Today’s blog is going to be written less like a story and more of a play-by-play. It may take less effort. May take more. We’ll see how it goes and how long it lasts. I’m getting tired.
Captain’s Log. Day 3. Hour 3.
The wind that felt so good earlier has now kept me up until at least 3am. It has been gusting through my tent so hard that the one time I did doze off, I had a dream about a tornado (which turned out to be the Tasmanian Devil, but not before getting my heart rate up).
I am afraid if I go to sleep that I’ll wake up to a sideways tent. But so far, the stakes are holding. Thank goodness.
Day 3. Hour 6.5
Friendly neighbor came over while we were all packing up and voiced her concern about me blowing away during the night. I informed her I had the same concerns and am happy none of us had any experiences with that.
Day 3. Hour 7.5
Back on the road. 412 miles on I-70W. May be the longest I’ve ever driven on one interstate. And on very little sleep. God help me.
Day 3. Hour 11.
I get word that the puppy I’d found and was getting in a couple of weeks has died. A puppy dead at 6 weeks. Poor thing. And so the search will begin again. I refuse to let it ruin my trip. 3 more hours to Denver and I’m almost out of Kansas. So. Much. Farmland. Bring on the mountains!
Day 3. Hour 13. (1pm central time, 12pm Mountain time and 2pm eastern — this is too many time zones to keep up with)
I’m finally in Colorado. Still nothing but farmland and nothing for miles and miles but the occasional cattle herd. It’s totally flat. The only difference between KS and CO so far are the trains I’ve seen in the farmland distance.
Hour 14.
I arrive at my destination. Or at least close to it. There’s a huge line at the park gate and I have to wait about 15 minutes before I’m able to get a pass to get in. My mom meets me at the gate and hops in the car and we are reunited once again! Chatfield State Park is huge and beautiful. Set against a backdrop on mountains and next to a lake. I foresee a kayaking adventure sometime in my near future.
Hour 15.
After about an hour out of the car (and a shower), we hop back in the car and head to Dinosaur Ridge where I am told there are actual fossils in the ground. It did not disappoint. Apparently this part of Denver (Littleton) was partly under the Mississippi River at one point and there is a mountainside made entirely of shale from being underwater millions of years ago.
Hour 21.
We sit around the campfire as the weather cools down and listen to the Spanish music the people next to us are blaring. At this point I’m so tired from not sleeping last night that it sounds like the same song over and over and over again. Make it stop. Everything is irritating me. I’m more than ready for bed.
Hour 21.5.
The music stopped!! 15 minutes before the noise ordinance went into effect. I’m going to bed.
Aquafina bottle update: still unopened but it’s found a new home in my parent’s camper refrigerator. It’s their problem now! And I do solemnly swear toneber but another bottle of Aquafina ever again.
mypantsaretooshort 
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