Summer Roadtrip- Mom & Son

Well folks, we are leaving in about 30 minutes for the biggest roadtrip of our lives. After Little League closing ceremonies and a few errands on Long Island our first stop will be Langhorne, PA. My eight year old son and I are driving from NY to CA and back from June 21st to Sept 1st.

We're very excited and found much strength and inspiration from The Great American RoadTrip Forum-- THANK YOU EVERYONE!

I'll be posting photos & videos along the way- but will put all links in this thread.

Thanks,
Kirby
(btw- Kirby is my nickname- my real name is Christine- which you will see posted once in a while on different things).

This will be one trip your son will never forget.

Wow, a bit over two months. That is one great drive.

Make sure you get on the Lincoln Highway and/or Route 66 at some pont.

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Originally Posted by Kirby

Well folks, we are leaving in about 30 minutes for the biggest roadtrip of our lives.

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Christine (Kirby) -- lots of good thought and effort has gone into the planning -- Best wishes for a wonderful journey -- we look forward to more field reports from you!

Mark

We started our journey in Langhorne, PA. Just hung out with my cousins, went to a local casino, spent a couple of hours in Philly.

Then we drove to Hampton Roads, VA. I lived here for 6 yrs in the 90's- so it's like my second home. First thing I noticed was the heat- about 90-100*. Second thing- horrible smoke. There are fires on the border of NC & VA. I didn't expect this here to say the least.

We're having a good time. Can't believe our second week is almost here. In a few days we head to Eastern TN. It's where my Grandfather is from.

Today I thought I went through a tornado in Downtown Norfolk. It was pretty scary. I guess I'm pretty whimpy- but it came out of no where! I was hoping that rain fell on the fires- but there was still smoke tonight- so I don't think so.

I came up with this system of packing what I need for three days and bringing that inside. The rest stays in the car. It worked well here. Guess because the neighborhood is so safe. I just left books, clothes, pillows, etc. in the car- nothing really valuable.

It's nice to stay with such good friends. The beginning of this huge trip just seems like a regular trip to PA or VA. I'm trying to think like that. I'm not on 1 HUGE trip, but 20 small ones in a row. It's helping me cope with everything.

I attached a few photos from the trip- so far. The bridge is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel. It's about 22 miles long. They have a restaurant and fishing pier in the middle of the bridge- it's awesome!

-Kirby

Thanks for sharing the photos -- they look great!

Mark

Last day in Virginia Beach. We went to church and then the Virginia Aquarium. I'm going to upload some photos. Glad to be getting away from the smoke tomorrow- we're heading off to TN.

We just left Kingsport TN. I spent a couple of days visiting the area where my late grandfather is from. I had such a great time and did so many things for the first time. I also learned a lot.

I visited my grandfather's grave, saw the house he grew up in, learned what the word "ford" means, realized that I'm related to everyone in the county and found out that you need a gun in some areas because of the snakes.

Oh and I learned that my GPS is wrong sometimes. Like when I drove up a mountain and couldn't turn around. I was going to call 911, but no cell phone coverage. I had to turn around on a property that said "keep out". I was expecting to get shot, but thankfully they weren't home. I was truly stuck and that was my last resort. My only other option was swimming across the river with my 8 year old.

Anyway I have a bunch of photos to edit- but here are a quick few. Tomorrow we're going to Arkansas.

Btw- Robert Kilgore is a grandfather of mine.

We arrived in OK City today. I just loved visiting the Memorial. It's so beautiful, especially the Survivor Tree.

I have more info on my blog if anyone is interested in reading about our trip.

Thanks!

We're in Texas now. I find myself using a lot of information from this site. From Oklahoma City east I didn't have any problems finding food for my special needs son. But, now that we are in Texas- wow. There is some space between the exits. Thankfully I have a cooler full of stuff. Plus, I bought additional food. My GPS has been REALLY handy. I use it to find gas and bathrooms all the time. I like clicking "find a tourist attraction" and see what comes up.

One thing that was a pain- Texas doesn't have welcome centers with tourist information. They are the first state to do that. Why? who knows. But, I wanted to get some hotel coupons and what not. Not very friendly.

Here are some more pictures from the trip!

I have a few more pictures of the OKC Memorial. I went there twice. I was drawn to it. I think I could have stayed there all day if I was alone.

Don't you all just love the story of the survivor tree?

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Originally Posted by Kirby

It's so beautiful, especially the Survivor Tree.

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I looked on your blog, but I couldn't find the reference -- maybe you could tell it here?

Mark

Seriously, as a dog lover, I appreciate you taking that time from your trip to do that. Hope it's OK.

Nice blog and I'm enjoying your roadtrip reports here, too. I'm glad your trip is going along so well.

