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Road Trippin'

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Norbert
Oct 11 2004
10:55 am

The wife and kids and I (man I get a kick out of that) are going to be taking a road trip next summer for Amy’s family reunion. They have one every fifth summer, so we’ve been passively planning this for a few years already. Depending on how run-down our house is and how much money we have to play with we’re planning on being away for about a month. I’ve never taken a road trip of that duration before.
The reunion is in British Columbia, so we’re thinking about heading west in the states and heading back through Canada. With all the people we know and parks we’d love to see out west, we could easily turn 1 month to three or four so we have to be disciplined. But with that in mind we do have five, maybe six, weeks. Are there any “Don’t miss” sites inbetween South East Wisconsin and Washington State? I know that’s a loaded question, but I’d like to hear what kind of advice you might have.
I’ve traveled a bit, but am still kind of new to the extended road trip. Any advice about that? especially with two kids under 5 come the summer of 2005?
I’m also interested in other people’s road trips. Where have people gone? Any joys? Trials? Particular moments of inspiration or revelation?
I wonder if the board needs a travel section? I remember a “Where have we been?” thread about a year or two ago.

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mrsanniep
Oct 11 2004
01:11 pm

I don’t have any destination suggestions for you off the top of my head, but I have one suggestion regarding the car trip: start looking for someone who will have a portable DVD player to loan you. We have friends with family in BC, also, and they used a borrowed one as their “secret weapon” for the long drive. It came in handy and the kids thought it was the coolest thing since sliced bread.

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Norbert
Oct 11 2004
02:26 pm

We have a laptop with a DVD player that has come in handy on our trips to Emo. I certainly wish we had one of those when we moved from South Florida. Alex screamed for three days. I don’t want to be a VCR parent, but I have no problem using a Veggie Tales Video to protect my own sanity.

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laurencer
Oct 11 2004
11:03 pm

i don’t know how good this advice will be for a family trip, but …

there’s a wonderful [b:1a2c0b8907][i:1a2c0b8907]free[/i:1a2c0b8907][/b:1a2c0b8907] state park near missoula, montana, called lost creek. it’s a pretty basic setup, the only amenities being a water pump and pit toilets, but it’s an absolutely beautiful area. and it’s only 15ish minutes off the highway.

come to think of it … kirstin and i blogged about or first stay there, so you can get our initial impressions.

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Norbert
Oct 12 2004
08:05 am

I remember reading about that. I think you included a picture or two.
I like free.
I remember one thread from a long time ago where a gentleman talked about an isolated piece of the Mexican Baja Peninsula as one of his favorite destinations. I’d love to hear about more of those. Obviously it’s fun to find some of those yourself (on the road with Charles Kuralt type of thing), but it’s fun to see what other people view as remarkable.

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rvanderpol
Oct 12 2004
11:33 am

Hey, I have some must sees for you as you I-90 it out to WA and BC. In Rapid City, SD they have some attarctions that are kid-centered (dinosaur park). There is a little town near Moses Lake, WA named George (ha ha – George, Washington). There is a cool vantage point of the Columbia River – awesome view. Similar awesome view just down the road in Vantage, WA (mind you, this is in the middle of nowhere, but God’s artistic brush is all over the place!) When going over the pass of the Cascades, you could stop at the town of Snoquallimee and see some very impressive waterfalls, Alex will love it – make sure he climbs on the old train in town – good photo op’s. Going down the pass, stop at exit 34 at Ken’s Truck stop for a bowl of clam chowder!! Once you hit the Seattle area (I-5 north to the border) you are pretty much metro-urbanized.

If in Lynden (just short of the border) stop in at True Value Hardware for a free cup of coffee. Just ask for the manager (my dad – Darwin) and tell him you are from Sheboygan (and you know his son).

Finally, If you go into B.C. using the Aldergrove crossing, there is a great Zoo (the Vancouver area zoo – again Alex would love it)

Have fun! Stop often. There is some beatifull sceneary along the way.

Blessings…

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Blisster
Oct 12 2004
12:53 pm

That sounds like a fabulous trip. My advice is that while you need to be disciplined, make sure you are impulsive as well. If something looks like fun, stop. Read historical markers. Don’t drive the planned ten hours. That kind of stuff.

I used to plan every minute of our vacations, but two summers ago (or was it three?) Henry and I drove around Lake Superior, stopping wherever we wanted. We had a few deadlines (a wedding, meeting friends in Michigan), but other than that, we just played it by ear for the most part. It’s one of our favourite trips. I’m sure it’s easier to be spontaneous without kids but a little impulsiveness is good.

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laurencer
Oct 12 2004
01:46 pm

ooh, ooh … i heartily concur on both the vantage point of the columbia river (i think i’m thinking of the same one) and the vancouver zoo. great stuff!

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Norbert
Oct 12 2004
02:18 pm

Agreed Blisster.
Thanks guys! Keep it coming.

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dan
Oct 14 2004
10:14 am

The trip from Vancouver to Calgary (on your way back) is spectacular no matter which route you take and I don’t need to tell you about Banff and all that. Just make sure you have some time to enjoy it. Calgary isn’t cool unless you like suburbs. The badlands in Alberta around Drumheller, and also Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo-Jump are worth a visit. The Cyprus Hills on the border of Alberta and Saskatchwan are the equivalent of the Black Hills without the cheese and without Mt. Rushmore, and with a fraction of the visitors. In Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan you can visit the catacombs where the Chinese used to hide out and do white peoples’ laundry. Avoid Regina at all costs. The Qu’Apelle Valley north-west of Regina is a lush green valley—a nice break from the monotony of the straight road and the non-undulating Saskatchewan landscape. I can’t think of anything else right now.

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Norbert
Oct 14 2004
10:49 am

Thanks Dan.

We’ve made the trip from Calgary to Wisconsin a few times and there never seemed like much to see in between but we’ll give some of those a look. Banff is wonderful, but seems, unfortunately, to be heading into a more commercial direction. Is Jasper? I’ve never been up there before. I’d like to visit Edmonton, but I hear that there isn’t much up there either. Any truth to that?