The Long Road to New Mexico...

Since we haven't been able to find WiFi in a while we've got a ton to share so I'm going to try to sum up our time in each city...

Memphis:
The boys got to see their girlfriend, Cassie and we got to see Lindsay...she took us to 2 of her new fav spots...the 1st is a Deli that is way more a live music bar than just a deli but they do offer the #10 best fries in the Nation (according to USA today). After we had drinks/apps there she took us to Local for a late-night dinner outdoors...VERY delicious burger!!

Oh..also Hamp finally changed out of his slippers and into actual shoes for the 1st time since we left Columbia :)

Amarillo, Texas: We left Lindsay's at about 10:45 and drove through the night to get to Palo Duro Canyon...which is just southeast of Amarillo...the canyon was absolutely gorgeous...our campsite was even perfect but it was so hot we tried to walk the dogs to the horse troughs to get them some water and they started crying they were so hot.  A park ranger came by and told us they were in the middle of the worst drought in the histroy of the canyon.  We then sat at the campsite for about an hour trying to see if they'd cool down but it just wasn't happening so...

Santa Rosa, New Mexico: We left Palo Duro Canyon and drove about 3 more hours west to Santa Rosa Lake State Park...this campsite was more than perfect...we were atop a rocky ledge that you could easily walk down to the beach and the lake was crystal clear...even though we really wanted to camp in Texas it was so much nicer to have a breeze and cool water.  We dined on smoked oysters and wine mini bottles (no fire b/c of all the wildfires) and watched Captain Ron on the laptop once the sun went down...

The next morning we went to a diner on Route 66 to get breakfast...huevos rancheros and a sausage smothered burrito...perfection on a plate :)  Mary suggested we go to a place called Blue Hole and jump off the rock...best suggestion ever!!  Its an 80 foot deep natural well  that is so clear people come from all over to scuba dive in it: http://www.dtmag.com/dive-usa/locations/BlueHoleStRosaNM.html

Albuquerque:  We finally made it to Albequerque around noon today! Mary is letting us stay with her so we have a shower!!!  Tonight we're going to a film festival/competition that her boyfriend is in and then tomorrow she's taking us to some wineries and then camping with us that night.

Ready, Set, Drive...then drive some more...then drive some more...

So we're 45 minutes outside of Columbia...already way later than we wanted to be thanks to sleeping through the alarm...and I randomly ask Hamp where he put the tent....dead silence...that's right we actually left the tent at the house!!  We had to turn around and go all the way back and get it which cost us a ton of time. 

Camping Trip Take Two:  Once we got back on the road...we discovered a quirky feature on the AC in the Jeep...whenever you accelerate it automatically shuts the vent door which causes the car to be warmer than expected ...Kota is of course crazy panting..so we stopped at a truck stop and purchased a Turbo Fan w/a clip mount and 2 super-snazzy sun shades w/suction cups.

Take Three:  We finally started making some good time and of course since mishaps normally travel in 3's we were due one more unpleasantry: the sky completely fell out...I mean the rain was sideways!! We decided to pull over beneath an underpass and wait it out for a while.

Due to the delays we decided to spend the 1st night in Mississippi w/Wesa and then travel to Memphis in the morning...we'll spend all day in Memphis and have dinner w/Lindsay and then drive through the night to Amarillo, Texas!!  We should arrive in Texas just in time to catch the sunrise...stay tuned :)

Have dogs, will travel...

So we're exactly one week out from the biggest camping trip of my life...technically my only camping trip over 2 nights...and we just really sat down, looked at the map and decided our route...this is kinda SCARY. 

 Hamp (boyfriend), Skoolz (dog #1), Kota (dog #2) and I (obviously) are embarking on a 2 & a half week camping trip out west...we've borrrowed his dad's jeep b/c neither of our cars are fit to make the trip (Thanks again, Bubs!) and are leaving Tuesday, June 21st.  We've been compiling a list of necessities for the last couple of weeks and so far we feel confident that we haven't left anything vital off the list (fingers crossed).  I leave for Mexico on a family vacay tomorrow so Hamp is in charge of packing the said "gear." 

In terms of an official route...we've decided to pick places that we each want to see and then figure out which places will be the most dog-friendly (lucky for me I found a dog-friendly vineyard on the way: http://www.blackmesawinery.com/ )...our main stops will be: Albuquerque & Taos, New Mexico; Cortez and surrounding areas, Colorado;  Zion and Arches Nat'l Parks, Utah...this itenerary is very flexible/still growing...so please share suggestions! Also, we're going through Mississippi to see Hamp's sister, Wesa, on the way out and then through Memphis to see my little sis, Lindsay, on the way home.

For accomodations we will mostly be camping...yes, like in a tent w/ a fire...I still have mixed feelings about this.  Most of me is super-excited and pumped up for the challenges of longterm camping and the opportunity to really soak in some awesome nature...but there is a small voice in my head that keeps reminding me how much I appreciate a hot shower everyday and just indoor plumbing in general...luckily a friend that lives in New Mexico, Mary, has offered for us to stay with her if we need a break from the Great Outdoors :) 

Hamp's bringing his GoPro (a tiny, virtually indestructable video camera) to shoot some downhill mountain bike footage and the regular digital camera so we can document everything we see...please follow along w/our adventure and post any suggestions you have on places we MUST visit while we're out there :)