Driving Part 3

Let road trip #3 begin! On Monday, August 25, Tuf and I flew from Reagan National Airport in DC to Denver International Airport, you know because we had so much fun driving the first time, we thought we would drive across the US, again!

I take the best photos! This one was for Bonni :)

Remember Dallon and Sarah, Alexi's parents? They were kind enough to pick up Bumblebee from the dealership a few days before we flew to Denver and then they drove Bumblebee from Cheyenne, Wyoming to DIA to drop him off to us. It was a quick exchange, where basically we got in Bumblebee and Sarah got into their car that Dallon was driving. I so appreciate all that they did for me. They went above and beyond anything I could ever imagine.

Outside of Denver we stopped for Starbucks mugs :) and I called my Grandma Mary who lived close to the Colorado/Nebraska boarder and told her I would be driving through in a short couple of hours. 

Reunited with my baby!

Colorado is where my parents and grandma are from. My parents grew up in northeast Colorado in a town called Sterling. All throughout the drive we saw sunflowers and thought of GG (that was her favorite flower). Throughout this entire journey whenever we see sunflowers we smile and say Grandma. It's a nice little thing that Tuf and I do and in away it reminds me that my grandma is still always with me.

We stopped in Sterling and bought all our bathroom supplies, since we sill were not unpacked in Alexandria, this seemed like the easiest option and since bathroom supplies don't go bad we will use them, eventually :) 

We arrived around 9pm into Ogallala, Nebraska where we checked into our hotel and then went and say my Grandma Mary (my mom's mom) and my Aunt Linda (my mom's sister). It was a super quick visit for an hour at night and then a couple minutes in the morning, but I am glad that I was able to stop and see them.

My mom also lives in Nebraska - about a 4 hour drive from my Grandma Mary. So, we stopped and had lunch with my mom, who I hadn't seen in 11 years.

This photo was probably taken somewhere in Iowa - when you have drove as much as we did, you are bound to get a little goofy!

We drove to the outskirts of Chicago and then next day we drove to Alexandria. In two weeks we drove through Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. It was exhausting, but it sure makes for a great stories! And on a bright side, I picked up 8 new Starbucks mugs! 

First Week on the East Coast

Tuesday, August 19, 2014, is our first official day at our home in Alexandria, Virginia. It is exactly 1 week since I left Idaho. What a crazy week! Now, to unpacking. Wait?!?! Are we seriously going to unload that beast of a moving truck? No way! Yep, we hired movers and it was amazing. We still unloaded and sweat like crazy because Virgina is super green cause of the evil thing called humidity!

Tuf's friend Leslie wanted to take us to a nice restaurant in DC to welcome us to the city. So we goggled some restaurants and found this amazing place called Matchbox. Matchbox has now turned into my favorite restaurant in DC. We went to Matchbox in Eastern Market and it was amazing!

Leslie and Tuf had never been to DC and Leslie was flying out of Baltimore on Wednesday to go back home. So, on Wednesday morning we thought we would just hit some of the high points of DC. Soon, I learn that you physically can't do everything in DC in one day or even one week. When you come to DC you have to decide what you want to see and be okay with missing out on some things. There is just so much to do and see. 

We haven't figured out this whole big city metro thing yet and thought it was in our best interest to drive to Crystal City and park and then get on the metro there. Yeah, not smart, parking at Crystal City was $20! Now we know - don't park at Crystal City, park at Huntington metro for $4.85. We caught the metro for 2 stops and went to the 9-11 Memorial (photos in another blog post). After going to the memorial we take the blue line to Arlington National Cemetery. Where we do a very fast tour of the main 2 places (Tomb of the Unknown Solider, Changing of the Guards and then the eternal flame at JFK's burial site).

 Next we take the blue line train to McPherson and go to the White House. This is about a month before the White House jumper spree - so you can actually get to the fence line. Not anymore, there is a 6 foot barrier there with armed guards walking around. Tuf took this great photo of the White House.

 We are now hungry and hot (it's August). So, we stop at Cosi for lunch and then thanks to my awesome ability to always go in the wrong way we walk away from the National Mall and miss the Washington Monument, but we ask some police officers and they point us in the right direction and we make it to Lincoln! I must not have taken pictures of Lincoln - fear not, I have many more in other blog posts :)

Travel Alert: When are you are the Lincoln Memorial the closest metro in any direction in 0.9 miles away. That isn't that bad - but when you have been walking a lot (which you will do in DC) you are stuck on which metro to walk too. On this very hot day we decided to walk to Arlington National Cemetery (Another note: do not chose Arlington at night because once Arlington closes the blue line no longer stops at Arlington). 

