Monday, February 13, 2012

Cross Country Journey: Day 4

Day 4: Whew! I'm exhausted. Last night we spent the night in Colorado Springs, CO. The good thing about Hampton Inn's is that they have the free breakfast so no extra $ spent there! We left the hotel around 9:15 and headed straight to walk around the Air Force Academy. It was really neat to see another service academy other than the Naval Academy, but Annapolis definitely has my heart! The scenery at the USAFA was BREATHTAKING! Nestled back into the Rockies really was just an awesome backdrop for it. The campus was also a lot more spread out than Annapolis. And the buildings were weird looking! Just the architecture wasn't my preference. It was much more modern. It was really cool to see their chapel, though. Very different, but very neat. We didn't get to spend too much time there because we had to hit the road for a loooong day of travel. We were on the road around 10:30 and headed straight to Denver, CO. After we passed through that, we hit Wyoming. Wyoming had a lot of snow and it was GORGEOUS but there was absolutely nothing there. I'm talking signs that say, "next exit 53 miles" then you get to that exit and it says, "no food, gas or lodging - next exit 55 miles". Ha! Although there wasn't anything there, it was the most beautiful landscape I've ever seen. Huge mountains but very flat ground between, tons of snow on the ground, no trees...it was beautiful. When we were climbing the mountains, our windshield was literally so frozen we couldn't see out of it. As quick as you got the windshield cleaned, it froze right back. It was weird! I really can't describe the landscape, and as many pictures as I take - it just doesn't do it justice. Seeing out here is just one of those things that everyone needs to experience! Then we headed into Utah! We couldn't see much of it since it was dark by the time we crossed over the border, but we're excited to see what it looks like in the morning! Coming in we could see the huge mountains outlined by the glow of Salt Lake City, though! We finally stopped driving for the day around 8 tonight. We ate dinner at Cracker Barrel since it will be our last time eating there until we are able to fly home! AH! I'm going to die without turnip greens.

So far I can tell you that:
  • The Rocky Mountains are very rocky.
  • I wish my mom had been able to come with us because I would love to experience this with her as well as my dad.
  • Denver is HUGE!
  • Colorado is more flat that I thought it would be. It really reminds me of what I expect Arizona to look like - just with snow.
  • Wyoming can't decide if it wants to be mountainous or dessert like. Seriously, on one side of the road it has the Rockies and has a ton of mountains covered with shrubs, and the other side has big, huge red plateaus with nothing on them! So, so weird.
  • Wyoming has these weird wooden fences along side the roads and we CANNOT figure out what they are! They aren't straight, kinda staggered. 
  • Pack peanut butter and bread because you will for real starve out there.
  • I have never seen our cars so dirty! 
  • NO ONE lives in Wyoming. 
  • We only have 2 days left. :-)
States we have been to:

  1. Florida
  2. Alabama
  3. Mississippi
  4. Tennessee
  5. Arkansas
  6. Oklahoma
  7. Kansas
  8. Colorado 
  9. Wyoming
  10. Utah
 ***Please say a special prayer for my sister-in-law. She was in a head on collision today. She has a broken left wrist and a broken right leg in 2 places. They are planning to do surgery tomorrow to put a rod in her leg. Please remember her and my brother during this scary time. I just really wish we could be there...***

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