Road Trip 2010!

The fireworks woke up my baby, so while he calms back down to sleep I finally have a few minutes to blog about our road trip this past week!

Preface:
Each summer we spend a few weeks holidaying up north, and this year we decided to drive the distance rather than fly. It is about a 34 hour trek across 6 states, and about 2100 miles... and neither Matt nor I had ever driven close to that far, let alone with a baby and dog in tow.  We aren't crazy or trying to save a buck on outrageous airfare ( Wheeler could have flown for free since he is under 2). And although it is embarrassing to admit it outright, the crux of our decision to drive was truthfully because we wanted to bring Murphy to the cabin with us.  Yes he is just a dog. And no we are not creepily attached to him. But he is part of our little family and leaving him home in a kennel last year while we enjoyed a place he would go absolutely crazy for (with the lake, and mountains and miles of space to roam free and explore) it felt a little sad. So we thought we would try driving instead this year... and this is what happened...

Day 1:
Leave Houston at 8pm. Put Wheeler in his pajamas and cross our fingers he will fall asleep for the night in the car seat while we drive the 10 hours to Amarillo Texas. He does, only waking for a brief 15 minute pit stop, squeals excitedly at the dozens of big rig trucks gassing up beside us, then obediently falls back to sleep for the remainder of the night drive. Murphy sleeps in his kennel. Matt and I share the driving and pull into Amarillo on schedule at 5:30 am. We pat ourselves on the back. We are awesome road trippers!
We spend the day at Matt's sister's house getting rest, playing with cousins, and keeping Wheeler on his nap schedule. After some karaoke and snow cones we get Wheeler ready for bed, load up the car and head out at 8 pm on the second leg of our drive.

Day 2:
"Don't be mad at me when I am grouchy tomorrow" says Matt somewhere in New Mexico. We drive through the night again ( saw a beautiful New Mexico Sunset) and roll into Moab, Utah around 5am. Wheeler and Murphy slept again really well, so we push our luck and spend the morning sight seeing at Arches National Park! Such a beautiful place, but hiking on only a few hours sleep probably not the best idea. (And if you are ever in Moab avoid breakfast at the Pancake Haus... Gross-city!)
We get back in the car around 10 am and drive the remaining 4 hours to Salt Lake City. Wheeler again slept most of the way, and we are grateful to have another sister's house to crash at while we get some rest. We nap, give Wheeler a "happy 6 months old" slurpee, and go out for mediocre Mexican food with Matt's other sister and her BF, and have our first and second fight of the trip over spilled dog food and taking too long in the shower...

Day 3:
After a loooooong nights rest in Salt Lake we take it easy the next morning, play with Wheeler, watch some T.V, walk to the park, then decide to hit the road for our last leg of the trip up to Montana. We leave around 11, but have to take more stops (Pocatello, some random McDonalds in Montana) and take turns sitting in the back keeping the boy happy. He was a trooper and took extra long naps while we drive the remaining 10 hours through the day. We arrive at Echo Lake just as the sun is setting at 10:30pm.. Murphy jumps in the lake and the last 3 days were worth it.... ?

Pictures of our adventure to come. Beef Jerky gives you bad gas.