Don't Eat the Alpaca

4,254 Miles

Remember when I told you about the awesome spot where we camped with the alpaca? Well, it was also a great spot where James spent way too much money in their shop, buying socks and hats, stuffies and ... alpaca chops. Yup, the grandfather of the place convinced him to buy the meat of those cute cuddly animals, cook them up, and eat them. So we did just that a couple nights ago. It was reminiscent of shoe leather. Lesson learned. Don't eat cute animals.

As we entered Colorado, we saw the smoke from the fires. It felt like the mountains were just burning. We could smell it, and we could see it. It was kind of insane. Luckily our friends aren't near the fires, but it was eerie nonetheless. Our first stop was Snowmass Village, where

our dear friend Reed lives. Second Wave has been making some real hardcore noises going uphill, and the CLIMB up the windy mountain that brought us to his beautiful home was no exception. But it was worth every huff and puff to spend time with Reed and his awesome pup Hammers.

We drove to Breckenridge, CO the next morning where we met Gibson, an enormous Newfie who was totally adorable (with an uncanny resemblance to Ollie, albeit an enormous version). Then

we hiked up the Hoosier Pass Loop. We went up. And up. And up. The air was thin and we felt it. The girls (Millie) crawled the last bend, but it was worth it. The payoff after climbing to 12,213 feet was yet another gorgeous vista.

The next morning was finally laundry day. We rounded up all the clothes, towels and sheets, and filled FIVE washers. If I told you it felt like Christmas when all that was done, I wouldn't

be lying. Good thing we cleaned ourselves up, because then we visited a couple of James' clients. It was a treat to see such beautiful homes and hang with some really great people.

The next day was filled with more heartwarming visits with friends. Nearly all of the friends that we have seen along the way are from our Colgate a cappella group, and they are family.

No matter how many years go by, it's as if no time has passed. We drove to Denver and spent time with our friend Doug and his adorable son. We had ice cream and danced. Later that night, we had drinks and dinner with our other friends Ethan, Jenny and their daughter Emma (a teenager, so the coolest for our girls) near Boulder. We know such great people - thank you for being a part of our adventure.

Today we entered Nebraska and I can't stop thinking of Counting Crows. James and I are both thrilled. For me, Nebraska is a bucket list state (no idea why, maybe it's Counting Crows). For James, it's the extra hour. We've been in Mountain time for a while now, and

finally we're back in Central. Now remember, James works while I drive (with his two hotspots that he won't share with anyone). Because the girls need help with schoolwork (sometimes constantly), he can only be moderately productive during the day. So, before the day gets started, he is up getting things done. Mountain Time means a 6:30am wakeup, everyday. Tomorrow he gets an extra hour, and he's looking forward to that!

Entering Colorado marked our turn back East. We've been on the road for 18 days. In that time, we've realized that our trip is really broken into three distinct segments. The first

segment was largely a cannonball run through some of the most incredible places, touring National Parks, and trying to appreciate all the beauty that surrounds us. The second segment was seeing the friends who are family and being reminded just how lucky we are to have them. Now, as we enter the 3rd segment, it's all about family and random states and visits. It feels like we're turning home, though the adventure is far from over. See you in about a week New Jersey!