Tripzilla!

[Aerlys]

As some of you know, we are planing a road trip with the kids across country from Washington State to Michigan to visit my family. I haven't been back there since my father's funeral more than ten years ago. Since the kids are getting older (oldest just turned 19) this will probably be our last opportunity to do a big family trip with all the kids. As DH put it, if we waited till we can actually afford it, we'd never do it. As it is, we haven't been able to do anything major as a family for six years. It's time.

We are borrowing an RV from friends, and plan to stop at Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore along the way. Haven't decided which route we will take on the way home. That will depend on a number of factors, like how much money is left in our account and how much hair is left on our heads.

Anyway, as we are preparing for the trip (already packing two weeks ahead of time) if anyone has some tips and ideas of things to do long the way, or not to do, that'd be great.

As time and internet connections allow, I'll try to post updates from the road, at least to assure everyone we're still alive. And maybe, just maybe, I'll even finish some fanfic!

[DesertRose]

Enjoy the trip and travel safely!  We'll look forward to your road-trip updates. 

[revanne]

Sounds amazing - places I can just dream of visiting. What a great thing to do with the family and memories that will always be with them.

Enjoy

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields
and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

(traditional gaelic blessing)

[Aerlys]

We're not leaving for a couple of weeks or so. It's going to take that long to pack!

[revanne]

Realised last night what an ignorant Brit I am - I do know Washington state is on the West coast but not where Michigan is. It's going to be fun looking at an atlas and trying to imagine the places you're going through.

Good look with the packing

[Aerlys]

Realised last night what an ignorant Brit I am - I do know Washington state is on the West coast but not where Michigan is.

No worries! I'm not exactly well-versed on where everything is located in the U.K., myself. 

Hint: Michigan is the state shaped like a mitten.

[Jerusha]

We're not leaving for a couple of weeks or so. It's going to take that long to pack!

After you pack for all of your family for a cross country trip, will there be any room left in the RV for the family??? 

It sounds like a wonderful adventure.  Hopefully you can travel at a pace that allows you to enjoy lots of stuff on the way there and back.

(Back when we were in the military, we made several cross-country moves as a family.  Unfortunately, there were usually only "x" amount of days to get there, so we had little time to sightsee on the way.)

[Aerlys]

After you pack for all of your family for a cross country trip, will there be any room left in the RV for the family??? 

You mean I can leave some of them behind? 

Actually, I've been wondering that myself. We are towing the little car, and can put stuff in there, too. Now that my mom has gone home, I can begin concentrating on what to bring. Food and clothing...two huge essentials! I'm mining the internet for easy recipes, so we're not condemned to canned chili and ramen noodles for seven days.

[Aerlys]

OK, so is this an omen? 

Since my mom's place is small, the plan is for some of us to stay at my sister's house. Well, Mom called this morning to tell us that DS's house was struck by lightning last night! No, the house didn't burn down, but all the electrical wires and every electrical appliance in their house are fried! Their well is still functioning, but an electrician told them that the wiring is damaged, and probably won't last the week. Fortunately, it looks like their insurance will cover the repairs.

DS said that when they were hit, it knocked my BIL out of bed, and the bulb in their bedside lamp exploded! Thankfully, no one was hurt, but what an awful experience!

So, it looks like we'll have better amenities in the RV than their house will. Go figure. The weirdness has begun!

[Jerusha]

Yike!  Glad to hear that everyone is OK.  That would have been an awfully rude awakening!

[revanne]

Gosh - thank goodness everyone is ok.

Our telephone wiring was all fried a couple of years ago by a lightening bolt ( I thought a bomb had gone off). When the man came to look at it I asked if we could claim on the insurance. He looked at my clerical collar and said "I suggest you ask your boss for a cheque". Apparently it came under the designation of "Act of God", and therefore the insurance company could wriggle out of paying. I was seriously unimpressed, and I'm sure the Boss would have denied all knowledge of it.

Glad to hear your sister's insurance company sounds a bit more rational and helpful.

[Aerlys]

My first thought was, "Act of God...no way will they get coverage for that!" They must have invested in a very comprehensive policy.

As for the packing, it's been a slow-go. We needed to replace tires (not all, thank goodness!) so the RV was gone for three days. We were supposed to have it back Monday, but DH was called up to Seattle to repair a toilet that had fallen through the floor. Since a large portion of his work consists of referrals from a large plumbing company, he really couldn't say no. Anyway, he was there late, and stayed in Seattle with friends. He had the keys to the RV, so we had to wait til Tuesday evening to get it back. Yesterday was spent familiarizing myself with the layout, packing in the dry goods, and making a list of what we still need. There's both more and less storage than we thought (if that makes any sense). DD1 has been gathering the clothes for the littles. The older boys are in charge of the tools and equipment. We own a smaller camper trailer, so we've been transferring supplies between the two, and discovering all the stuff that mice nibbled aver the winter. DD2 washed sleeping bags.

So long as we don't forget anything major, we'll be OK.

The littles are not allowed in the RV. The last thing I want is for them to be tired of their surroundings before we even leave. Of course, they keep finding reasons to come check on me, or sit just outside the door "in case I need them," peering in curiously from time to time.

Still working on pictures...but that's not a priority right now. With our luck, we'll forget the camera again. I'm hoping to get the house clean before we leave, too, but that might be just a pipe dream at this point.

So, today is "Scavenger Hunt Day." Try to find all the items on Mommy's list before lunchtime.
Which reminds me, I'd better stop hiding and get back out there.  Sigh, back to reality.

[DesertRose]

Holy cow!     What a startling experience.  I'm glad your sister and BIL are more or less okay, if dealing with fried appliances and the insurance company.

I stood in the kitchen in the house I grew up in one time and watched a bolt of lightning fry the phone and answering machine (that alone tells you how long ago that was--I was a teenager then and I'm almost 40 now).  It's awesome to watch, but lightning is nothing to fool with at all.

[tenworld]

1. you should follow Lewis&Clark trail backwards, thru Snake river
2. Yellowstone & Mt Rushmore
3. depending on where in MI, either go down the Mississippi river (Prairie Du Chen area has a great recreation of a trading post and Wyalusing is one of the best state parks)
Then go thru Madison, skip Chicago (or not) and take a ferry (pricy but fun)
or
3a. go north across upper MI. Macinack island is worth a day.

have fun

[Laurna]

Family outings are the best. Well, once they are well started. Stressful for you to get it all together, but I bet the kids are filled with anticipation. Bring a blank drawing book and tell the kids they need to be responsible for documenting the trip by drawing the fun things they see. Give the older kids their own cameras to do the same. And don't forget those musical instruments: Maracas, tambourines, and bongos. Around the camp fire, let the kids make a tone of noise.

Brings back memories of my family summer trips to Catalina.