Lists... and lists!

 I am a list maker. So is my beautiful daughter. (I will be learning more about my new Daughter-in-love on this trip).

My lists run the gamut from what to pack overall, to a menu list that has all ingredients listed for any given meal we pre-planned. I have a camp set-up list. A camp break down list. A school list.

We want to make grocery stops as efficient as possible. I figure it is better to have the list in hand at the store, so we don't get stopped forty miles away and discover some vital ingredient is missing.
With little storage room, plus a big crew to feed, our menu ideas have many 'planned overs'. Beans and cornbread for supper, followed by burritos for lunch the next day. Chili for supper, frito chili pie for lunch... (Though our first time we plan beans for supper, with burritos for lunch the next day... we may decide that beans are not a good trip idea!)

We have a preliminary checklist on trailer set up... like a pilot's pre-flight list. On our trial run, a simple three nights on the road... we discovered several things. One thing was that I have never set up a travel trailer, and Becky had always had an experienced helper along. Another thing was that there is a very specific order that some tasks must be done, such as unhitching before leveling. (Yes, it was a face palm moment.) You should check the distance to the utilities outlets before setting up, and position your trailer accordingly. (Not only had I never set up a travel trailer, I have never, in all my almost 62 years, pulled a trailer of any sort. I am advised that the lawn cart behind the riding mower doesn't qualify. I will be learning the basics of this skill before the trip.)
We learned from our trial run that every task should have an experienced person, plus a trainee. Each of us should become proficient in as many camp tasks as possible.

We have a list of places we want to see, and educate the kids on before arrival. It's more meaningful to visit a place you have learned something about. You will have questions that occur as you absorb the information, and might be answered by discussions before and after seeing places in person.
I already have outline maps of the lower 48 states, and of the western USA. Grands have plans to do presentations on state icons as we go along.

As the departure date looms closer, I make "Notes to Myself" on my phone. (The latest note to myself says "marshmallow fluff". Back when I was 17, my three brothers and I accompanied my Dad and brand new step-mom on their "honeymoon". We traveled from Texas to Colorado. One night, my step-Mom got out a jar of marshmallow fluff for hot cocoa. When the jar was opened- the fluff sprang several inches out of the jar! It's due to the differences in altitude in where the fluff was packaged (Houston, TX) and where it was opened in the Colorado mountains. For sure don't want to forget some marshmallow fluff packed at sea level!)

Questions Inevitably Asked

 We are still a month out from our big trip. People are already asking questions like,
What about School?
We are taking a long road trip that will go beyond the normal back to school date for most kids in the USA. But That's OK... we're (second generation!) homeschoolers. All of the cousins on this trip are already being taught at home. This is a tremendous opportunity for ALL of us to get to see so many beautiful, historical places along the way. Yes, we will continue the "book learnin' " (read that in Jed Clampett's voice, from The Beverly HillBillies) along the way. For one thing, kids need to stay on top of math facts. We will be reading about the various National and State Parks, and icons along the way. Two of the girls want to give reports on the State birds, flowers, and plants for every state we visit. The trip in itself will be educational.


How are you going to travel? Cook? Sleep? Keep track of Seven EIGHT Children?
We are using a large van... you know, the kind you think of when someone mentions "homeschool" and "seven EIGHT kids" in the same conversation. We are pulling a travel trailer, for the purpose of having a kitchen, a bathroom, and a way to haul all the necessities we can imagine to keep a large family on the road for an extended period of time. We also have a large tent. (But what if the campground doesn't allow tents and trailers in the same camp site?) We are prepared for that! The tent is set up on the tent site, and our baggage and bedding dispersed to the tent. The trailer is set up on its site, and the designated cook and her helpers get food started while the rest of the crew sets up camp. At bedtime, people will sleep in their assigned location. (So, are the grown-ups leaving defenseless children alone in the tent while they sleep in the comfort of the trailer?) No. Not happening. We have plans in place that have children under supervision 24/7. They will never be without actual adult supervision... including those who believe they are not in any need whatsoever of adult supervision- be they 15 or 5.


