Parents are wary...

Me, my sister, and a friend of ours are planning for a cross country, month long road trip in July of either 2002 or 2003. If we go in 2002, I will be 20 and the other girls will be 19. We would like to camp most of the time and drive my '93 Ford Escort wagon, but my parents are wary. Mom keeps insisting that we are gonna get broken down in the middle of nowhere, where even the cell phone won't work. Dad tells me my car will get ruined and that we shouldn't stay at campsites because there are people who prey on campsites. Anything I can tell them to calm their worries? Also, how much money(total) do you recommend? We are figuring around $4000-$4500. Thanks!

Megan

Hi-
Well, your parents are right about everything they said. Your car will break down. Your cell phone won't work in remote areas of the country. And there are dangers out there to beware of. However, if you're smart and are prepared, you can avoid most problems and have a great time.

My sister and I drove from NY through Midwest up to Seattle, down to LA and back home through the Southwest a few years back without any MAJOR problems. There were a few, of course, but that can be expected when you put that many miles on a car. Outside Butte, Montana the car's alternator broke. The cell phone wouldn't work that far in the boonies but we flagged down an older couple in an RV, gave them our AAA information and the toll-free number and asked them to call AAA for us at the next exit, which they did. Make sure you have AAA. They'll tow you up to 60 miles to a repair shop.

As for where you're gonna sleep every night, sometimes we were just too tired and would pull into one of those 24-hour truckstop-type places that dot the turnpikes and highways. If you do that, park directly outside the brightly lit entrance. Go inside and tell the manager that you'll be directly outside sleeping (they'll keep an eye on you and your car). Buy some coffee or something and he'll be much nicer. Don't ever park in the back of the lot or by the semi trucks -- just pull your blanket over your head or put the sun visor in the window if the light bothers you.

Go to the KOA Kampgrounds website (http://www.koa.com/). In my experience, KOA is very family-oriented and safe. If you find you don't feel safe enough to sleep in a tent, stay in their 1- and 2-room kabins which have lockable doors. The kabins only run about $25-40 a nite (the most expensive one I've come across was in Yellowstone at $55/nite). I would steer clear of any privately owned campgrounds that appear to be deserted or too remote.

As for my sister and I, the only other spot of bad luck we had was in Seattle when someone broke into our car by busting out the driver's window. It was our fault, though, because we'd left a CD player sitting on the front seat. So be sure you always hide your valuables from plain site in the car.

Plus, give your parents a detailed map/itinerary of where you'll be going. Give them the addresses and phone numbers of everywhere - the campgrounds, hotels, etc. you'll be staying at. Also, establish a daily "check in" phone call to a particular parent so they'll expect a call from you every day around the same time.

Figuring out how much money you'll need depends on how "high or low maintenance" you are. Do you plan on eating at fast food places or sit-down restaurants? If you stay in campgrounds or the KOA kabins, you won't spend much. But if you're the type to stay in $80/nite hotels.. you get the idea. So once y'all agree on those issues you can figure out fuel/car maintenance costs (oil change, radiator fluid, etc.), entrance fees to state parks, road and bridge toll fees, spending money, etc.

Oops. I just realised how much I've written. I guess it was easy to write since I'm in the process of planning a solo road trip to Yellowstone in July. So to wrap this up, if you show your parents you can be responsible and plan all these things out I'm sure they'll let you go. They'll worry the whole time you're gone (that's what parents are for), but they'll be glad you had such a good time.

:)

I hope you do take the trip. Road trips can be a great way to see parts of the country you'll never get around to seeing again.


Me, my sister, and a friend of ours are planning for a cross country, month long road trip in July of either 2002 or 2003. If we go in 2002, I will be 20 and the other girls will be 19. We would like to camp most of the time and drive my '93 Ford Escort wagon, but my parents are wary. Mom keeps insisting that we are gonna get broken down in the middle of nowhere, where even the cell phone won't work. Dad tells me my car will get ruined and that we shouldn't stay at campsites because there are people who prey on campsites. Anything I can tell them to calm their worries? Also, how much money(total) do you recommend? We are figuring around $4000-$4500. Thanks!

Hi-
Well, your parents are right about everything they said. Your car will break down. Your cell phone won't work in remote areas of the country. And there are dangers out there to beware of. However, if you're smart and are prepared, you can avoid most problems and have a great time.

My sister and I drove from NY through Midwest up to Seattle, down to LA and back home through the Southwest a few years back without any MAJOR problems. There were a few, of course, but that can be expected when you put that many miles on a car. Outside Butte, Montana the car's alternator broke. The cell phone wouldn't work that far in the boonies but we flagged down an older couple in an RV, gave them our AAA information and the toll-free number and asked them to call AAA for us at the next exit, which they did. Make sure you have AAA. They'll tow you up to 60 miles to a repair shop.

