Day 1 - we made it to Ohio and are ready to roll

Smooth sailing from Michigan to Ohio. There is something to be said for traveling on a Sunday, especially with all the summer road work going on. The boys traveled really well, and stayed quiet when we had to get gas and make a pit stop. In order to go to the restroom I had to park in between a bunch of noisy Heavy Trucks, my Yukon and trailer looked miniature in between those 18 wheelers. I was more nervous than the boys, and literally ran to the rest stop and back in order not to leave the boys too long between all the running diesel engines around them.

The GPS faithfully lead us to Garrettville. I got a bit worried when the nice man at the toll booth asked where I was going and he had no idea where the town was. Speaking of toll booth: Apparently in Ohio you get to drive faster (70 miles per hour) on the toll roads than on the regular freeway (between 60 and 65 MPH). Ohio is notorious for giving speeding tickets to out of State vehicles, and no difference yesterday, the freeway was 'littered' with highway patrol cars out to make money.

I had texted Caroline, the owner of Chadwick farm, our ETA. She was waiting for us and helped me unload. The boys got nice airy stalls. The barn is very well kept, everything organized, with airconditioned rooms for feed, tack, laundry. Pretty intimidating to see the big wooden tack trunks with Bronze labels "George Williams" - I decided to leave my 'Target Special' plastic totes in the trailer for right now.

Caroline then showed me the apartment where I will stay for the week: WOW, it it wonderful! Fully furbished, with equestrian themes throughout. Later in the evening I took the boys for out to graze and a leg stretch, then I had a beer and feel into bed. Unfortunately, the night was kind of fitful. I guess I was a bit overwrought from the tension of driving (first time I took the boys by myself that far), and one of my 'room mates' (the horses below the apartment) spend the night calling for an invisible friend.

So, now I am excited for my lessons to start today. George will be at Chadwick this afternoon, and actually wrote that he is looking forward to our lessons. Fortified by Nutella and a pot of coffee - I am ready!