Let me first say that driving in any car for more than an hour is one of my least favorite things to do, and I would do anything to avoid it. With that being said, making my wife happy is on the top of my list of favorite things to do. So, when I’m told we have to make another road trip this summer, I say okay and ask where to, and hope that it is somewhere close.
You can guess this year our destination was not close, and just like it was three years ago, we were going to the Lake of the Ozarks (11 hours away). Keep in mind, I have a nine-year-old daughter and four-year-old twin boys.
We pack up everything but our couches and beds in the car and start the trip. I have connected every type of screen, from television to iPads and headphones to Internet cards, and even an in-car refrigerator. We are a coffee shop on wheels, and with Internet access, we have every movie you could imagine. The road trip experience is so much different than when I was a child. When I was a kid, we packed clothes, a pillow, and a jar to go to the bathroom in and headed out. These kids have a super entertainment store on wheels.
So, after 13 hours there and 13 hours back, I have learned a lot about my family and more so about my kids…they’re not that bad. Who would have thought? I know I sure didn’t. Don’t get me wrong, I think they’re great, but other than my wife, I can’t imagine anyone I would want to be locked in a box with for 13 hours.
We made the drive successfully and only stopped a few times for gas and maybe three emergency “I have to go” moments, but all in all, it was not the dreaded road trip that everyone imagines.
Start looking around online and find places you have never been to, and don’t worry so much about the road trip. It’s nothing like you remember when you were a kid. With all the devices and rear air conditioning, they’re not that bad at all. Get out there, see some stuff, and get to know your family on your own time.
Oh and even with all the new tech stuff and fun things, don’t forget the jar to go to the bathroom in. After all, it did save me once on this trip! Some things never change. ■