I, too, am now curious about the Survivor Tree.

The Survivor Tree: An American elm on the north side of the Memorial, this tree was the only shade tree in the parking lot across the street from the Murrah Building, and commuters came in to work early to get one of the shady parking spots provided by its branches. Photos of Oklahoma City taken around the time of statehood (1907) show this tree, meaning it is currently at least 101 years old. Despite its age, the tree was neglected and taken for granted prior to the blast. Heavily damaged by the bomb, the Tree ultimately survived after nearly being chopped down during the initial investigation, in order to recover evidence hanging in its branches and embedded in its bark.

The force of the blast ripped most of the branches from the Survivor Tree, glass and debris were imbedded in its trunk and fire from the cars parked beneath it blackened what was left of the tree. Most thought the tree could not survive. However, almost a year after the bombing, family members, survivors and rescue workers gathered for a memorial ceremony under the tree noticed it was beginning to bloom again. In that instant the tree became a symbol of what the city had come through. Like the tree, the city had been bent and bowed but it had not been broken. The tree and the city survived. The Survivor Tree now thrives, in no small part because the specifications for the Outdoor Memorial design included a mandate to feature and protect the Tree. One example of the dramatic measures taken to save the Tree: one of the roots that would have been cut by the wall surrounding the Tree was placed inside a large pipe, so it could reach the soil beyond the wall without being damaged. A second example is the decking around the Tree, which is raised several feet to make an underground crawlspace; workers enter through a secure hatchway and monitor the health of the Tree and maintain its very deep roots.

The inscription around the inside of the deck wall around the Survivor Tree reads:

The spirit of this city and this nation will not be defeated; our deeply rooted faith sustains us.

Hundreds of seeds from the Survivor Tree are planted annually and the resulting saplings are distributed each year on the anniversary of the bombing. Thousands of Survivor Trees are growing today in public and private places all over the United States; saplings were sent to Columbine High School after the massacre there, to New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007, and various times.

I just spent 2 days driving through New Mexico. HOLY COW that is one BEAUTIFUL state. I was just amazed every second. Posting some photos.

You guys were right about some things. Planning out hotels in non high traffic areas is not a good idea. I cancelled some of my reservations. Made it a lot easier.

I learned to not take the cheapest hotel, go where there are at least 4 or 5 hotels at the exit and look for mini-vans and families.

Have to run and get ready for the breakfast this morning. Please visit my blog for more details about the trip.

Also- posting some photos from NM....... Thanks!

If I were to ever move, it's near the top of my list. The only problem is that I'm a big beach person. No ocean. I don't know if rivers and lakes would suffice. But it's sure an amazing state, isn't it?

Thank you so much for sharing the story of the Survivor Tree. I get emotional at the strangest things sometimes. It brought tears to my eyes.

Very good point about looking for evidence of families (like mini-vans) at hotels. I had never thought of that and it would be a good tip to pass along to future roadtrippers visiting here.

I'm so glad you're trip is going so well. Looking forward to the next installment.

Judy- I grew up on Long Island, about 1 miles from the beach. I also lived in Virginia Beach for 6 years. I love the beach too.

Anyway, we went to Antelope Canyon today. It was very cool and worth the $55 for my son and I. We're heading to the Grand Canyon tomorrow!!! Please pray that the weather is good. There was some bad weather in Phoenix lately.

Posting some photos from Antelope Canyon in Page, AZ.

This is first I had heard about the "Survivor Tree" -- very nice story. Thanks for sharing it and thanks for the latest photos -- sounds like things continue to go well for you and your son on this trip.

Mark

After 3 weeks of being on the road, my son and I finally made it to the Grand Canyon. We got to see it from a few different views before the storm came in. I hope tomorrow it's nice so I can get some clear pictures before we leave.

Then we head down to the Flagstaff & Phoenix area. Hoping the flooding is better by then.

Posting some pictures from the Canyon.

Right now we're about 3 miles from the CA/AZ line. We spent about a week in Arizona. Great state. If anyone is visiting the Grand Canyon- stay overnight in Flagstaff! The hotel we payed $150 a night in Tusayan (sp?) was NOT worth it. It's only about an hour drive or so- and very easy.

I've also learned some good lessons-

Great Ideas (things that work really well on the trip)

-Blackberry - couldn't live without it (email & web access)
-Cooler - big cooler with wheels is a lifesaver
-Ipod - listening to your favorite music is priceless
-DVD player - I got a $90 portable DVD player and it connects to car
-12 volt splitter - I got this cheap $10 or so plastic thing that allows me to plug in two 12 volt things at once (like ipod & dvd player)
- GPS!!!!!!! -in so many ways this was a great investment. I know where every gas station is, I can tell how the road in front of me will turn, finding hotels & restaurants--- awesome

Also- I carry with me those reusable plastic grocery bags. I got a couple at Whole Foods for $1 each. They are great. I use them for so many things- shopping, throwing in last minute things from the hotel room, laundry, garbage, toys, swimming items, etc. They are cheap, durable, easy to fold up and pack in the car. It's like having extra luggage, but not taking up any space. Invest in a few of these bags and bring them with you!

