Colorado ~ Day 1

Okay, we didn't actually spend the first day of the trip in Colorado. We had to get there first. And to get there required a 17 hour drive with 15 other disc dogger yahoos. (I use the term 'yahoos' affectionately, because they really are a fun, whooping bunch of people!)

I began the day at 5 o'clock in the morning. I was packed for the most part, as was Frankie. T arrived with her dogs, Lok and Jun, and following her was DK. We loaded up with room to spare and hit the road.

We had decided for safety reasons to make the trip caravan style. So we all met up at Trails truckstop.



One last coffee/potty break. And some goofing around.

Hey, this early in the morning, you can't blame a guy for getting a little nutty. Though I have a sneaking suspicion that Roo might actually be a morning person.



Lok the Border Collie was ready to go, so we hit the road. And for the next 7 hours, this was view.



We got to stare at the back of Roo's vehicle for a good part of the trip. And there are 4 other club members in that blue van to the right. Not that I'm complaining. There was definately a safe feeling traveling with a large group of trusted friends.

Our first stop was somewhere in Iowa. And in true Iowegian style, the gas station itself was a barn.



Not even kidding. That barn is a gas station.
But they had a great little area for the dogs to stretch their legs.

I call this photo "Pile O' Border Collies"



Because... Well, it's a pile of Border Collies.
That's Jun in white, Rocket in red and.... Well, I can't actually remember if thats Jack or Lok in black there. Jeez. But that's what I get for waiting a whole week to blog about Colorado. Right?

It was relief to hit Nebraska.



Not because of the stunning views, which consisted of field upon field of corn and cattle. But because it was the last state that stood between us and our destination.

For lunch, we stopped at this place in Nebraska called King Kongs. And before we got there, I said "Let me guess, it's theme is going to be a giant gorilla?"



Yup. Giant gorillas everywhere. Their solo sign was a giant gorilla. They had a dozen gorilla statues outside the place. And hanging from the ceiling were dozens of stuffed gorillas. And the burgers?? Well they were about the size of gorillas.
Am I supposed to be capatalizing 'gorillas'?

The drive through Nebraska was uneventful. Until the last gas/stretch/potty stop of the night before hitting the hotel. We were near the Colorado border. We all stood outside, discussing the plan. And these puppies loomed overhead.



We loaded back up and hit the road for the last time before Colorado. The clouds got thicker and darker until the sky finally fell on us. Colorado welcomed us with a vicious storm. Torrential rains, flooded highways, zero visibility. It rained so hard that when our van hit the water, it either hydroplaned or splashed up water in front of the vehicle in waves so thick that when the headlights hit them, there was no way to see ahead. We nearly went off the road a handful of times. Finally, the van said no more when water flooded the engine. We were stuck on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. It was dark. We couldnt see anything, so we didn't know where our caravan was or how they had fared.

Regardless of the nasty anxiety and panic that was creeping up my throat, I twittered through the entire ordeal. All the way until I hit the hotel sheets. Check it out.

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Colorado is greeting us with fierce lightening and storms. Awesome.

Windshield wipers are working over time. Damn torrential rains.

Engines stalled. Too much water. Scary.

Back on the road. Only lost a few minutes. Can the rain be done now?

Yup. I need a beer. Badly.

Pulled back into our caravan after the storm drama and instantly feel safer.

Amazing how going from 85mph to 65mph can drop a persons anxiety level.

48 miles to go and still no mountains? What a rip off. Granted... It IS dark outside.

Denver is gorgeous at night

Okay, make that denver is gorgeous from the outside at night. Inside it just sucks metro

Oh thank God there is the hotel

Hotel bar i love you

Disc doggers rock. Nuff said

I think its time for bed. But i gotta pee first

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After we put the dogs away for the night and unloaded vehicles, we did in fact hit up the hotel bar. We sat outside on the bar patio and met some of the other disc doggers from other areas. I wish I had been of mind to bring my camera. I think that first night with everybody laughing and drinking and having a good time was one of my favorites. That is when I twittered "Disc Doggers Rock, Nuff Said". Because it's the truth.

Here is a little preview of what day 2 holds.