Travel, with Kids

Day 1:
551 miles
Five states

That translates into 10 hours of rain and drizzle with two agreeable children and one who got a lecture on the side of the road on the loop around St Louis. Motorists there are still talking. We got a glimpse of blue skies at the end of the day, and were thrilled! We left our home with lots of rain and some good neighbors watching the house for safety (thanks, Butlers!) as well as making sure it doesn't wash down the hill. Every river and creek we passed over was scary-full. And, as always, when we passed New Madrid, I was glad to get through without feeling the earth shake.

Day 2:
497 miles
One more state

Sunlight all day long! We feel like moles coming up from their burrows. Made it through Kansas City without any problems--it is a frightening place to drive. I don't take the loop because it is that much longer and, quite frankly, I don't need longer with three kids in the car. I got to listen to Dennis Miller on the radio (instead of video games) as we drove through KC, so it was actually almost enjoyable going through those concrete canyons. This was the first time in several years that we haven't had tornadic weather with us as we go through Kansas. I-70 is long and boring, but gives you a good sunset. We stopped in a town with the same name as our neighbor (Colby) and Luci wonders where her town is. We made today's trip in nine hours.

Day 3:
577 miles
Two more states

15 State Troopers. That's what we saw in the first hour of driving today. We haven't seen any police or troopers on the road since we started, or since this morning. Hmmm. Wonder why they were so concentrated there? My father says they were probably looking for us, but had they stopped us I might have turned the kids over to them and gone on in peace. Truly, though, since that lecture in St. Louis, we've had peace in the van because the kids now have a common enemy--ME. When we got to Colorado and saw the "Welcome to Colorful Colorado!" sign, I asked Luci what colors she could see. She looked all around and said, "I see brown!" It's different out West, isn't it, Luci? It was the longest mileage-day of the trip, but only 9 hours because of the 75 mile speed limit. I love that speed limit! It can be scary, but the miles really zoom by. Oh--and I'm now realizing that when my Dad used to tell corny jokes and sing silly things in the car on trips long-ago, he was not only entertaining us but also probably trying to keep himself awake.

Day 4
approx 484 miles
Two more states

Many of my friends wonder why on earth don't I just fly out to see my folks. I don't like flying, that's why. Scared to death. That's the biggy. The other main reason is that it is cheaper (even was cheaper last year when gas was double what it is now). There is another reason--you get a good sense of the Grandness of the United States of America by driving. You get to see wonderful things, know the geography a lot better, and meet some good people. One song that goes through our heads as we drive West is the first stanza of "America the Beautiful" by Katherine Lee Bates.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!