As for where you're gonna sleep every night, sometimes we were just too tired and would pull into one of those 24-hour truckstop-type places that dot the turnpikes and highways. If you do that, park directly outside the brightly lit entrance. Go inside and tell the manager that you'll be directly outside sleeping (they'll keep an eye on you and your car). Buy some coffee or something and he'll be much nicer. Don't ever park in the back of the lot or by the semi trucks -- just pull your blanket over your head or put the sun visor in the window if the light bothers you.

Go to the KOA Kampgrounds website (http://www.koa.com/). In my experience, KOA is very family-oriented and safe. If you find you don't feel safe enough to sleep in a tent, stay in their 1- and 2-room kabins which have lockable doors. The kabins only run about $25-40 a nite (the most expensive one I've come across was in Yellowstone at $55/nite). I would steer clear of any privately owned campgrounds that appear to be deserted or too remote.

As for my sister and I, the only other spot of bad luck we had was in Seattle when someone broke into our car by busting out the driver's window. It was our fault, though, because we'd left a CD player sitting on the front seat. So be sure you always hide your valuables from plain site in the car.

Plus, give your parents a detailed map/itinerary of where you'll be going. Give them the addresses and phone numbers of everywhere - the campgrounds, hotels, etc. you'll be staying at. Also, establish a daily "check in" phone call to a particular parent so they'll expect a call from you every day around the same time.

Figuring out how much money you'll need depends on how "high or low maintenance" you are. Do you plan on eating at fast food places or sit-down restaurants? If you stay in campgrounds or the KOA kabins, you won't spend much. But if you're the type to stay in $80/nite hotels.. you get the idea. So once y'all agree on those issues you can figure out fuel/car maintenance costs (oil change, radiator fluid, etc.), entrance fees to state parks, road and bridge toll fees, spending money, etc.

Oops. I just realised how much I've written. I guess it was easy to write since I'm in the process of planning a solo road trip to Yellowstone in July. So to wrap this up, if you show your parents you can be responsible and plan all these things out I'm sure they'll let you go. They'll worry the whole time you're gone (that's what parents are for), but they'll be glad you had such a good time.

:)

Hi-
Well, your parents are right about everything they said. Your car will break down. Your cell phone won't work in remote areas of the country. And there are dangers out there to beware of. However, if you're smart and are prepared, you can avoid most problems and have a great time.

My sister and I drove from NY through the Midwest up to Seattle, down to LA and back home through the Southwest a few years back without any MAJOR problems. There were a few, of course, but that can be expected when you put that many miles on a car. Outside Butte, Montana the car's alternator broke. The cell phone wouldn't work that far in the boonies but we flagged down an older couple in an RV, gave them our AAA information and the toll-free number and asked them to call AAA for us at the next exit, which they did. Make sure you have AAA. They'll tow you up to 60 miles to a repair shop.

As for where you're gonna sleep every night, sometimes we were just too tired to find a place to stay and would pull into one of those 24-hour truckstop-type places that dot the turnpikes and highways. If you do that, park directly outside the brightly lit entrance. Go inside and tell the manager that you'll be right outside sleeping (they'll keep an eye on you and your car). Buy some coffee or something and he'll be much nicer. Don't ever park in the back of the lot or by the semi trucks -- just pull your blanket over your head or put the sun visor in the window if the light bothers you.

Go to the KOA Kampgrounds website (http://www.koa.com/). In my experience, KOA is very family-oriented and safe. If you find you don't feel safe enough to sleep in a tent, stay in their 1- and 2-room kabins which have lockable doors. The kabins only run about $25-40 a nite (the most expensive one I've come across was in Yellowstone at $55/nite). I would steer clear of any privately owned campgrounds that appear to be deserted or too remote.

As for my sister and I, the only other spot of bad luck we had was in Seattle when someone broke into our car by busting out the driver's window. It was our fault, though, because we'd left a CD player sitting on the front seat. So be sure you always hide your valuables from plain site in the car.

Plus, give your parents a detailed map/itinerary of where you'll be going. Give them the addresses and phone numbers of everywhere - the campgrounds, hotels, etc. you'll be staying at. Also, establish a daily "check in" phone call to a particular parent so they'll expect a call from you every day around the same time.

Figuring out how much money you'll need depends on how "high or low maintenance" you are. Do you plan on eating at fast food places or sit-down restaurants? If you stay in campgrounds or the KOA kabins, you won't spend much. But if you're the type to stay in $80/nite hotels.. you get the idea. So once y'all agree on those issues you can figure out fuel/car maintenance costs (oil change, radiator fluid, etc.), entrance fees to state parks, road and bridge toll fees, spending money, etc.

Oops. I just realised how much I've written. I guess it was easy to write since I'm in the process of planning a solo road trip to Yellowstone in July. So to wrap this up, if you show your parents you can be responsible and plan all these things out I'm sure they'll let you go. They'll worry the whole time you're gone (that's what parents are for), but they'll be glad you had such a good time.

:)

hey, me and two of my friends are taking a road trip this summer too. we are all 18 and are parents are wary as well. if you can afford it, get digital cell phone service that works anywhere in the country. although i'm not sure about random stretches of road in the middle of nowhere...hmm. i don't have much more advice b/c i haven't been yet either...good luck.