Day 1 - July 1st, 2008

With lots to do the first morning of our departure (feed cats, turn water off, scoop the litter box, change sheets, pack car, ice the coolers, etc), Mike was up before 7:30 & raring to go! Thank goodness it was a very cool morning, it made packing the car much easier. As we packed our final belongings, we realized just how small the Honda was or just how much stuff we were taking....there was not one square inch left in the back seat or the trunk.

I said my last good-bye's to Abbey & Kitty-girl and off we went. Departure time was 9:52AM. First stop was to see my parents in Beckley, WV. They took a couple hours off from work to bring us lunch from Heavenly Ham. Then we sat out back on the porch and enjoyed the cool air. Mom brings out a laundry basket full of items that "we just might need"! As Mike stares at the basket of things, I can see his thoughts - "where in the hell are we going to put any of those things?"!!! I picked carefully, but really thought we'd need the wet wipes, raisins, clothes pins, & char-coal. Mike & my Dad rearranged things to fit in the items I chose from our "tent shower" mom held for us.

It was a great visit and off we went to our first destination: Toledo, OH to see Mike's new nephew Mason Morningstar. We left Beckley at 2:00. After looking at a map and listening to Garmin, we had a decision to make: take back roads (250) or stay on the interstate which appeared to be a little out of the way. We chose to follow the Garmin and take the back roads.....we ran into lots of tractor trailors and many Amish folks on horse & buggy! It was very slow......so after an hour or so out of the way, we finally arrive in Toledo around 8:45. Mike's other nephew who is 2, had already went to bed, but we got to hang out with the new little one, Mason. He is such a good baby at 3 weeks old.

Day one over! Next destination, Burton, MI to see Mike's parents and let him run a few errands, then up to Blue Lake.