Also, another lesson learned. If/when you come to visit and you want to fly to Baltimore - that is completely fine, but we are also going to ask that you buy an Amtrak ticket to Union Station for $11 and we will pick you up there. Because that Amtrak ride is 22 minutes long. For us to get from Baltimore to our home is 2 hours.

I am glad that we were able to show Leslie some of the sights of DC, but we did not plan well and all of us were burnt to the point where we peeled and we had blisters on our feet. So many things we learned since our first time in DC.

Sometime during that first week, Tuf and I went to a restaurant close to our house for biscuits and gravy that were suppose to be amazing - they were not! :( But I liked the cheesy place mat they had.

On Saturday we went to the our first Smithsonian - The American History Museum. I really like this museum, I had been to this museum on my first trip to DC in 2004. I like seeing the First Ladies dresses and china sets, Dorthy's red slippers and the Star Spangled Banner flag.

You know since we hadn't really driven anywhere in a week - I think it is time for another road trip!

Driving Part 2

We were in Dallas for a whopping day and a half and during that time Tuf graduated and then we packed up their house into the biggest moving truck I have ever seen. Thankfully, Tuf and Anthony had a lot of friends helping. And of course it rained with thunder and lightening mixed in.

Sunday morning we started the 2 day drive to DC. The weather was amazing...what's a little downpour of rain. Anthony drove the massive moving truck the entire way and Tuf, Leslie (Tuf's best friend) and I took turns driving Tuf's little SUV with 4 dogs, 2 cats and 2 birds. We named the SUV Noah's Ark and the moving truck Big Bertha.

The trip from Dallas to DC allowed me to go to see a part of the US that I had never seen.  

Memphis, Tennessee!

We spent the night in Nashville and the next day we drove from Nashville to Virginia. Tennessee was a very beautiful state with rolling green hills and more trees this Nevada girl has ever seen. 

I don't know why I am adding this to my blog, but Alissa and I were texting during the drive and she was telling me what she was doing at work and so I texted her what I was doing...which was absolutely nothing.

Just in case you forgot - Princess baby also made this drive. She was uprooted from her home for 2 weeks - first she went to Karin's and then she was at Stacy's with me. Then she was in a car that broke down in Wyoming and stayed in her kennel for well over 12 hours while Bumblebee was being towed to Cheyenne. Then she spent a day and a half at Dallon & Sarah's and then it was back in the car with a quick stop in Kansas at a hotel. Then she was in Dallas for a day and half. Next it was back on the road (with a lot of dogs, birds and a cat) with a stop in Nashville. Well about an hour left into our week long road trip she had enough and just started crying. I knew this cry. It was the same cry she did in Kansas when she had two accidents. So, we stopped and I got her out of her kennel and got the cat little box and made her sit in the there. She was such a trooper and has adjusted very well to her life in Virginia and 5 dogs.

Tuf Graduates!

Tuf graduated from Parker University in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, August 16. I am so proud of her. She pursued her dream, even when it was difficult and hard, she stuck with it and received her doctoral degree. I feel so honored that I was able to see her graduate. I remember 4 years ago when our grandma and I attended her white coat ceremony and I know that our grandma, just like me, is so proud of her. She is a doctor! That is pretty cool!

Tuf is my family. We may just be cousins, but really we are sisters. I am so happy that we are doing this east coast adventure together. Love you!

Driving Part 1

Now we are onto the driving portion of my blog catch up phase. The plan was that Tuf would fly into Boise on Monday, August 11 and drive with me to Dallas, Texas. Wait. What? Dallas is not on the way to DC. Well it is when your cousin and her husband are moving with you and your cousin is graduating from Chiropractic school. Okay, back to the plan. Tuf flies in on Monday night. Then we would leave Boise on Tuesday and drive to Fort Collins, Colorado and spend the night with her sister-in-law and then finish the drive to Dallas on Wednesday. I like plans. I am always prepared. Leading up to this drive I had Bumblebee serviced and oil changed - he was ready to roll (literally). Princess had gone to the vet and got all her shots, micro-chipped and she was even wearing a collar in case she got out of her kennel. I had gone to the dentist and the eye doctor. We were ready!

Tuf and I had breakfast at the Egg Factory, grabbed some Dutch Bro's and then it is on the road. Goodbye Boise, I will be back.

We got a late start, but that is okay we are night people. We enter the state of Wyoming around 5pm.

