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The account of Katie's drive to Colorado...
We closed the gates of Zion and opened the lush mountains to Colorado. We set off to visit the Garcia's of Thorton, Colorado. This first meant driving through the desert of Utah. And when I say the desert I'm not kidding. There is nothing but dirt and massive mountians of rock. I will say that there was one gas station which was bulit to save people's lives... at $4.20 a gallon. We noticed the tank getting low but mike was sure we would make it to the next gas station out of the desert, 65 miles away. It was rough. We were passing hitch hikers saying at the edge of our seats "we're sorry we can't pick you up cause it's going to be us in few minutes." We began to sweat profusely as we sat almost in utter silence, with the air off as we costed down hills in nutral, hoping to make it to the next gas station. Every town we passed would say the town name, how far away it was and then following the haunting words, No Services Available. Finally! We saw a sign that showed us the symbol for gas and we were saved. We cheered as we gave knuckles to each other and took the exit. We got off to nothing. There was no gas station in sight. But still we continued to follow the road trusting our sign off the freeway to give us truth. We hit a dead end and looked right and left and there it was to our left. We cheered again and proceeded. Pulling up to the station mike sees the sign, Closed. We were heart-broken, back on the road we went and prayed. We knew the next big town on the map was Fruita and we were getting close. We saw the sign that we knew would deliver and it was a mile away. We began comforting ourselves with things like, "a mile is not long. I could run a mile!" As we approach the sign tell us to get off on exit 19 and so we hold our breath a little longer. Exit 19 comes and it seems as if the ramp is closed for constuction. We disbelief hearts we Finally, don't belive the sign, and what do you know the exit was open. Just in time we pull up to the gas pump and let out a sigh. The gas was $3.87 and according to mike, it was well worth the torment.

Sorry to say there are no pictures from this event. For reason that at the time this was not a laughing matter.

We made it to the border and into Colorado we went. The scenery was amazing. There was still snow on the ground as we followed the Colorado river through the mountains. There was also the longest tunnels we have ever been through and holding your breath= passing out. It also means competition overtakes and mike causes katie to let out her breath. Mike laughs after he makes it through the tunnel and katie burns with anger as once again her fun is ruined by mike's cheating.

Again, no picures because at the time it was not a laughing matter.