito I have every had.  Very delicious.

Breakfast round 2... dessert

Santa Fe plaza where all the Native Americans come to sell their work.

A stall serving delicious juice and food.  Brian was a little obsessed with the guy above.

Jamaica juice was made from the hibiscus flower.  I got that mixed with lemonade and it was awesome.  Brian got the fresh watermelon juice, which was delicious as well.

Eating the delicious food.  I think it was a carnita.

Brian's stalker picture.

Old church in Santa Fe.

Then we started driving.  If you can tell, our route goes through Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas (703 miles).  Or as I  like to call it, Tornado Alley.  But, before I get to that, I have two things to say.  The first, and I wish that I had a picture but I don't...  I think it is absolutely incredible that wildflowers grow in the middle of the desert.  Think about it, it is so dry and desolate, and just dirt essentially, but these beautiful bursts of color splash it everywhere.  It made me think about how God is in those ugly places in your life and the ugly situations as well.  There is always something beautiful to come out of them.  And then the strength of the Lord as well.  That point is to come.  

Don't mess with Texas turned into Captain Morgan for Brian because for some reason Texans do that.

This was what gave me a bad feeling to start off our drive in tornado alley.

Back in the Bible belt.

Loley sleeping.

Oklahoma sunset

If you worked in Sig 3 and know what this means, I'm sorry.

So I don't have any pictures, but by the time we make it out of Texas, it seems like there is a storm approaching very quickly.  I am freaking out naturally because I am a sissy and not a big storm fan, especially bad weather.  We continue driving into Oklahoma (they didn't have a sign when we passed through, so we kept driving), make it past Oklahoma City and it is dark by this time.  Brian is driving and looks ahead and says, "is that heat lightening?"  I of course agreed with him.  We were driving on Hwy 35, and about the time we hit Guthrie, OK, Brian turned on a Christian radio station (which I believe was a blessing from The Big Guy Upstairs), and it was reporting bad weather.  And that bad weather was literally 20 miles ahead of us, and we were driving straight into it.  I texted Kelly and Heather.  I called my dad.  And my mom took over and moitored the weather.  We ended up pulling over in Perry, OK and waited until the storm had almost completely passed.  We then continued driving, and we hit some heavy rain but nothing terrible.  We watched incredible lightening in the sky, saw an overturned 16 wheeler, signs that were blown over, and I might have cried a little bit.  Apparently a couple tornados had touched down.  Here's to living in Kansas for 5 years.

I got this picture off of google, but literally this is what it looked like.  It would fill the sky, go sideways, and do all sorts of crazy things.  We tried to capture it on film but that was a no go.  I was very thankful when we made it to the hotel, and we were safe.  But what incredible power this storm had and how beautiful it was at the same time.  Just like God and His power.  It's incredible. 

Anywho, we made it, and I live to tell the story of the rest of our road  trip.  More to come.

Total mileage: 1,927

On the road again - Day 4

To start day 4 off, here is a map (498 miles).  I think it is going to be a lot easier to see than the previous three.  I finally figured out how to do it!  Yipee!  We started in the Grand Canyon National Park, travelled to Four Corners (Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico), which is run by the Navajo Nation, and ended in Santa Fe, NM.  

Beautiful morning (as you can tell I really started using instagram a lot, probably too much). 

We climbed up into the watchtower, and I found this.  It made me so happy!

Really love this guy.  We look beautiful for not showering in 4 days :)

Watch tower.

This town was called Tuba City... Thought the Herd (Tuba section at Auburn would appreciate it)

Made it to the 4 Corners, and naturally the dogs aren't allowed inside of it.  Compared to everything else that we have been seeing it was definitely a let down.  There is a $3/person charge.  Thanks Navajos.  

Colorado is to my left shoulder, Utah to my back, Arizona towards my right shoulder, and New Mexico in front of my belly.  

There you go, four states at once.

We got some Navajo Frybread with cinnamon on top.  Delicious.

Yummy frybread 

State #3 or 4 if you include Colorado.

Open road

We eventually made it to Santa Fe.  By the time we got checked into our hotel it was 9:45, and almost everywhere was closed except a Hotel bar/restaurant.  We had our first strong drinks since being in Utah.  After that we went to the Ore House to grab another margarita.  We met a French couple who were very friendly and gave me an appreciation for the French.  Their son lives in Salt Lake City, so we had some things in common.  After that we made our way back to the hotel.

Total mileage after day 4: 1,224

Day 3 - Road Trip

This morning, Brian ran to where I was to wake me up.  Outside of our campsite were about 3 or 4 elk just watching us.  I didn't have time to grab the camera, but the elk wanted nothing to do with us because of the dogs.  Not shocking.  I've been told that elk are like deer.  

Total mileage for day 3... 243 miles

Today we started at Red Canyon in Utah and made our way down to Arizona.  All the way to the Grand Canyon!  Crazy!  We stopped on our way in BLM land.  I absolutely love it when park rangers are friendly and excited to give you information.  We stopped at the BLM office, and the girl was so helpful and friendly.  She pointed out numerous hikes in which she had seen very "happy dogs."  Since our meeting with her, anytime our dogs are hiking or just completely nasty, we call them happy dogs.  And this road trip, we had some VERY VERY happy dogs.  So the area we stopped in is called the Vermillion Cliffs.  CAUTION: If you go here, hide your little dogs.  There are apparently condors here with 8-9 feet wingspans that will grab them.  We didn't make it to the actual cliffs (we were more in the Paria canyon area), but we did an incredible hike called Hackberry Creek.  It is a wider slot canyon in the Paria/Grand Staircase area.  And it was excellent.  Very happy dogs and owners there.  

Grand Staircase - Escalante... where our morning hike took place

17 miles dirt road drive to get to the trailhead.  If you ever want it to be just you and the open road... head on out to Southern, Utah.

Beginning of the slot canyon.  There was a creek running through it the entire way.  It felt so refreshing.

Happy dog #1.  There are no happy dog pictures of Lola because she can't sit still long enough for us to get a picture of her, so you know she must be really happy running and splashing through the water.  

More of the hike.  We stopped and had a snack on one of the big rocks.  Our snacks this trip consisted of goat cheese and crackers, and PB&J crackers.

We made it to Arizona!

Here is Glen Canyon.  

Glen Canyon Dam.  Behind this dam is Lake Powell.  

We made it to the Grand Canyon!!!  Dogs are only allowed on the rim trail and paved areas, so yet again another tease for Brian and I.

Beautiful.  You can see a little bit of the Colorado River in the Canyon.  Bucket list:  raft the Grand Canyon/hike below the rim

Brian admiring the scenery

Lola making the best of the backseat. 

Believe it or not, this is where we camped out practically in the Grand Canyon National Park, and it was completely free.  It is literally about 500 yards outside of the park and the main road that runs through it.  Free.  We also got to enter the park for free.  We had some seriously good luck.  The week that we were visiting all the parks was National Park week, which means admission to all national parks are free.  It is normally $25/car.

Non wild elk grazing near the rim.

Hunkering down to watch the sunset.  By the way... Arizona does not follow daylight savings time, so we were all messed up with the time.

Take a gander at that.

Well traveled puppy #1

Well traveled puppy #2.  They have had more adventures than lots of people have their entire life.

Beginning of the sunset pictures.  So sorry there are so many.  I LOVE sunsets and therefore have a hard time not including all of them.

Total mileage of the trip thus far: 726