I Would Drive 1100 Miles...

I just got back from studying all night with my anatomy lab group, and decided I had to play catch-up on the blog. I only got an internet connection a few days ago, but I arrived in Ames on the 17th after an enjoyable but L-O-N-G ride.

The drive from New York was mostly uneventful until reaching Chicago, the high point being a couple stops at WaWa. Around eight hours into the drive we crossed in Cuyahoga National Park in Ohio, but decided against stopping as it seemed rather small and uninteresting.

After a mind-numbing 12-13 hours of driving, we started calling pet-friendly hotels in Chicago. Surprisingly the Hard Rock Hotel was very reasonable and accepted pets. We couldn't have picked a better location that allowed for a whirlwind tour of the city. The hotel was on Michigan Ave, equivalent to Park Avenue in New York. We did a quick run through Millennium Park, and ate some deep dish pizza (of course).

For the whole ride, Fritz did a pretty amazing job of staying quiet and relaxing. I bought him an oversized kennel carrier fit for a springer spaniel, and put a small litter box and a towel inside. Unlike some carriers, this one had a gated window on the sides as well as the front so he could see us and I think calmed him down.

After Chicago there was still a 5 hour drive to Ames. When one thinks of Iowa, they may imagine endlessly flat farmland. The second half of the drive actually proved that Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio are more vertically challenged. Iowa instead consists of rolling hills that are covered in crops and dotted by farms, silos, assorted livestock, and the occasional small town. It's not extraordinary eye candy, but the scenery was serene and more enjoyable than I had imagined.

We arrived in Ames just in time to get my apartment keys. Pictures will be up eventually, but the pad is awesome. The front door opens to the kitchen which leads into the living room, giving a great wide-open feel. My bed room and bathroom are off in an alcove next to the living room, with the bedroom fitting a desk and a full-size bed very comfortably with lots of extra room. An added bonus is being on the first floor, which made moving in a million-times easier than the 4th story walk-up I was used to in undergrad. Also, the complex has a fitness center, covered parking, tennis courts, and a pool!

Time to pass out, next post will detail getting settled and orientation.