(This blog post is as long as our trip)! Three weeks ago when Chase said we should take a road trip so we could get a change of scenery, I thought he was crazy. I wanted to be left alone- I had my routine and I was totally content. I had the kids’ summer schedule on lock down and all organized: online tutor, tennis coach and gym coach. I didn’t realize the importance of change of scenery for my kids and myself – but it was very necessary. What was getting me through this lock down mentally was being able to walk each morning. But I had recently broken my toe and became unable to do even that! I was getting to be in a dark place. Being home all day when you have spent your life out and about is, lets just say, DIFFERENT!
My parents were going to come visit us in September but I didn’t want them to because I didn’t know if school would be starting and didn’t want to possibly expose them. (As of now it’s not looking great because Miamians can’t simply stay home and social distance). So when Chase said we are either going to North Carolina, or Colorado via Dallas, I said Dallas. We’d get to see my parents and travel on to Colorado. We have spent many summers in Colorado to escape the heat. I was a little scared of going to Colorado and getting sick because there are some many tourists there. It turned out to be totally fine – the people on Colorado are pros at staying safe during the pandemic! We spent most of our time in Snowmass/Aspen where everyone MUST wear a mask basically everywhere. Both locals and tourists complied!
On Tuesday afternoon, we made the decision to leave Miami and we were on the road the next morning at 6:30 am. Within the first 4 hours we had stopped already four times and Chloe had thrown up all over her car seat. I was ready to turn around! There was a lot of complaining, junk food eating. Tons of Chick-Fil-A and Dunkin Donuts too. Somehow we managed to make it to Mobile, Alabama 11 hours later. We stayed the night at a hotel and ordered delicious BBQ food. The next morning we headed out to Dallas! Everyone was asking me if the hotel was safe, and it was. We didn’t come into contact with anyone except for when we checked in. When we made it to Dallas 10 hours later, we literally couldn’t believe we completed the journey. My parents couldn’t believe it either! We are the type of people who fly anywhere more than 1 hour drive away!
Four days later we caravaned with my parents to Colorado. We stopped in La Veta, Colorado for one night and made it to Snowmass the next day. It was a trip of a lifetime. We made so many memories and the change of scenery was so needed by all of us. Was the driving super long and stressful? yes, but totally worth it since I wouldn’t travel via plane.
For toilets – since a lot of you asked me – we went on the side of the road. Yes, Chloe did it too! The most important things we brought with us were extra towels for cleaning up throw up, wipes, alcohol spray and of course iPads/ headphones.
Two years ago when we were staying in Breckenridge (Chloe was one and Jake was three at the time), we purchased our Zoe double stroller. Last year in Colorado we still needed our double stroller because Chloe was two and Jake was four. When our double stroller didn’t fit in the car we freaked out and brought two YoYo strollers. PS- Jake has totally outgrown the stroller stage. We don’t need a stroller for Jake at this point, so it’s time we give away the Zoe.
I brought three total pairs of shoes for our three-week trip- my hiking boots, Birkenstocks, and APL sneakers! On most days I wore my Lululemon align or Splits 59 leggings and tees/tank tops and on the days I felt like getting dressed I wore denim shorts and tees/tanks. The kids lived in comfy clothes – nothing fancy! I brought them each two pairs of sneakers and one pair of Natives. Bringing two pairs of sneakers was key because one was always wet! My parents taught us to put rolled up newspaper inside our sneakers if they get wet – it totally works!
This was a different kind of trip for us- we didn’t go out to dinner or bring a nanny and it was the best trip yet! In the middle of this pandemic we were able to achieve a state of calm by just being together and in nature.
So, did we say to ourselves on the drive back home, when were 4 hours away from the house, and after the kids threw up three times, that we could have easily been on a plane?? Yes. BUT this built a lot more character and now Jake (and Chase!) is asking when we can drive to Madison!
xo
Jenny
