our amazing trip: day 2

We're on the most beautiful road in the Valley of Fire in Nevada - with nothing in front of us but desert and blue skies. It's 110 degrees outside, which tells me this spot is aptly named.



That's me in the mirror, your stunning cross country tour guide, and in the distance you can just barely make out a textbook angular unconformity. It might be a little tough to see through a dusty window at 74 MPH. But trust me, it's there.

Charlie stopped to buy an atlas because he was having a panick attack that the only thing we had to rely on during this 6,000+ mile driving adventure was a dash mounted GPS. I was having a panick attack when I remembered how expensive gas prices are. Thankfully, I work for one of these fine companies and enjoy a 10% employee discount.

Speaking of being an employee, to answer the question how did we get time off of work, Shhhhh!! ... they don't know we're gone!!

Oh, just kidding.

When I called my boss on Thursday to pitch the idea, he said it sounded like a great trip - and since I have my laptop and broad band access internet card with me (and cell phone)- he gave me his blessing to work from the road. And thanks to modern technology, I actually can WORK while we're driving. Like right now, I'm blogging and uploading pictures to the internet as we're cruising on Highway 15.

How cool is that?!

Charlie's boss also supported him taking this trip. Since we both must work a minimum of 20 hours a week >> we are planning to check e-mail, participate in conference calls and review reports when the other one is driving. And there will be a lot of driving.

The kids are doing great. Even though Elizabeth and Henry are both fighting a cold, they are - for the most part - content. We have brought about 15 movies and when we're not discussing structural geology and landforms, they are happy watching something on DVD.

Woo-hoo!! We're in Arizona now!!

(The roads aren't as good.)

We turned Henry's carseat around before we left, because he'll turn 1 in a couple of weeks and he's topping the scale at around 25 pounds. (The requirement for forward facing is at least 1-year old and a minimum of 20 pounds). We might turn it around again to rear facing when we get back home, but I knew that he would be more entertained on this drive if he could at least see the road and us.

It's crazy the amount of gear we have on this trip, even though I packed MINIMALLY. I highly doubt that Henry will be riding in his stroller much.

And here are the kids helping to lug our stuff in to the hotel last night.

Alright, two hours since Charlie started driving. Time to stop and switch. And administer medicine to coughing children.


And buy sunflower seeds.