RE: Long Trips, Looking for good Tips!

[Joe Gleason]

 Long Trips, Looking for good Tips:
 Planning on Driving Down to Florida from Canada:
 Picking the kids up from School and heading out? Figure this time of the year the first 12 hours of are trip are cold? So we try and knock that out first night stopping @ 1:00 am? This leaves the 2nd day for " Putzing"  in cool areas!
 
 Putting this list together to help me think a bit (sometimes difficult)
 Would love to hear what works and doesn t for long haulers!
 
 For the Car:
 Entertainment
 Simple TV/VCR .. Using ac converter? 1 Movie a day..
 Books on tapes
 Road games:
 Fun Music? Bring laptop with FM transmitter ? Kids music, Motivational stuff (zigg/tony)  etc.
 SportsTrek GPS mini map? Gives major hwy ? Good for finding out how far to next major local? and fun for the kids ..
 Summary of Each Sate ? we talk about as we go into? Birds, flags, history, etc?
 
 
 Comfort:
 12VT water heater for Instant coffee?
 Lots of Junk Food.. .
 12 Mini Vac (for the mess we make)
 
 Sleep:  
 Neck pillow, Ear plugs, eye shades, blanket
 
 Work:
 Laptop, Cell, Highspeed Cell modem (dsl like speeds) sprint 550
 DW monitors important IM and Email messages?
 Active noise canceling head set (for when I?m not driving and need to make ?quite"  calls)..
 **Don?t worry? Crazy I know, time is with the kids (mostly)? 4 weeks on the road ? means ?taking it with you? ? And I don?t work and drive!
 
 Misc:
 Set of Walk Talkies ? Good for when we stop off and visit a place or do major shopping ? keeps family in touch? as we ?spread out?..
 
 Extras?
 Can of 2 « gallons of gas ? Kept in storage Trunk ? Just in case ?
 Got caught in an evil traffic jam last time on E and 2 « hours? Had to turn car off..
 Small bottle of bleach .. (glass jar) purify water in emergency..
 
 

[Camperroo]

 Joe Gleason
sounds like you ve got it all covered.  Don t forget pillows and blankets for naps in the car.  We also brought along our cassette toilet.  Had a minivan so we placed it in the back and then put up double stick velcro so when someone had to use it they could hang up a sheet for privacy.  That potty was a roadtrip lifesaver!!  The distance between reststops can be long and for a kid that has to go...trying to tell them only 10 more minutes doesn t hold...welll....water so to speak!!![]  Besides some of those restrooms...eeeeeewwwwwww.

[dee106]

 Joe Gleason
well we always have a cooler with us, i make chicken, and have cold cuts with us along with bread or mini rolls, plus grapes and nuts, to snack on. some things to drink. don t forget water, bring it with you, some rest stops don t have drinking water! don t forget plastic bags for garbage, and a roll of paper towel. and a wet naps or wet ones for those dirty hands.  don t forget your drugs! tylenol,( gas-x, tums, rolaids) if any one has allergies ! there meds,

[Gamecock Camper]

 Joe Gleason
Joe, what a treat you have in store for you.  I d also make sure that the kids have a journal that they fill in every day on where they ve been and what they have seen.    That is something that they will be able to look back at the rest of their lives, especially on a long trip.  The journal can be coupled with a camera for each kid.  That is something you won t regret having......
 
 Also, what part of Canada are you from?  My parents were born in Montreal.  I still have relatives in Canada (BC and Ontario)......

[cb]

 Joe Gleason
As the mom of 4 kids under 6, I learned early on: one kid has to go, they all have to try.  Saves lots of stops.  Your trip sounds like great fun.  Laugh a lot!!!!

[Gone-Camping]

 Joe Gleason
You didn t say how young the kids are, but I d be willing to venture a guess that one movie per day won t do the trick, especially if you re talking about all those hours on the road the first day. I d bring a small stack of them and give them a couple of choices.
 
 I don t have a TV/VCR combo, but the laptop plays DVD s and plugs into the cig lighter, so that is what we use. And a dozen DVD s take up less space than 3-4 VHS Tapes! Just a thought....
 
 Don t forget the age old road games, like counting blue cars (counting Pop-up s would get really boring this time of year)....

