We did a similar trip 2 years ago. The kids and I drove from Kansas to Pennsylvania and back over the course of 12 days, and put a total of 2941 miles on the Mom-Mobile. This trip is a little more ambitious, with stops planned in Virginia to see friends and Washington, DC for some edumacational stuff.
We have all of our places lined up to stay, and it looks like out of the 12ish days that we'll be gone, we'll only have to stay in a hotel for one night *happy dance*. We're going to see friends and family that we haven't seen in at least 2 years, and some that I haven't seen since high school! And we're even going to meet some "new" friends too.
I'm excited, to say the least!
As of right now, we have enough money to do it. Barring any unforeseen disasters or unplanned expenses, the trip is officially ON. We have been stockpiling food so that we don't have to spend a lot of money while we're on the road - I want to see if we can do this without eating out at all. That might end up being unrealistic, but I think if we plan well enough we can do it. We have a big ice chest to keep food and drinks in, so we should be ok.
We have the route mapped out, with directions to get to the places that we haven't been to before, and I have GPS on my phone - something that I've never had for one of these trips in the past! Sarah has gotten pretty good at reading maps too, so she'll be my official co-pilot for most of the ride.
The van has already gotten 2 new tires and has been given the once-over by my garage. The oil needed to be changed a few weeks ago - I would have liked to have waited until closer to the time, but it needed to be done then. So it'll need to be done (technically) before we get back, but it'll be ok.
I'm doing another craft show on Saturday (once I firm up a sitter for the boys) so any extra money we get from that will go into the travel fund. And any extra that we get between now and then will also go into it.
July 21 is the day we leave.
Just over 3 weeks!
OMG. It's only 3 weeks away. I've been planning this for months.
Wow.
OK, just had to get that out. Now I have to go work on laundry some more.
Wow! This is a big adventure. Good luck. Hope you get all the laundry done.
ReplyDeleteIt's going to be a blast! I just want to be ON THE ROAD now - I'm tired of waiting! LOL
ReplyDeleteI gave up on the laundry. Once again, it wins. Bool.
B. When and where is that....I could come see you at that stop...possibly.
ReplyDeleteI bet you could.......that is one of *our* long lost friends!
ReplyDeleteSo do you need any help planning things? the D.C. zoo is free - but if you have a zoo close by your house - you might not want to spend time there. The monuments are awesome - make sure you check out FDR, and WWII as well as Lincoln, Vietnam, Washington. Go to the air and space museum or the American history one (if it is open). You can call ahead to order holocaust museum tickets - or if you want to go there... make sure you stop and get tickets first thing in the morning. Otherwise you will be waiting in line forever. You can go through Hershey Chocolate Factory for free. And, of course - Gettysburg is free. Let me know if there is anything else you want to know... I love trip planning! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteOh sounds like fun... I know what you mean about wanting to leave NOW! Since we decided to move, I have been raring to go..hopefully we can stop at some fun places along the way!
ReplyDeleteKristen - I *love* DC! It is one of my absolute favorite places on earth! We are planning on getting there early-early on a Monday morning and then just spend the day there. I have certain places in the Smithsonian that we are going to hit (some of my favorites from when I was a kid) and then the big ones like Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial and all of that. Since we're going to be walking it, a lot of it is going to be played by ear that day. Then our plan is to leave there around 8pm so that we can get to my parents' house around midnight.
ReplyDeleteWe might hit Hershey while we're in Dillsburg - going to have to see how things pan out money-wise! ;)
Amanda - where are you moving to? Did I miss that somehow? Good luck!
I just realized you're from Kansas by this post! Where do you live? I'm in Wichita and go to school in Manhattan!
ReplyDeleteNo you are NOT!!! Really?
ReplyDeleteI live about 20 miles north of Wichita!
AMY, DO YOU HAVE A COOLER THAT YOU CAN PLUG INTO THE LIGHTER SOCKET? THERE WONDERFUL. WE USE OURS ALL THE TIME AND SAVES YOU FROM BUYING ICE. AT NIGHT YOU CAN TAKE IT IN WHEREVER YOU STAY AND PLUG IT INTO A WALL SOCKET. JUST DON'T LEAVE IT PLUGGED IN THE CAR ALL NIGHT. SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN YOU STOP IS NO BIG DEAL. IT'S SOMETHING YOU CAN USE OVER AND OVER. I EVEN USE OUR IN THE HOUSE WHEN I NEED MORE ROOM TO KEEP SOMETHING LIKE A WATERMELON COLD. THINK ABOUT IT. YOU WON'T REGRET BUYING ONE.
ReplyDeleteGRANNY
Granny, I never heard of one of those! I might have to look into that. We just got one of the regular ones at WalMart - I can handle buying ice occasionally, but if we didn't have to.....
ReplyDeleteHello-
ReplyDeleteJust popped over from Beki's blog when I saw that you were from Kansas also.
We live in the Eastern part--close to Kansas city. A suburb--Lenexa.
Your trip sounds awesome.
Melinda
Hi Melinda, and thanks for stopping by! I just live about 10 miles south of Beki so in the grand scheme of things we're practically neighbors! LOL
ReplyDeleteWe'll be passing through Lenexa on the first leg of the trip - if we leave on time, it'll be about 5am when we do! I'll just wave quietly at you as we cruise on by!
:)
Amy