It's a long trip - 1698 miles (when you avoid toll roads), and estimated at 29 hours of driving. It will take me a little longer, because I have to stop to care for the cat every 2 to 3 hours. I have it split up into 4 days of driving.
Today I drove from home to Salina, Kansas, 440 miles, estimated at 7 hours and 37 minutes. I took Hwy 24 east to Hwy 94, then took I-40 up to I-70. Once I got out of Colorado Springs, there was almost no traffic. When I-40 split off from Hwy 287, it was EMPTY. Good roads, too. There was a little more traffic when I joined I-70, but it's two lanes instead of one, so it didn't really matter. Not near as heavy as I would expect on a Friday afternoon.
It was great weather - overcast most of the day, but I could see blue sky around the clouds. Later it was just white, puffy clouds in a blue sky; when the landscape is mostly rolling golden hills, the sky really jumps out at you.
Stopped in Woodland Park for cash and fuel, then drove to Punkin Center (of course), for our first "Punkin stop". 
I had to pull her out of the carrier, but then she walked around the car a little before going back into the carrier. She didn't drink any water or eat any canned food, but did eat a handful of crunchies over the course of the day. Didn't use the catbox while we were in the car, either, but did finally at the hotel (whew!). I stopped 3 more times during the day - at Cheyenne Wells and at a couple of rest stops.Saw 2 quail - one ran across the road in front of me at the eastern edge of Colorado, and another was flying low next to the road a few miles into Kansas. First time I've seen wild quail before.
As I drove farther east, I noticed more and more green fields. The oil wells I saw were all pumping. I saw a small herd of deer trying to get through a fence into a last-year's cornfield. Why didn't they just jump it? I don't know, but they were nosing around the fence wires. Silly deer.
I drove past a wind farm, with those huge, silent windmills. I don't know why I love those things so much! They are just so other-worldly. The sun was very close to the horizon, and the shadows the windmills made on themselves were a work of art.
When there are no mountains, the sun makes LOONNNGGG shadows.
Once we got to the hotel, Punkin first tried to find a way between the bed and the wall (two of the three pillows on my bed took care of that problem), then crawled under the bedspread. I had to pull her out to test her blood, and then she ate (again, a few crunchies, but no water or canned food) and did her business. She's back under the bedspread, but she knows where everything is and seems to be comfortable, just a little stressed. She was SO good during the trip - didn't really start talking to me until we were about ½ hour away from Salina! I'll check her hydration tomorrow before we leave. If I have to, I'll force some water down her with an eyedropper (yes, I have some with me), but hopefully she'll relax enough tonight to drink some on her own.
I can recommend the Econolodge in Salina, KS. Nice room, nice people, great Mexican restaurant next to the office. And the best price of the three hotels I reserved for my trip!
Tomorrow (Saturday) I'm headed for Mt. Vernon, Illinois. I'll stay on I-70 through the rest of Kansas, through Missouri, and then at St. Louis switch over to I-64. Oh, Joy - Kansas City and St. Louis in one day! Oh, well. At least it's a weekend, so I shouldn't have to deal with rush hour. Saturday is my longest day - 499 miles, estimated 8 hours and 19 minutes. Guess I'd better get some rest, huh? The hotel I'll be at tomorrow is a Drury Inn, and they serve free food and drinks in the evenings - hopefully I'll get there in time to get some!
I'll post more later in the trip!
