DAY 67 Monday 12th NOVEMBER 2007

Colorado Springs to Dodge City, Kansas (Miles to date: 7440)

Unfortunately it is time to leave Colorado Springs- we have loved it here. The mountains are fantastic and there is much to do. But all good things come to an end. Before we leave we have one more stop to make to see our friends the Elliots. We have known Sylvia, Peter and their children for many years from when we all lived in High Wycombe. They own a property in Colorado Springs – the main reason we went there – and they arrived yesterday from the UK. We spend a couple of hours with them having breakfast and catching up on things.

We also have one more chore. A week or two before Jack’s retainer (brace to you people in the UK) had broken and we had waited to get to civilisation to get it fixed. We found an orthodontist in Peublo, Colorado who said they could fit us in on short notice. Walking into the practice was wonderful it is completely open plan – they have four stations around a large room in which you also wait. In addition they have a Sega game station and an X-Box – Jack and Emily are in heaven and probably would have liked to wait longer. Not only was the orthodontist accommodating he was also resourceful and welded the break....and would not charge us!A rare man indeed!

Finally we are on our way on the long journey across to Dodge City, Kansas. As for much of our recent travels the land is flat and primarily farm land which looks very parched and barren from the long, hot summer sun. We reach town early evening and head down to Long John Silvers – a fish and chicken fast food chain. The store had just re-opened after a 6 month refurbishment so was packed with people, and the systems were a little rusty so we were there nearly an hour waiting (fortunately the food was good) – so not so fast fast food. Karen notices a cop walk in with Street Crime Unit on the back of his shirt. Karen immediately thinks he is something to do with rounding up ladies of the night, and asks his girlfriend about his work. It turns out that he works with the juvenile gangs in Dodge City – which has 7, a lot for a town of 30,000 people. Immediately this makes us concerned about parking our car outside the hotel with a bikes on the back and possessions inside. Fortunately tiredness after a long journey overcomes our safety concerns and we soon fall asleep.