Trip Logistics

I want to take a vacation in this next upcoming year that does not involve a theme park. Though that may sound like an easy suggestion to the mere masses, none of you are married to Marty Sunshine and his theme park brainwashed offspring.

Of course I am probably not helping my cause by throwing out suggestions like Antarctica--which costs more per person than a five year old car--which we need. But seriously! I've read the reviews of the trip I want to take and it sounds like a blast. I have also tossed around the idea of a road trip next summer to Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, the Wisconsin Dells, Mackinaw Island, Reader Number Two's Memorial Service, the Ford Museum (Detroit), St. Louis and home. That sounds like a mostly fun couple of weeks for me. But as it was pointed out, we kind of need reliable transportation if we are going to make this trek.

It turns out "reliable transportation" is subjective, especially so when the rest of the family doesn't want to go. We have a car that can do the above. Probably two of them. But apparently our current vehicles are not programmed to take such "heavy driving." Whatever. The Flintstone Mobile has 312,000 miles, and has gone across country every year of its life, except this one. The other car is a 2016 with 20,000 miles. I think it can handle a trip. But apparently I am not an expert.

So far, it appears we are going to California in a couple of months to help out my brother with a home-project that needs a bit of attention. He owns a sliver of a side of a mountain and it has to be cleared before the City of Santa Clarita fines him. I am happy to help, but I only will do so when it is cold enough for the snakes to hibernate. As part of our trip, I have suggested a couple days as part of this to go to Santa Barbara/Solvang/Hearst Castle. It was countered with Magic Mountain (3 miles from my brother's home), Universal Studios or Knott's Berry Farm. I am told both of our cars can make this drive.

None of this is an upset with my family. My teenagers are at an age where they want to do what they want to do. A couple of years ago, I went on a New England whirlwind trip (well, it was four days) that has to be, by far my favorite vacation I have ever taken. Polly wants to go to Israel. The boys don't want to go to the Middle East. So, that might be my next trip. And I am pretty sure I don't need a car to make that happen. But I don't need one for Antarctica either.

*Seriously! This looks like fun to me. There is also a side trip to the Falkland Islands.