Oregon or Bust!

March 7, 2008:

Today was my last day at the USGS CERC. I was tired and had been up late the previous night packing. This made the day especially difficult. It was really hard to say good-bye to Deanna, but I just know we'll cross paths again. I drove to Des Moines that afternoon to visit with my family over dinner. I enjoyed having everyone together at one time. Although I wasn't expecting it, they all gave me gifts! What a wonderful surprise. Daniel arrived in Des Moines later and we spent time with Tom, the boys and my niece watching a cheesy, yet still entertaining, dragon movie. And Autumn....it isn't real.

March 8, 2008:

This was a busy day! We woke up and took my car to get new tires. While we waited, Daniel and I ate breakfast with my dad at Village Inn. Yum! There was an issue with the alignment so we went home and replaced the tie-rod ends and took the car elsewhere to have it aligned. While Dad worked on the car, Daniel and I paid a visit to my new tiny niece, Jada. She weighed 4lbs, 15oz, up from her low 4lbs, 9oz. Yeah, Jada! Then Daniel and I got on the road to Omaha, NE to visit his brother and sister-in-law. We all ate dinner together at the Pizza Shoppe then went back to their house and hit the sack. So tired!

March 9, 2008:

We all woke just in time to hit the bagel store for breakfast then catch an IMAX movie at the Henry Doorly Zoo. We saw Whales and Dolphins 3D. It was way cool! At times I felt as though I was actually swimming in the ocean with the whales. Amazing stuff they can do! We had lunch at Dundee - Fish and Chips with slaw! Yum! Then it was time to say good-bye to Daniel. The moment I had been dreading, and somehow managed to hold off for an entire year. (Last year there was a real possibility that I would move away, which never materialized, thank goodness!) It was a very sad time, he led me back to the interstate as I cried. I cried intermittently for about 2hrs on my way to Ft. Collins. I saw Sandhill cranes on their journey north to the breeding grounds.



I arrived at Aunt Linda and Uncle Richard's house at about 10pm. We visited for awhile then went to sleep.

March 10, 2008:

I ate breakfast and drank coffee with my aunt and uncle. We visited and shared stories for a couple of hours and I got on the road at 10am. I drove for hours and hours. I saw Pronghorn antelope in Wyoming, as well as Mule deer.And proof I'm alive!


I drank in the scenery and kept pushing on. I drove through Salt Lake City and what a zoo that place is! I saw American avocets in a march by the Great Salt Lake. I drove across the salt flats and the desert. I finally stopped at Rye Patch State Park in western Nevada at 11pm and camped. The owls hooted me to sleep and the coyotes tickled my dreams with their yips and howls.

March 11, 2008:

I woke at 6am Pacific Time to ducks quacking and ravens calling. I packed up and washed in the washroom and hit the road. Now I'm in Lovelock, NV in front of the US Post Office. I'm heading toward Sacramento, CA today. If the road reports are good, I'll be heading into Yosemite National Park! More updates and photos later!

Cheers!