Party van packed and ready to go
The girls were ready as well
Sadie had no problem making herself at home in the hotel room
I think this was in Mobile
Gun shows are big news
Sadie as she lays on Ali's lap
Doesn't look very comfortable
The quaint little area we ate lunch in on day two
An interesting apartment building
A patio made with dogs in mind
The dogs pretty much just hung out, it was warm.
This little guy was watching us eat
Sadie all balled up
Nicki chilling out
Vulcan, a 100 year old statue that looks over Birmingham Alabama
Yes, his ass is hanging out
At least Nicki was having fun
Looks comfy
The wonders of a timer on the digital camera
Sadie peering down from the bed
Sadie looking cute
We saw it from the parking lot
Elvis's personal jet
No we didn't get out to pose for this one.
Missouri was ok.
A pretty rest stop
Hello there
It was a HUGE plant
A fuzzy arch in the distance
It was impressive even from this vantage point
Where the Rams play
A cool area right near the park that contains the arch, we ate dinner there later
Behold
It is massive
A good shot
600 + feet high
The observation windows
You enter the arch from below
Nicki got to dog sit while I went up into the arch
Looks like it could go upward forever
Ali posing under the arch
Notice man in background passed out
The sky was overcast
The Mississippi
Cardinal stadium
Downtown St. Louis
The observation area on the top of the arch
It was a bit of a tight fit
Ali and the dogs
I was on the phone telling her to look up while I took the picture
A poor attempt at a posed picture
Sadie likes to be front and center
The sky cleared up a bit
The arch at dusk
Missouri had these weird letter combinations associated with their exits. I have no idea what they mean.
It was freezing, windy and raining lightly for this picture.
The girls sharing the front seat
I thought this was an interesting looking rest stop
This looked like an air traffic controller tower plopped on top of a building.
The vast open plains of Kansas
At certain spots there was not a tree to be seen
We saw lots of cattle along the way.
This rest stop was in the middle of nowhere
Old Wichita
The dogs enjoyed exploring the area
The old industrial area was converted into bars and restaurants.
We found a nice place to eat with outdoor seating.
An old train that is permanently crossing a bridge.
A cool bridge in Wichita
Bridge leading to a Wichita monument which included the “ring of fire”
Me and the bridge, woohoo
Two rivers merge into one at this spot
Where's Waldo
Sadie was interested in my computer activity.
Sadie excels at cute poses
Nicki preferred to find a corner of the hotel rooms
The La Quinta in Wichita, it was nice
The Big Well in Greensburg, Kansas
The top of the Big Well is covered
This is the world's largest hand dug well.
It was indeed quite big
The town was levelled by a mile and a half wide tornado in 2007. This is all that remains of one house.
Less green, more scrub brush in Oklahoma
Sadie behind the wheel
The La Quinta in Tucumcari, NM It had only been open for 3 weeks.
Once again Sadie claims the bed.
The room had granite countertops and shower enclosure.
The view out the window
Train tracks followed the road for a good portion of the way
Every rest stop in New Mexico had this quirky, funny instant feedback device.
Ali LOVES the party van
Nicki's turn to drive
All the dogs hanging out shortly after we arrived at Dad's place.
From back to front, Seymour, Clara, Sadie and Maggie
The play started immediately
Hanging with the dogs.
Sadie had no problems invading dad's bed either.
Maggie at Happy Belly Deli
Clara
Nicki
Sadie
Sadie tested out dad's lap as well
Party van pulling 2g's on the skidpad
Teresa tested out the bed in the back
A real old time western saloon.
Sadie and Seymour became good buddies
Cow meet car
A herd of mule deer
Driving through the canyon
The first of many water crossings
We found this funny “rest stop” along the way
No we didn't look inside
More water
I had to get out to open and close several gates
Is that an old ice scraper?
Coming out of the box canyon
Where we came out of
The dogs loved the water
One of the hot springs
Hiking back down to the Nissan
Ali and I had wet feet
Nicki helped herself to a drink
Seymour loves to get wet and dirty
Nicki had a lot of fun
Clara chasing down Maggie and her stick
Nice paint job, found in Winston
Nicer bumper sticker
Even people in dumpy towns have a sense of humor.
The “hanging tree” in Chloride.
The party van ripped apart during the attempted vent repair
The secret lid that gave me access to the vent doors
Looks like a mess
My custom rock repair job
All put back together
Sadie's custom dog sock first aid treatment
The kitchen was totally revamped
The backsplash was added
New doors using the same salt cedar found throughout the house
The laundry room is all new
The new heating system
Very cool new washer and dryer
Looking out from the new room to the old room
All of this was added
The flagstone walkway replaced what was open dirt
The massive and bountiful garden
The barn/out building
The addition from the outside
This wall and flagstones were added
This was totally redone as well, new roof, walls resurfaced and inside cleaned up
Mr Cat
Pretty flower beds
Prepped for the party
Inside
The bar was made from extra tin from the roof and the old kitchen floor. The skull and “horns” were put together by myself and dad.
Duffey vehicles
Some of the horses of the new owners, they were cool.
The motorcycle is dad's the 4 wheeler is not.
The good ole Alpha Romeo, once again under wraps.
The Moto Guzzi. Dad wants to give it to me.
The back workshop area
This is all new as well
The steel girders with dad's name on them, sort of
I'd love to have a tractor like this
Gordo
The hitching post
Sadie loves bed
I didn't realize I was in the sun
That's better, taken right before we left.
Look to the left of the bush
My custom “DUF” rock formation
A dust devil
The dogs at my sister's place, Sadie, Kiko, Nicki and Baxter
It's a beautiful house plopped in the middle of a desert
Rocks replace grass
Caroline was snuggled up watching TV
Torrin and Griffin
Kiko was always in your face
Nicki looking excited
Mom smoking
Like Yule Brenner said, “just don't smoke”
The view out the backyard, grass seed was just planted
The patio
Damon has lots of stuff
Taking the dogs for a walk
Damon has a nice collection of work out equipment in the garage. I benched a little bit while we were there
This is a funny picture
Emily looks thrilled
Nicki joins the show
Griffin is deep in thought
We had a nice chair in our room in Tuscon
This place had no gas, next to no food and seemed like it belonged in the movie Deliverance.
This weird Texas rest stop had an open roof by the toilets.
Yep hail
We just missed this falling from the sky, thankfully.
The storm uprooted this massive tree
Our awesome suite in Mobile
Yes a TV in the bathroom
Two big flat screens
mini kitchen
Big comfy bed
The remains of my failed tail pipe repair
Party van getting surgery
Inside the arch
Sadie at dinner in Wichita
My outfit for driving across Cowboy country
