A Blizzard in May... the move Cross-Country Continues

Here's part two of the journey. Not nearly so dramatic and emotionally evocative but still sull of surprises . There was a lot more laughter and enjoyment on our part between Denver and San Francisco.

As we set out Saturday morning, two dogs, two adults and a little baby in a van stressing the bounds of it suspension, our spirits were high. We ascended the Rockies and saw some of the most beautiful sights I believe we will ever see. The mountains were, to be a walking cliche, breathtaking. I don't even know how to describe it otherwise. It was a fantastic drive! We saw some snow, but the temperature was a balmy 60 degrees and very pleasant. I enjoy the focus required to drive in mountains, although it does make my close examination of the scenery a bit more daring!

As we set out to enter the longest stretch of unserviced highway, we decided to fill up the gas tank to ensure that we didn't have any issue over the 106 mile stretch of nothing. Low and behold, Jeremy turns the key after the fill up... and the battery is dead. Since nothing stops the Finchers and since we always make the best of things, Rowan decided to have an earth-shattering, clothes- destroying bowel movement to make the best of the delay. Why just sit around in the hot van when you can fully experience a truck stop bathroom changing table?

The unserviced highway on I-70 turned out to be a busy thoroughfare compared to the desolate road we would travel on Sunday. As we set out onto the 2 lane road in Utah it began to rain, then the rain turned to sleet, which, soon, turned to snow. And when I say snow, I don't mean a flurry, I mean a full on, you better drive 25 mph (and that's slow for a northern Ohio native), snow. I proceeded to drive about 6 hours through Utah and Nevada in an all out blizzard! When we stopped for lunch, I in my capris and Jeremy in his crocs with no socks, my internal thermostat was VERY confused. What kind of place allows snow in May, almost June? I had mocked Jeremy's travel emergency kit which included space man thermal blankets (but incidentally, no jumper cables or fix a flat) but had we broken down, you wouldn't have been able to pry those shiny silver insulators away from me!

At the end of Sunday, we arrived at our new home in Newark California, looking forward to living the next six days with 2 camp chairs and a cardboard box for furniture. A part of me wishes we still had only that one cardboard box, instead of some 160 boxes scattered around the house.

Now, another week later, the move is almost complete, only a few more boxes to empty and a new routine to establish in sunny California.