First week on the road!

Hello there!  We are a week into our trip and I'm finally starting a blog in Cullowhee, North Carolina, as it is the first time we have access to a decent wi-fi.

The start to our trip was focused on staying behind the "dry line" of a powerful storm that was moving across the midwest.  So although we left a week ago, we stayed two nights in John Martin Reservoir State Park near Lamar, Colorado - snagged a beautiful site on the pond below the dam.  The outstanding thing about this first day is that during the trip from Blue River to the park, we saw 5 moose,  a coyote, buffalo, llamas, deer, and finally a muskrat swimming in the reservoir.

The next layover day we went on a very long, hot hike in the park and Murphy had three major firsts:  a swim in the reservoir, his maiden voyage with a furminator and a "lap cruise".  The swimming experience was very cool to watch - going after a stick, he got in over his head, and turned back towards us with a true look of panic on his face.  Then he gave it another shot - looked at the stick floating in the water, gingerly placed a paw on the surface, and then took the plunge!  The lap cruise was later during cocktails.   As we were seated next to each other in our camp chairs, he crawled up on Chris' lap, hung out a bit, then crawled over the chair arms to my lap, never touching the ground.  It was hysterical.

Starting Thursday, May 3, we headed East on blue highways, staying in Lake Cheney State Park, Kansas; Mountain View, Missouri; then Savannah, Tennessee; near the Shiloh Military National Park.

Sunday, we arrived in Cullowhee, North Carolina, home to our cousin, Jeanne and her husband, John.  We parked Moby next to a neighbor's beautiful barn down the road and are staying in Jeanne and John's gorgeous and homey apartment above the garage.  Like a luxury B&B!

As of today, May 9, we've been on two lovely hikes, one to a beautiful waterfall, and today to the Eastern Continental Divide.  Today's hike was enhanced by a group of hikers we encountered with 9 dogs from the local humane society.  It's been good to get some exercise after sitting on our butts for 4 days!  And needless to say, Murphy is so relieved to be out of the Jeep!