Moving to Kansas

[Rook]

21st July, 2010. Distance traveled: 121 miles. Current state: California

I thought it would be nice to keep a journal of our trip across country.

Today was a 'pack and load' day where the moving company hired by the government did just that with everything we own. It didn't happen nearly as expected. First of all, only two guys came. I expected four to six hands to be at the work. Though these two were professional and expedient, the entire process took much longer than I had anticipated. I didn't expect loading up six thousand pound of our possessions to take fourty five minutes, but I had hoped to get on the road by three. The movers finished at six thirty and we were more or less on our way by seven after getting something to eat and finishing a bit of shopping at Best Buy.

Traveling with the animals is an experience for sure. The cats yowl and moan, the bird chirps and runs back and forth and the bunny tired to pretend he doesn't exist. The cats did much better when they were let out to sit in laps, and the bird did much better when wedged between seats in his little carrior and wasn't bouncing all about.

We are about a hundred miles behind on where I epected we'd be and three hundred miles short of where I was hoping we'd be. Our stop in Barstow was a smart one though, animals and people all considered and how exhausted we all were when we stopped. Tomorrow morning we will try to make up time with an early start.

[Rook]

22nd July, 2010. Distance traveled today: 663, total: 784, to go about 850. state: Colorado

Five states in a day, and that's west coast states, not the east coasters that are each the size of an RV. We started in Barstow to the sound of insanity. At about 5 am this squeaking pierced the walls of the room. It was like breaks squeaking, but multiple sounds. They were multiple pitches and sounds. They started and stopped in no particular order, combining into a clarion call straight from a horror film. I literally woke up ready to fight the sociopaths murderer living in the walls, that's how bizarre the sound was when asleep and unable to process it properly. After our continental lunch that was bagels the size of half dollars and danishes that looked like blueberry but tasted like an attempt at chocolate. Then on the road! First we cross into Nevada, drive through Las Vegas, ignore temptation to disappear with all our money (and come back with none of it) and instead stop for Arby's. On the eastern side of Vegas, out in the desert area, there was construction so we got caught in traffic. Boo. Then from Nevada we went through the North-West corner of Arizona for a bit, then into Utah.

Utah was pretty cool, mostly farm country. We stopped off at a historic fort built by a regiment of Mormons to supplement their 'community every 30 miles' westward expansion global takeover scheme. It was old, and very boy-ish because it was a stone fort with gun slits and big doors and everything.

Beyond that the country side was nice. We stopped off at a restaurant at Green River in the middle of no-where eastern Utah. The town was literally a mile or two long and half of it was broken down or boarded up. We only found one restaurant. I joked with Bridgette, the hostess, that they must be busy being the only restaurant in town. She looked me in the eye and said 'No, there are two others.' She proceeded to list a cafe and a bar.

Then we crossed into Colorado and was immediately assaulted by a wall of kamakaze bugs. It was insane the number of bugs that plastered themselves on my windshield for no better reason than we were in Colorado. I doubt we'll make Leavenworth tomorrow, which means we can take it a little easier tomorrow and the next day, considering we have about 850 miles to go and can split that up into painless 400 mile jumps.

[Rook]

23rd July, 2010. Distance traveled today: 470 miles, total: 1264, to go about 350, state: Kansas

We started today much differently. First of all there was no death knell from the train. Besides that, the Motel 6 didn't offer a continental, so we went to Coco's, which was nice. We got on the road a little later than I had anticipated, about nine. The drive through the Rocky's was entertaining. We went from desert esque gorges and mesas and rocky terrain, through the mountains, up into evergreen forests, then into the flattest countryside I've ever seen on the other side, and it hasn't stopped being to the horizon low hills since. I was entertained. We stopped at a small town that had a name, but it might have been just for the offramp. We drve into it a bit and it was so small the post office was also the schoolhouse. It was interesting seeing, at least from the outside, such a small community of probably three dozen houses at the most.

Crossing into Kansas was uneventful, hit the time line again. We decided to put in for foot and the end of the day at Colby, since it put over 400 miles behind us traveled and was moderately sized. We rested up in the motel room for a bit before deciding to explore the town. Everything of interest was closed, but the WalMart super duper store was open. I've never seen a WalMart with produce before. I get a feeling Kansas will take some getting used to.

[Mira O'Halloran]

Wow! that is sounding like an adventure! (and much more fun then packing stuff up, driving it 20kms, unloading, and coming back for more)

Cats tend to get car sick - all the bouncing around in a carrier, without getting to see out a window really upsets them. Ogma used to sleep on the dash for our 6 hour trips between Adelaide and Mount Gambier.

I hope you guys (animals included!) all get there safely and happy.

[Rook]

24th July, 2010. Distance traveled about 350 miles, arrived at Fort Leavenworth.

So here we are! I did my research online and I was directed to go to Hoge Barracks, but when I got there they sent me to Staff Duty who sent me to Single Soldiers Quarters, who told me to go back to Hoge Barracks. Somehow I'm not surprised. We got settled into the Army Hotel (Hoge Barracks) and spent the evening driving around the city of Leavenworth. We ate at a local Thai restaurant which was amazing, much to my surprise, and turned in early. The day was long and nerve wracking, what with getting settled. Unfortunately I cannot inprocess until Monday, so we have all of Sunday to do with.

Sunday 25th July,

We spent today looking at houses and apartments for rent. Some were shabby duplexes, some fancy brick houses. We also went into Missouri and checked out Platte city and Weston. All in all, this is going to take adjusting.