Across the Midwest to the East Coast

Hello Again,

I'm here!! Here being Chevy Chase, Maryland where I will be spending the next three days training for the conference. It took three whole days, 30 hours of driving and a tour of nine states to say "I'm here" but I made it! 

I took off with Jen and her black lab, Loki, on Saturday at 4:00 a.m. It was a good three hours after we left that I would say I was a pleasant person. I don't do mornings well! We followed Jen's mom and sister the first day. Jen's sister, Kate, was going back to school in Memphis, so it was fun having a convoy. After driving almost 15 hours, we spent the night with the Ingraham's/Wood's relatives in St. Louis. Very nice people who sure know how to cook!

The next day, Jen and I went north through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio while Kate and Mrs. Ingraham went on to Memphis. After looking at our route, I realized that it was an hour off our route to my grandparents' in Belpre, Ohio. After making a quick call, we made arrangements to stay with them on Sunday night. Since I hadn't seen them in almost three years, it was such a wonderful stop! 

We had about a six-hour drive from Belpre to Stafford, Virginia, which is where Jen and Chris will be living. Even though West Virginia is such a small state, our route took us through the absolute back country roads, which took forever! I haven't seen the movie but Jen compared it to Deliverance. I was almost as excited to leave West Virginia as I am when I leave Kansas. Almost... We were so happy to make it Jen and Chris' new apartment. I think we had all reached our traveling limits and the car was starting to get that funky road trip smell that I can only imagine is the combination of Doritos and socks. Loki was quite the trooper of a dog. I think he handled the trip better than I did, actually! Despite the length of the trip, it was a very good trip with no problems and it went surprisingly fast. I am hoping that doesn't mean my flight back to Denver is going to be filled with the problems. 

Since their furniture won't be delivered until Friday, Jen and I spent the night on their apartment floor, eating frozen pizza and watching Sex and the City on their portable TV. There were no alarm clocks set this morning! 

Jen and I ate lunch at a Greek/Italian restaurant in Chevy Chase before she dropped me off. AMAZING food! It was just a random place that we happened to find but those are always the best places when traveling! 

I am now at the National 4-H Center for training. To give you an idea of what a naive city girl I am, when I heard 4-H, I was picturing staying in  barn-like dorms with bunk beds where horses and other farm critters roam around outside. Fortunately, I was totally wrong. The facility is gorgeous and I am staying in a room that is essentially a hotel room. I will have a roommate but I don't think she gets here until tomorrow. 

Since training doesn't start until tomorrow, I am just relaxing for now. A nap is sounding delightful! Sorry, no pictures yet but I don't think anyone really wants or needs pictures of the desolate Kansas roads. I will try to get some pictures of the Maryland area because it's beautiful! I love the East Coast houses. Much different than the cookie cutter houses of Highlands Ranch. 

Sorry I don't have any cool inauguration details yet but it's coming! Thanks for reading. I will update soon. 

Jen