Road Trip to Colorado!

Tomorrow, Jordan and I are leaving for Colorado for the summer!! We are going to be joining staff (officially) with Campus Crusade and we'll be going through new staff training for the next 7 weeks! This means some seminary classes, training on how to raise our own support, etc., plus we get to go to the National Staff Conference at the tail end of it, which is a time of fellowship, vision casting, alignment, and rest for all staff across the country. WOO!

We decided that we really wanted to drive so we could have our car out there and bring our bikes with us, so that is what we're doing! I've never driven that far - ever - so it will be a completely new experience for me. I thought I would show you our route and let you in on some of the fun (at least we're trying to make a 25 hour drive fun! I think we'll succeed).

We'll be leaving from Blacksburg, with a filled car and our bikes in tow tomorrow morning at 8 (hopefully!). Tomorrow will be the longest driving day.

We'll be crossing through 7 states to get there! And that means I'll visit 4 new states! (KY, MO, KS, and CO)

Here's the view of what we'll be leaving - our beloved Blacksburg.

We'll be passing through Nashville on our way, which should be really fun! On the way home, hopefully we'll get to see Chez, but for now, we'll probably just have lunch. :0)

Our first real stop is Carbondale, Illinois!
This is 617 mi – about 9 hours 35 mins - from Blacksburg.

The reason we're stopping in Carbondale for the night is to see my dear friend COLLEEN! Can you tell I'm a little excited?? I haven't seen her in 2 years, since we were together in North Africa - she on a STINT for a year, and me there for the summer. We had a great time together and we've done a fair job of keeping in touch, so I'm so glad to see her. She's getting married next month so I get to drop of her present myself, too!

This is me, Sabrina, and Colleen, and the rest are just pictures of us as the summer progressed.
I love her!!!

One of the last days we got to spend together.

Then on Sunday morning we'll head to St. Louis! I hope we'll get to go see/go up in the arch, but who knows. Jordan - major US traveler - has already done it.

St. Louis is the home of the Cardinals! We checked baseball schedules the whole way out to Colorado, but the Cardinals, Royals, and Rockies were all playing away games. :(

St. Louis will be just a little drive - 116 mi – about 2 hours 14 mins from Carbondale. We'll probably spend a few hours there and then head to....KANSAS CITY!
It's a 249 mi drive – about 3 hours 52 mins - from St. Louis.

Home of the original KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce (which Jordan informed me he's very excited about), we're probably going to stop at the restaurant for dinner.

No, we won't be seeing a Royals game. :(

After we spend the night (hopefully somewhere cheap - since my husband has great bargaining skills) in KC, we'll start out on the LONG stretch of highway that is...

Who knew - 424 miles just in Kansas! Yikes.
Needless to say, Monday will be spent looking at LOTS of corn and not too many other cars.
We'll be travelling 407 mi – about 6 hours 2 mins - to Goodland, KS, on the other side of the state to stay for the night. We're hoping there will be something fun to do along the way.

I'm REALLY hoping Goodland doesn't look like THIS when we get there...

Here's the cute little town, also with cheap lodging for weary travellers such as ourselves.

Did you know? Goodland is famous for it's HUGE Van Gogh painting in the middle of the town.

From Goodland, KS, it's the home stretch on Tuesday to get to Ft. Collins, CO, where we'll be living at CSU. (Yes, we'll be in a dorm room all summer).

But, before we get to Ft. Collins, we'll probably stop in Denver, since we have such a short drive that day, at least just for lunch.
It is 196 mi – about 2 hours 52 mins - from Goodland to Denver.

Can't wait to see those gorgeous Rockies!

Arial view of downtown Denver.

HOME of the COLORADO ROCKIES! We're hoping to go to a game in July when the Rockies play the Braves for Jordan's birthday.

Finally, the last leg - only 60.7 mi – about 1 hour 1 min - from Denver to Ft. Collins.
We need to be there around 3 on Tuesday, June 16th. (The day before my birthday!)
We'll be here at CSU for the summer!

Our address there will be:
Jessamyn and Jordan Peace
Campus Crusade for Christ - New Staff Training
Westfall Hall, Room #707
Ft. Collins, CO 80521

WISH US LUCK and say a prayer for us as we head out tomorrow!!