Ok- that's it for now. Got to get ready to head west. More to come....

How's the weather? I had no idea Arizona was having such heavy rains and flooding. I tend to tune out weather forecasts, I guess.

The weather was REALLY scary at times. We would drive up a mountain and then the rain would start. The wind pushed us around. The rain blew sideways. I was even scared to pull over- it was like a 2000 foot drop. And the speed limit is around 75 on these mountains- crazy! I just put my hazards on and drove 30. We even saw an accident (after it happened) where a baby was in his car seat going into an ambulance and had blood on his face.

I'm not used to flash flooding and storms like this in NY. But, we're out of that area now- no rain in site- thank god.

The thing is, this is the normal weather pattern in the SW in July and August. Most of the rain that falls in Arizona and Nevada comes in the summer. I haven't seen any evidence to suggest that these storms are out of the ordinary in terms of severe weather. There are lightning strikes right now in the vicinity of our office. Here is a fun site to watch evidence of the t-cells as they roll into town.... And here is the report I keep active at my work station, in case we need to shut down due to electrical storms.

Mark

I live on Washington's coast. Rain is so common that sun is a welcome relief, albeit usually for only brief respites. Yet I have never seen rain like I have encountered in Colorado and New Mexico. Blinding. Deluge. Scared the crap out of me, too, when I was driving in it. And I'm used to driving in rain and wind. But this was so much more intense than anything I had ever experienced.

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Originally Posted by Mark Sedenquist

The thing is, this is the normal weather pattern in the SW in July and August. Most of the rain that falls in Arizona and Nevada comes in the summer. I haven't seen any evidence to suggest that these storms are out of the ordinary in terms of severe weather. There are lightning strikes right now in the vicinity of our office. Here is a fun site to watch evidence of the t-cells as they roll into town.... And here is the report I keep active at my work station, in case we need to shut down due to electrical storms.

Mark

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Mark,

The weather may be "normal" for NM & AZ, but I've never been there before. I'm used to East Coast weather. It's hard when you are driving. For example, I parked my car and went to lunch with my son. When we finished, we ran to the car (in the pouring rain) and half the parking lot was flooded. Thank goodness I didn't park in the wrong place. I didn't even think of checking my car after it was raining so hard- because it just doesn't flood like that in NY. If a parking lot floods at home they fix the problem and put in a drain or something. You just don't expect it.

Also- the mountains I'm used to driving are in NY and PA. They have wide shoulders and you can see what is coming (for the most part). The mountains out here have narrow roads and STEEP drop offs. Also, not used to rock slides. Holy cow- those huge boulders in CA were scary. I have to download the photos.

It's all a learning process. I drove through my first desert today. I also went through 3 or 4 border checks and didn't cross the border. What is up with that? Glad I didn't just buy a bunch of fruit for the ride.

I'm on a two month trip- and just drove from NY to SD last month. Right now I'm in Montana- making my way home.

I went thru VA- TN- Arkansas- Texas and then NM-AZ-CA.

best part- NEW MEXICO!

{comments removed as per Good Neighbor Policy policy}

I took the interstate- but parts of it was route 66. There was lots to see. I didn't get any pix because I was driving, but when I got to NM there were old buildings, cars, missions, churches, etc. on the side of the road and you can tell they were old. It was really neat. I could imagine people driving back in the 50's.

I have photos on my blog.

I just fell in love with New Mexico.

I could have posted 1000 photos!

Have a great trip-
Christine

I'm on a two month trip and my entry is gone. Did someone move it or delete it? I wanted to update the thread.

Thanks,
Kirby

Hi Kirby.

Your thread was here in tact, but it will get moved off the page by newer posts when it's left a while. When this happens you can either use the search button in the green bar and use your thread title or words/places that relate to your trip and the search engine will locate it or your User control panel by clicking on your user name in the top right hand corner of the screen. Once there use the following actions,

A] click on "Show all statistics" on the right hand side of page [in the mini statistics box]

B]Click on "find all threads"

C] You can now select your thread and post your update as normal and this will automatically send it to the top of the forum page

D] And to make it even easier -- your thread has now been "stuck" so it will always be on the first page of this Field Reports Forum until you are back at home

hi,

nice pictures. the one marked antcan5 where is that?