Hey, everyone! I just got back to Colorado Springs from the conference on July 27th. This blog post is a summary of what I did at the annual Chromosome 18p- conference this year. In case you are wondering, these are Thomas’s, Camilla’s, mine, and Chromosome 18’s website.

Here are some related blog posts: https://lilliandarnell.com/2018/07/06/annual-chromosome-18-conference-2018-part-1/, https://lilliandarnell.com/2018/06/15/my-adventure-to-surprise-part-1/, https://lilliandarnell.com/2017/09/13/annual-chromosome-18p-conference-2017/ I hope you enjoy!

July 19th: 

I woke up at 5:00 am once again with a renewed sense of excitement. So I quickly got ready to leave our hotel room in Provo, UT with the help of my mother, Camilla. Thomas took a bag to put ice in so Camilla could put ice into the icebox.

 

After he did that, he went down to the lobby to get some breakfast around 6:00 am. He came up to see how much longer until I and Camilla were ready after he got his food. Of course, we were almost ready. Camilla and I went down to get me a cup of water with a paper straw (I don’t like paper straws, unfortunately).

Then Camilla went up to grab the last round of stuff and I went up to make sure I got everything. We headed to the car at 7:00 am. I messaged Patty as soon as Camilla got the car running to let her know we were on our way again to Colorado Springs.

I messaged Macy (a very close 18p- friend of mine) throughout the second part of the trip as well. About 50 minutes of being on the road, we had to stop so I could go to the bathroom in Price, UT (Later, I learned that high altitude can cause you to go to the bathroom more).

Camilla decided to get some gas while there too. Then we were on our way again to Colorado. After that, we rode in the car. Eventually, I had posted in Lauren Martin (an 18p- friend of mine) and I’s the private group on Facebook that I was almost to Colorado.

A little while later, we made to Colorado (Yay!). I then posted a Facebook post saying I was in Colorado. Then I let Rebecca Parker (an 18p- friend), Macy, and Lauren know that I was in Colorado.

Shortly after, we arrived in Colorado we stopped in Grand Junction for gas, bathroom, and lunch. Then after Camilla ate lunch, we headed toward Glenwood Springs. After Glenwood Springs, we went into a huge traffic jam.

Unfortunately, the car overheated during the traffic jam. We had open our doors and windows to attempt to cool us down because Camilla and I both overheat in the hot heat.

A nice guy in a truck near us was able to give us a frozen water bottle to help. It wasn’t enough so we pulled off at a rest stop called White River National Forest. I went to the bathroom there (nasty! blech!). After I was done, we went back outside and found that the traffic jam had picked up a little speed. So Camilla and I took some quick photos before Camilla checked the car.

After she decided it was okay, we went back to the highway and this time we were on the side of the highway that we could pull over if we needed to. Luckily, we only stopped twice with the traffic jam and we were all so relieved that it was over.

So we continued until Denver. In Denver, there was bad traffic due to rush hour, construction, and car accidents slowing us down but at least we kept moving that time although slow.

Also, in Denver, I finished what was left of my trail mix.

After we left Denver, we were very close to Colorado Springs which expanded my excitement. I was so excited that I could barely contain my excitement and joy. Before I knew it, we arrived in Colorado Springs.

Once we stopped at the stoplight near the Colorado Springs Marriott, I took a good look around. Of course, there was construction across the road from where we were at the traffic light.

Then after the traffic light turned green, we started up a steep incline to the Marriott as it was upon a hill.  Along the way, we saw some adorable fawns. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get any photos of the fawns.

It was my very first time seeing deer up close. After we went up a slight 2nd incline, we were at the start of the parking lots. We went up 2 more steep inclines filled with parking lots.

Finally, we arrived at the entrance of the Colorado Springs Marriott after doing the last 2 inclines. Then Camilla had Thomas and I sit in the car while she checked us in. I didn’t think it was a good idea leaving me with Thomas especially when I needed to go to the restroom.

While I was sitting there waiting for Camilla to get back, I messaged Lauren in our Facebook group. Naturally, I didn’t get a response until later because they were out exploring Colorado Springs.

Thankfully, Camilla came back shortly after I sent that to Lauren. While I was waiting to go up to the room outside of the car, I messaged Macy to let her know I was at the Colorado Springs Marriott.

I messaged Rebecca to let her know I was at the Colorado Springs Marriott too. I also let Katie Baker (also known as Kaitlin; a very close 18p- friend of mine) that I was at the Colorado Springs Marriott too.

 

I also let her know the room number, just in case. I let Patty Romano (part of the Romano Duo) know that we arrived at the Marriott hotel too and I also let her know the room number.

There was an automatic revolving door, automatic wheel accessible door, and lastly a manual door. Naturally, I chose the manual door while Thomas and Camilla went through the revolving door.

I was surprised at how big and spacious the lobby was. We went straight up to our hotel room in the elevators. The elevators were Montgomery Vector hydraulic elevators (just in case anyone wanted to know).

Once we got inside, my nose got hit with a whiff of stink. I was shocked at how small the room was. Afterward, I went to the restroom. Camilla gave me my hotel room key. Then I went straight down to the lobby with Thomas and Camilla.

After that, I went back up to the room. I then took a look at the view. Camilla found the window opened a little bit. Of course, they had live music playing in the lobby so we could hear that through the open window.

The music stopped at 8:00 pm MDST. After Thomas, Camilla, and I had settled down some for about an hour or 2, we went down to get some dinner around 9:50 pm in the lobby.

Unfortunately, the restaurant was about to close but we were still able to order our dinner while sitting in the lobby. While I waited for my food, I checked to see if Lauren had responded to my Facebook post in our Facebook group saying that I had arrived at the Colorado Springs Marriott.

Sure enough, there was a comment from Lauren. Lauren said in her comment that she couldn’t wait to see me and that she was staying in a different hotel in Colorado Springs.

I also had repeated my first achievement of the trip while waiting for our food which was drinking water from a glass cup with a straw.

The food finally came at 11:00 pm. So after we ate, we headed up to the room on the elevator. We got ready for bed. I stayed up for a while though so I could relax.

Eventually, though, my eyes would barely stay open. So I quickly went to the restroom and finished getting ready for bed. Then I let myself fall asleep. I think it was around 1:00 am or 2:00 am when I fell asleep.  (I know, it was late.)

Have you ever been to Colorado Springs? I would love to hear your answers in the comments if it feels right.

Click here for Part 3.