It was a bright new day, the truck was packed and we were ready to go...yeah...right!

We still had to pack the car with the "must go in car things" like computers, clothes, toothbrushes, some files, the dog food, and my drum. It was my resposibility to pack the car(I am good at things like that) since I was so worried about something happening to my Djembe. It is a really pretty drum that my African Dance teacher gave to me and I was worried that something might pop the skin. I was actually proud of the way I packed the trunk. It was like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Except this puzzle had some extra pieces that went in the backseat and the front seat and my lap. AND, we still had to find space for my sister, me, and the dogs in the car!

Eventually we were all loaded and off to Utah. Well not exactly! We stopped and had lunch first with our dance teacher. There were lots of hugs and smiles and tears. My mom had to hang out in the parking lot of McDonald's under the blazing Texas sun...because, well, the dogs weren't too welcome in the dining room. Anyway, while she and the dogs waited in the only existing shade (of a six foot tall sapling...whoa) she found herself entertaining some truck driver who wanted to pat the dogs and help her hold them. Only twenty miles from home and we almost lost Lucy! Truck driver dude wasn't too good at dog walking. He dropped her leash and of course she ran straight for the highway. I didn't know my mom could move that fast while dragging a ninety pound Great Pyrenees who wanted to go the other way!

An hour later though we were finally on our way. We drove and drove (well except for when we had to get drinks or give the dogs water which of course meant we would need to stop again...well...for other business) and drove! The drive seemed longer than it actually was since we were afterall driving through Texas in August in our old car with no air conditioning. I was even hotter than the front seat crew since I had two dogs trying to snuggle with me or panting on my neck. Six hours later we arrived in Amarillo...sweaty, but confident that despite our cramped conditions, and the heat, and the major lack of scenery (did you know there's nothing but grass and oil wells between Ft. Worth and Amarillo?) that we could survive this trip.

We had planned on staying at the La Quinta Inn (they allow dogs and serve free breakfast), but that didn't happen. They were booked up because of a motorcycle rally. So we stayed at the truck stop Super 8. Yeah! I guess I don't need to say much else. Let's just say I took a bath before I went to bed AND when I woke up! They did have a SUPER continental breakfast (she says with tongue in cheek). We got all the cold coffee and warm juice that we wanted. OK, Amarillo wasn't that bad and they actually have some cool stuff there along Route 66. Click here to see all kinds of stuff that Amarillo has to offer.