Where are you going? How long will this take?
We don't know all the places we will visit. We have a rough estimate of how long it takes to get from point A to point B... but until we are actually traveling from point A to point B, we don't know. How long it takes to set up camp, cook, shower, check homework... those are things we will figure out as we go. Many things will get faster as we get into a routine. As for how long the trip will take, Dan has to be back to work by the 5th or 6th of October. Maybe we will head home before that, and go get him when he's done... it's one of those things we will figure out as we go.

Are you CRAZY?!
If we aren't already, we may be well on our way by the time we get home.

If you have a question, feel free to ask!

What Do I expect a travel day to look like?

 We get up early. Almost all of those going on this trip are natural early risers.
Every person will fold their bedding and break down their cot.
The beds in the trailer need to be made up, right off. (This is where the suitcases and such all ride)
Cook and helper will start breakfast.
Showers will be taken by those who shower in the mornings.
Everyone is dressed. Clothing is in its proper container... suitcase or dirty hamper.
The baggage is carried to the trailer by a team. Stowed by a team.
Breakfast is eaten.
School assignments are given,  school needs for the day placed in van.
Lunch decided on and put into cooler in van.
Kitchen is cleaned. Tent is broke down and stowed.
Camp items stored and stowed: Table, chairs, clothesline. Trash is gathered.
Trailer is made ready to travel.
EVERYONE potty.
Load up, head toward next destination.
Stop along the way for sightseeing, fuel. Lunch.
Arrive at new camp site.
Set up tent & trailer. (Team puts suitcases, cots, bedding into tent.)
Start supper.
Clean out van.
Set up campsite: table, chairs, lanterns.
Eat supper.
Clean kitchen.
Check school lessons.
Get showers started for those who shower in the evening.
Relax. (music, praise, favorite/ least favorite moments of the day.)
Secure the camp (nothing out to attract wildlife)
Bedtime!
(Many of the individual tasks above will be going on simultaneously.)

That's what I THINK a typical day ought to look like. It will have differences once we're on the road and EXPERIENCE how things are going.
We will have occasional days when camp will NOT move. We will divide and conquer the necessary chores of laundry, grocery shopping, prepping for meals in advance. Day trips to see various places that can be done without breaking camp.
With three adults, one can do laundry with a helper, another can shop with a helper, and the third can supervise the rest of the crew in activities. Many campgrounds have swimming pools and playgrounds. We will have games, and be learning more about our location and destinations.

We don't have plans to drive more than four hours on any given day, except one stretch across the desert. Whether this is feasible or not is another thing we will learn as we go.

Welcome to the Trip!

 Hello!
Welcome to our Coddiwomple.
(“To travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination”.)
Even though we do have definite destinations...  we are traveling purposefully... it's a pretty vague trip we have going from start to finish.

I have venturesome offspring. The youngest two hiked the Appalachian Trail back in 2015. One of them, Daniel, decided awhile back that he is going to ride a bicycle from coast to coast. He enlisted his sister Becky to transport him from Texas to his starting destination, and pick him up at the end of his ride some six weeks later. Becky invited me to ride along, to help ride herd on her 5 children, and because I have always wanted to make such a trip. I have a granddaughter in my custody, so she gets to go along as well. Before we knew it, we added another of my grandchildren, and a daughter-in-love to the grand adventure.

Our intention is to see as many of the beautiful wonders of the USA as we can. We are in part, camping & RVing. Meeting a few acquaintances along the way, as well as planning a night or two with family members who don't mind temporarily hosting the 10 of us. Maybe a couple of base camps with day-trips in places where we can set up and not have to pack up and move in the morning. We'll see!

What can you expect from reading about us?
First of all, we won't be posting our current location. It's just not safe to do so. But we will try to post a bit of something every day or two- depending on internet services. The posts will reflect what we have seen and done, the kids reactions to places most of our family has only read about.
There may be a link to my son's bicycling adventure, assuming he writes one.
No, we are not following him. Just dropping him off, and picking him up again across the continent.

Our quest starts in mid August... unfortunately during one of the hottest years on record. The start date is still weeks away, so my posts between now and then may be fewer, and reflect such mundane issues as the logistics involved in planning to be on the road for an extended period, with a large group. I personally love logistics, so I am already having a great time.