Long Drives
As a kid, when mom started driving to Maine yearly in August
to Oquossoc, Maine, it always seemed to take forever. We had the blue Volkswagen bus with the stick
shift. Packed tightly, there was little
room for our legs to stretch. Many times,
we had to position our legs on top of coolers or luggage. Just over 300 miles it took 7-8 hours. We would leave super early in the morning (7-8am)
and get there in time for supper.
McDonalds was our lunch and that was a treat! I really do not remember packing my clothes
but do remember packing every single board game we owned. Because there was no TV, we had marathon game
nights and rainy afternoons. We learned to play Continental and Canasta. When
we rounded the first curve and could glimpse the mountains it felt like a great
adventure was beginning.
Megan was less than 4 weeks old and Kevin and Scott less than 3 months when they started traveling to Maine. Needless to say, they are great at being in the car for long periods. We learned to keep a margarine container in the vehicle for the occasional car sick kid. (Mostly Scott). We only gave them foods that we were not afraid to see again! Raisins- okay. Pickles – NOT! Even during toilet training we kept a potty on hand.
Our first road trip to Florida with the kids we traveled in
a Suburban with a DVD player and they all had their own headphones. They took turns picking out movies and the
trip was a success. They learned to eat
their cereal with yogurt instead of milk.
They learned how to make their bathroom visits quick. They all had their own backpacks which they
packed with things to do – books, drawings, toys, etc.
Ensuing trips followed to North Carolina and the Outer Banks
twice (it was soon pretty I had to go back), Georgia and Jekyll Island, Washington
DC, upstate New York, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. They turned into great travelers and seldom
asked “Are we there yet?”. Car
bingo. Music. I spy.
Movies were only played once the sun set for the night. They also kept travel journals for many years. Scott would draw pictures in his since he was
too young to write. Picnics when we
could at rest areas so they could run around for a bit. Frisbees, catch.
Daytona
Kevin Megan
As Paul and I traveled north from Daytona to Maryland today
we did not meander. With a minimum of 12
hours ahead of us, we left at 3am and made minimal stops. Our cooler was packed with drinks and
snacks. Stops for gas include bathroom
breaks and coffee refills. The ride down last Monday was horrendous. What were we thinking? We left at 930pm on Sunday figuring we would
split the driving. Paul drove until 3am-ish
when I took over but I only lasted a couple hours. We wound up napping in the car at a rest area
for a couple hours. Even once the sun
came up, we had to keep switching. We
arrived sooo tired. Never again leaving
at night after having a full day and no quiet time.
We have arrived safely (almost 14 hours later) in Maryland, tired but not
exhausted. Cocktail hour starts soon,
then dinner, a swim and a good nights’ sleep.
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