Traveling
Tensions & Joy from Coast to Coast - Reflections from the Road
We are driving west on I-70, headed toward an aunt to say hi before we land in our final state: Michigan. We started doing these road trips when Levi was in fourth grade. And we are running out of steam now that we are eight years later.
Before the kiddo turned two, we could fly for the cost of two plane tickets. There was a short window, maybe when Levi was three when ticket prices didn’t feel so expensive, so we enjoyed all the bags we could take at no extra cost with three ticketed passengers. But now, the cost has been around $1500 (or more) for the three of us to fly back to Michigan, and with our relatives placed at all corners of the state, we’d still need a vehicle.
So, we started driving. We found my car (rest in peace, Grand Am), and the husband fixed it up. That was our road trip vehicle until 2022. We started when Levi was in fourth grade. Fourth graders can get the “Every Kid in a Park Pass.” So, we set out, and we had fun. We also found that the cost of gas was comparable to that of all the plane tickets. And, at that point in life, we finally had the time.
I was in the solo-preneur/stay-at-home-mom season of life. The Husband had finally accrued enough time off from work. The challenge, of course, is that because we have chosen to send our kid to School, we are limited to his times off to have time off - namely, the summer time. It’s less than ideal to travel when everyone else is, but that’s the season we are in.
There is a fatigue that comes with this travel, though. We spend long days in the car because we want to minimize how much we spend on lodging. We also spend long days with leg room that is never enough, cramped with all the things we think we need, and oh, did we forget something (yes, the shoe bin that one year), and how to pack everything in the space.
The first year was a packing marvel in the trunk of my tiny car. Now we are using the big truck, which has its own challenges, but we are generally not in need of space for our stuff. Space for our legs and reclining to sleep, but not for our stuff.
I have remote work now, so this year and last year, we started playing with Levi and I residing in Michigan until after the Danish Festival (the festival from the town where I grew up). We have a slim window between that ending and Levi’s school starting, so a quick plane ride back to Michigan Oregon, and we resume the doldrums of ordinary life.
It’s a wealth we have to be able to make this travel work. We are fortunate for the generosity of friends and family who make it more affordable, allowing us to stay in their homes or borrow vehicles. A number of people give up beds to accommodate us! Beds! One of the first things, as an adult, you purchase to really fit you - and they give them up!
Who knows what next summer will hold? But for now, we’ll relish in the 70% humidity and the dew point equally uncomfortable. Staying cozy in the moisture as we connect with family and friends.
Stay cool this summer. Stay true to your values. And remember, a little kindness goes a long way, but you also deserve to have high standards.
[I started writing this about the 1st week of July 2024 while we were actively driving back to Michigan.]