Around 10pm, while I was driving, Tuf notices the check engine light is on. I ask her if she screwed the gas cap on tight enough - you know you have to click it three times and she says no. Oh, that must be it. Then we notice that the temperature gag is all the way at H. And then I notice that Bumblebee is not accelerating...and we are going up a summit (9,000 feet above sea level). I start to panic, but thankfully there is a turn off and of course we are behind a semi that is going super slow. And than Bumblebee dies on the side of the road. We are in the middle of nowhere Wyoming and it is pitch black. Tuf calls the highway patrol and they send someone out who calls a tow truck driver. Laramie is only 9 miles away but Cheyenne is an hour. However, Cheyenne is bigger and would have the parts that would be needed for Bumblebee. So, I decide to pay the extra and have Bumblebee towed to Cheyenne. The tow truck driver said he has to take payment before he can drive all the way to Cheyenne and his office is in Laramie. Okay. While in Laramie, the tow truck driver looks at Bumblebee and says it looks like a head gasket is blown and that is expensive. And now let the meltdown begin. I don't actually remember all that happened, all I know was that I called my bestest friend Karen who happened to be in DC. I balled my eyes out, I shouted, I screamed, I cried, I couldn't breath, I was hunched over - I was probably having a panic attack. I doubted my decision to move. I was only 2 states from Idaho and this happens! My car was in perfect condition. I over maintained him! This was not suppose to happen!! This was not in the plan!!! Karen calmed me down and prayed with me and when we got off the phone she booked a hotel for us in Cheyenne.

The next morning I called the dealership as soon as they opened and explained to Geoff, the Service Adviser, what happened. He said he would call me back in a couple hours with an update. Then I started texting everyone asking for prayers. I also group texted my peeps at MAF asking for prayer and what I hadn't realized was that it was Wednesday morning. And on Wednesday mornings at MAF it is chapel. Mike announced my car issues in chapel. Then I got a text from Alexis (I have known Alexis and her husband, Aaron since my Lithia days when I worked with Aaron at Chevy of Caldwell). Anyways, Alexis said that her parents lived in Cheyenne and we could stay with them. Wow. God is amazing!

Around 11am, I got a call from Geoff and yep, a head gasket was blown and needed to be replaced. They had to order the part but my car should be fixed my Thursday afternoon. It would be expensive, but it was necessary. Okay. Let me talk this over with Casey (Lisa's husband). Casey became my crutch during this whole mess. I am pretty sure I cried more on the phone to Casey then anyone else. But Casey helped me make all the decisions and was so helpful. At times Casey even called dealerships around Boise to make sure that the Cheyenne dealership wasn't taking advantage of me. 

So, we were going to be in Cheyenne for a day. Again not in the plans. We got a rental car from the dealership and drove around Cheyenne and then went to Alexis's parents' (Dallon & Sarah) home.

Dallon & Sarah were so awesome! They made us feel at home. On Wednesday night we had dinner with Tuf's in-laws and then spent the evening with Dallon and Sarah.

Thursday. We are going to leave Wyoming! Yay! Oh...wait, no, Bumblebee is sicker than we thought. Apparently he way over heated and melted many things - including the engine! Yep, a new engine. Engines are not cheap. Time to replace Bumblebee. Umn. No, I don't have a job. What am I going to do? Let the tears roll. Casey recommends that I tell the Honda dealership to stop working on the car and Casey will come Cheyenne and get Bumblebee and take him back to Boise where Casey will replace the engine for me and then I can ship the Bumblebee to Virginia. Dallon & Sarah offer to tow Bumblebee to their home where he can stay until Casey arrives. I call Geoff and tell him to stop working on the car. Geoff says okay. He asked that I give him an hour to get everything together before we come and get him. Then Geoff calls and says he found a used engine and guess what the cost is cheaper than it was just to replace a head gasket. Yay! But it will take at least a week to get the new engine and put everything back together. Boo. Tuf needs to be in Dallas, she had already given up so much for me (see missed her banquet dinner and she had out of town guests already in Dallas). So, we get a rental car (rental car number 2) and start the drive to Dallas. We stop off at the dealership to empty everything out of Bumblebee. I may have worked at a dealership for 5 years, but I don't know anything about cars. But what I do know is that parts should not be on the ground, or on the mirror...

An hour into the drive the check engine light comes on in the rental car. Seriously! No. Not happening! So, we change cars at Denver International Airport. And yes I get upgraded for free - because I was in a nice term aggressive. We went from a Toyota Corolla to a Chevy Malibu (rental car #3).

God's promise to us - the rainbow.

We made it to middle of nowhere Kansas for the night and rolled in Dallas late afternoon on Friday. Exhausting!But also extremely blessed by so many. Everyone praying.  Karen for loving me like family and helping me in ways that I won't explain on this blog. Casey for talking me through all the car stuff and talking to other mechanics for me and helping me figure out the best solution in this awful circumstance. Tuf for being by my side. Alexis for telling her parents about us and to Dallon & Sarah for letting us stay at their home and offering help with whatever was needed. Dallon & Sarah will be back in a future blog post. And so will more Bumblebee issues and dealings with car dealerships and Casey right by my side. But to end this post I want to thank each and everyone one who was there for me in one way or another. Thank you. I love you all!