[Ab Diver]

 Joe Gleason
At work, I spend all day, every day on the road. We adults can occupy our minds by concentrating on the road, and thinking about what we will be doing once the trip is over. As a veteran of many long days on family trips (both with and without the trailer), I can say with some parental authority that your driving pleasure will be in direct proportion to your children s mental state. [&:]
 
 You ve got the tv/vcr, so don t limit yourself to one movie a day. Buy a roof rack if needed to store them, but bring enough movies to keep them happy![] Another great invention is the portable CD player (Discman). One for each kid.  The headphones mean that each child can listen to what he/she wants, and you don t have to listen to the " Best of the Wiggles"  , " Barney s favorites show tunes" , or Puff Daddy (insert whatever it is the kids like and you don t).
 
 Another tactic my DW has used with great success is the " surprise gift" . Every three hours or so, she pulled out some little item for the kids to play with, bought at a dollar store and stashed under her seat: a card game, coloring book, Polly Pocket doll, etc. The novelty works wonders on small children, and helps keep the " Are we there yet?"  questions to a minimum.
 
 Enjoy your trip!

[notrailends]

 Joe Gleason
Dont forget the tools for those unexpected repairs,check your spare tire make shure it has air. I also carry a tire repair kit and a small 12v air compressor.
 A good first aid kit is good to have also. Good luck and have a great time

[springer02]

 Joe Gleason
Scotch tape!!!!!  My dear friend, Helen, a veteran of many L-O-N-G car trips with small kids, brings a roll of tape for each kid and she lets them play with it pretty much how ever they want.  They make things, build things etc. with it and they have a blast with it.  My DD doesn t see the allure but Helen s kids love it.
 
 My DD does enjoy playing with DH s laptop, she makes up power point presentations on the road!
 
 Happy trails,
 
 Tena

[Kelly]

 Joe Gleason
[font=" comic sans ms" ]In addition to the little gifts, I buy each kid a brand new toy before we leave.  Big hits have been Magna Doodles (big ones & travel size), Color Forms, magnetic story boards, window clings, etc.
 We don t have a TV/VCR or DVD player and have survived many road trips without it.  
 DS is now 8.5 and has been to 17 states.  The little ones have been to about half that many.  We love road trips and love getting to show the kids so many wonderful things while we travel.
 Have Fun!![/font]

[AustinBoston]

 Joe Gleason
If you are trying to cover a lot of ground, consider a motel stay for overnight, especially in cold areas.  With that in mind:
 
 Pack a " one-night"  bag that has everything for one night:  PJ s, clean underwear & socks, etc.  So that you don t have to lug a bunch of suitcases in & out.  Just the one overnight bag.
 
 Make reservations, even if you decide where to stop at the last minute.  If you walk up to the desk and ask fro a room, you may pay $50-100 more than if you go to the lobby phone, make a reservation, then walk up to the desk and check in.  I ve heard of people arguing with the clerk about the price, then using the lobby phone to call the clerk, make the reservation, and then check in with that clerk.  Why he had to have a phone call to do that, I don t know, but I d make the phone call.
 
 Have a light breakfast with you when you stop (if you eat when you get up) or in the car.  That way, as soon as you re up, use the bathroom, get back in the TV, and drive.  Even a drive-thru breakfast (if possible with trailer) takes longer than the one already with you.  We have used the Parmalat Chocolate Milk (the ones that can store at room-temp) for the kids in the morning, along with pop-tarts (they don t always have to be toasted) and/or donuts.
 
 We used to play 20 questions when the kids were small.  It helped them to think and remember.
 
 We have also played a game of two-words.  The first person names something that uses two words, such as " camping trailer" .  The next person has to name something that uses one of those two words, such as " camping trip" .  It migt continue: " Road trip" , " toll road" , " road kill" ...and the first person to get stumped is out.  If it goes around a couple times without anyone getting stumped, then you have to try to get back to the original term, in this case " camping trailer" .  You can t repeat anything that has already been said.
 
 Go through the alphabet with road signs.  Good luck with " Q"  or " J" .  " X"  is easy because it is on every Exit sign.
 
 Austin

[kminton]

 Joe Gleason
I really appreciate this thread - I am going to print it out and store it for our trip to Disney in October.
 
 We have the Tv/VCR combo but are looking at getting a portable DVD player.  Our DD is 4 so we have bought her a tray that you would serve breakfast in bed with.  This serves well for a portable desk that she can draw and color on.  I like the Crayola markers that only mark on their paper - it makes your seats not so likely to get marker ink on.
 
 I ll have to remember the dollar tree gift ideas.
 
 Also, if you decide to stay in a hotel for the night, pick up a discount coupon book at the nearest rest area (they have certain deals in them too- we got a room for about 1/2 price at a brand new Holiday inn).