The plan was to leave at 5:00 a.m...okay, so 4 a.m. was the original time we were hoping to be gone, but we decided 5 would be better. As usual, we didn't make it out as planned, but we did leave at 6:00. :) Food was packed for the entire trip to eliminate extra stops. Did it work? Well, no, not really...but we never ran out of gas! The trip was uneventful, except for one thing...
As we neared the Kansas/Colorado border we stopped, again. In the foot mart, antique store, gas station thing, I overheard an elderly couple talking about how they had just come from the Denver direction and had to pull over because of a tornado. I checked the weather on the handy-dandy iPhone, and sure enough, Colby, Kansas was under a tornado warning, and Denver under a Tornado watch! Where were we headed, you might ask? Oh, we were going towards the Denver area...no big deal, right? Well, we pitied Jeremy for not being with us, made sure the camera was charged and ready, buckled seat belts, and hit the road! While spotting a tornado would've proved for some fun photo opportunities, we were very thankful we made it through without having to deal with them. But, we did get some pictures I thought y'all might enjoy, especially Jeremy the storm-chaser-wanna-be... :) I hate to rub it in, but I promised to update frequently, and these are the most prominent pictures from our trip so far. :) So, enjoy!
I think he looks happy to be out of the car. Photo credit goes to Melissa.
Poor, Mel, she looks tired.
My wonderful, darling parents in Kansas...cute, huh? :)
A family shot at the rest area.
Mel having fun with the camera.
After driving all across Kansas, we found a Starbucks in a little town with only two exits! 
And conveniently located just around the corner, was the above. We seem to run into them right after y'all, leave, Hectors! :)
Do you know what that is? Why, it's a storm chaser! Photo credit goes once again, to my sidekick storm chaser, Melissa. :)
Driving into the storm...check out the dark clouds on the left.
In the middle of it and to the right...
...and this was to the left of us.
*sighs of relief* Driving out of the storm.
And lastly, is a picture of the lovely sunset we saw just before we arrived at our destination!
looks like a good trip and you even got a new experience as a storm chaser! Jeremy is gonna be so jealous! :P
ReplyDeleteThose are some great shots of the storm clouds. I saw them on your Mama's facebook.
Wonderful family picture! everyone is even looking at the camera at the same time! that takes talent. lol
Have a wonderful time! hugs!
Amanda
The Daily Planet
Thankful y'all made it out there without any too-significant troubles...tornadoes on a trip are never fun. But, they also provide excellent photo opportunities...
ReplyDeleteLooks like y'all made it to Colby and got that Starbucks after all! I remember those...uh...palm tree things...in the town right by our hotel. lol, kinda out of place in the scenery of Kansas. And car trips make for perfect nap times on the way there...
*sigh* CO...I miss the state. I guess pictures will have to suffice for now. Here's hoping you keep that promise of updating frequently. ;)
A friend of mine in the Denver area was telling me about the crazy weather! : /
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say how much I enjoy your blog. I found out about your family after reading your Mom's book (which was SUCH an encouragement to me!). You have such beautiful pictures on your blog, and it is fun to see all of your family's adventures :). God bless!
ReplyDeleteOh.... looks like you had a marvelous time!! That last pic is FABULOUS!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Pictures of storms are always great, I love the contrast.
ReplyDelete~Joanna
Oooh, pretty sky! My favorite picture is the first one of driving into the storm.
ReplyDeleteAmanda,
ReplyDeleteWe did have a lovely drive out here, stops and all! :) The storm was incredible and I wish it had lasted a bit longer. :) Poor Jeremy...he'll get his chance one of these days. :)
Ashton,
Y'all stayed in Colby before?!?! Wow...I didn't know that. For such a small town, that little shopping strip thing is really bizarre. :) The palm tree things were kind of odd, but made for some great laughs. Did you tell my dad about that Starbucks? A nap would've been lovely. But I was driving, so too bad for me. :( Yes, CO is nice, and I'll try to update often.
Michelle,
It was pretty crazy yesterday, but it's been lovely so far today. :)
Jen,
Thanks. I'm glad you enjoy reading my ramblings. :) Photography is a hobby of mine, and I'm glad I have the blog so I can put them somewhere. :) We love to travel and have adventures of our own. :)
Jen,
We did have a good time, but are so happy to be out of the car! :) Thanks, I love sunsets. :)
Joanna,
Thanks! The contrast in the ninth picture was even more amazing in real life!
Raquel,
Glad you liked them. Driving into that black mass was a bit intimidating, but there was no way a photo opportunity like that was going to pass me by! :)
The other day Denver had a ground stop on all incoming and outgoing aircraft witch made a couple flights here late! Must have been the same storm.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, Tiffany. Have a wonderful time in Colorado!
ReplyDeletep.s.--your dad lets you visit antique stores on a road trip? We'd never get to our destination... :o) I heard he loves to take you to Cracker Barrel, though. (ha-ha)
That family shot is great. Especially the way Caleb is standing. Is he getting taller again? Love the shorts Little Man.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly have a way of attracting exciting weather! The dark cloud shots were the best of that subject matter. Still trying to find those dark ones to the left....
Hey, palm trees! I didn't know those grew in Kansas! **looks again** Heeeeeey, wait a minute.....
See y'all tomorrow!!!!!!!
BFH
Joe,
ReplyDeleteYes, it very well could have been the storm! We saw the newspaper that said a tornado actually touched down in the little town we're in right now..our lovely hosts had no idea! :)
Mrs. Winton,
So far we've had a fabulous time, and I'm looking forward to what lies ahead. lol, I WISH he let us visit antique stores! This one was on the second story of this mini-mall thing, but none of us took the chance of being caught up there! ;) Cracker Barrel, oh, so you've heard about that? :)
Ben,
We only took two pictures, and while this one was the better of the two, the first one wasn't all that bad. All of us (except William, of course) were looking at the camera! Yes, he's getting taller. :( Oh, and William just got new plaid shorts. :)
The palm trees in KS were interesting. Em thought they were real. They made for a good photo opportunity, though! See you soon!
I hate driving through stormy weather. It makes me shudder just thinking about it. You know you are close to the storm, when the storm chasers are nearby.
ReplyDeleteI will have to tell you the story sometime of when we were first married and Mr. P was taking me to OK to meet his parents and we were just a little bit from a tornado in our truck. It's a pretty funny story!
Have a wonderful time in Co!
Love, Mrs. P
Ashton has no sense of adventure. A tornado on a trip makes the trip worth taking.
ReplyDeleteIt is the lot of stormchasers to spend large quantities of time and money many times to unsuccessfully chase storms, and then, when their friends go on trips, said friends just "happen" across things like this - a perfect example of a classic HP supercell. Meanie.
That last photo is simply amazing. God has done such a fabulous job with all his sunsets. I enjoyed the family pics as well.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow, those storm clouds...to capture them through the lens can be quite a feat because you usually have to tilt the camera to get the light just right. Your photos look amazing!
ReplyDeleteThat chapel looks brilliant as well. I love the look (and sound) of those big organs! They're so...mysterious, I guess. :-)
~Amanda~