Day Four route — Amarillo, TX to Colorado Springs, CO
The Drive
Mauricio on the final stretch
The final day of our four-day move in June 2021 — Amarillo, Texas to Colorado Springs, Colorado. I know a lot of folks would have tried to push forward and skip the Amarillo stop since this stretch is only 358 miles, but we were towing a trailer and with two dogs it's better to be safe.
On the Road
The Moment We Held Our Breath
The long stretch outside Amarillo
There is a long stretch of two-lane highway when you get outside Amarillo. We were well rested and listening to a podcast about 90s music when we noticed a truck coming toward us, veering to our side of the road.
We both held our breath as Mauricio began moving our truck to the shoulder to put the trailer, rather than us, in the path of the collision. Luckily, just before the other truck hit our trailer, he swerved back to his right. We had to stop for a few minutes to get our heart rates down.
This is one example of why we always drive rested and never push ourselves beyond our daily limit. Fatigue on the road with a trailer — and dogs — is not worth the risk.
We Made It
Home in Colorado Springs
Ginger surveying her new kingdom |
When we finally made it home, the girls enjoyed some much-needed sun baths and we all breathed a sigh of relief. |
First Colorado sunbath
The pass leaving New Mexico into Colorado — known as Raton Pass — takes you through winding mountainous roads before dropping down into the plains of Southern Colorado. Making this drive in summer is pleasant with nice views. However, I would caution anyone driving this route in winter. The weather can change very quickly.
Bonus Story
The Blizzard We Almost Drove Into
We found ourselves driving that near-collision route once again many months later. In February 2022, after several cancelled flights we were stranded in Dallas and decided to rent a car to drive home — without the dogs this time. It started getting dark and we were both very tired. Even with clear skies, we opted to stop at the Best Western Plus Raton.
For anyone making a road trip and in need of a hotel, I highly recommend this Best Western. The room has a door to the outside like a motel, but also a door to an interior courtyard so you can access the lobby and restaurant without venturing out into the cold or heat. The restaurant was great — we both had burgers before going to bed.
"When we woke up, we were so glad we had stopped. Four inches of snow — and still falling."
When we woke up the next morning, we were so glad we had stopped. There were about 4 inches of snow on the ground and it was still falling. The conditions through Raton Pass were treacherous — blizzard-like — and snow plows were struggling to keep up. The drive typically takes 2.5 hours but that day it took 4.5, crawling at around 30 mph until we reached Pueblo, Colorado.
Raton Pass in blizzard conditions — February 2022
And Then There Were Three
Meet Finn
Finn — the newest member of the pack |
November 2021
We realized that unless there were three, our pack was missing a piece. We turned to Big Bones Canine Rescue to find the perfect fit — and Finn found us. |
The Almost series may have ended in Colorado Springs, but the pack was just getting started.
Before booking, check out the Cross Country with Three Dogs series for a full guide on making reservations and planning a road trip with pets.
Ginger, Ellie, Finn — and the biggest adventure yet.
Colorado Springs was never meant to be the final destination. A year and a half later, the pack — now three strong — packed up again for the move of a lifetime: across the Atlantic to Málaga, Spain.
Read the Relocation Series →
Thanks for stopping by and sharing!