Preposterous Plan 2013 FAQ's

Was it fun?

So fun.  I felt like I was in a bubble of fun where nothing could touch me but fun.

Was it hard?

Doing whatever I wanted, all day, every day, while constantly seeing and experiencing new things?  No.  It was the most "in the moment" I have ever been, and that was incredible.  I never had time to think about the future, or anything at home.  I never cracked the book I brought.  I just lived in the moment with the kids and Scott.  It was unique and wonderful.

Are you glad you took Tziporah?

Absolutely!  I was so happy to have her pudgy little self there with us, I didn't even consider sending her home on the flight with Scott from Chicago.  She loved every minute.  She even thought Mount Rushmore was huge. :)

Was it the right length of time?

It could have been longer, but I think 24 days was just right for this trip.  We may have gotten tired had we not had the week in D. C. where we were in one place and had a home base, but they was it was structured, it always seemed like we didn't have enough time, right up until the very end.  I don't want to be greedy, but I wish it were longer.

How much did it cost?

Well...that's complicated.  My plan was to fund the trip by not taking any of our regular lessons over the three months of summer.  That gave us a substantial amount of money to start with.  It takes $300 in gas to drive from here to Maryland, but we took a longer, more circuitous route.  I usually spend a hundred bucks in gas a week at home, so calculate that.  Then plan to spend $100-150 a night on a hotel, including tax, less if you want to stay somewhere that got bad reviews.  After our experience in St. George, we didn't.  We were fortunate that we had about 11 days with cousins where we didn't pay for a hotel.  We also probably spent less money than most people on food, but more on treats.  Scott and I both like to be able to do treats whenever we want, like an ice cream cone.  But we hate to drop $70 on dinner for 9, so we share food and figure out cheap options, like breakfast at the hotel, dollar menus here and there, pizza and street food.  The kids had received money from Coco and Bill and Tricia that they spent on souvenirs, and that was fun!  So the short answer is...I don't know.

What were your favorite places?

St. Louis was a big favorite.  Council Bluffs.  Annapolis.  Chicago.  Pittsburgh.  Actually, everywhere.  I can't narrow it down.  There is no place that we wish we hadn't gone.

What were your favorite things?

The time we spent with David and Marilyn, Krissy and Sin and Laura and Gordon were our favorite memories.  Also, seeing my friends Suzanna, Gwyn and Bryan and their family, Christian and his daughter and Natalie and her children just made the trip more meaningful.  In the future, I think I'll always try to incorporate strengthening ties with family and friends like that.  Being in real homes, too, is a good way to relax when you're on the road.  It's different than a hotel.

So, other than friends and family, what would you recommend seeing?

That's hard.  Narrowing it down:  Deanna Rose Farmstead in Kansas City...City Museum in St. Louis...Old Friends Horse Farm in Lexington, KY...The beach on Lake Michicgan in Chicago...National Parks whenever you can...Annapolis...Mt. Rushmore (really)...

What about in D. C.?

My top choices with kids:  Air and Space, Natural History, Holocaust Museum, if even just the "Daniel's Story" section, for which you don't need tickets, the monument loop of course, the Portrait Gallery, the Botanical Gardens, Mount Vernon, the National Zoo, the National Cathedral, Arlington, and the museum where all the art is.  What is that called?  Plan on walking a lot.  Parking was do-able, if we got there early.  Bring snacks and drinks.  One thing we didn't do this time that is neat are the free 6:00 concerts at the Kennedy Center.  It's an hour long, it's casual and it's a good way to see the Kennedy Center, which is inspiring.  Scott and the kids loved the Newseum, where 4 kids can get in free with a paying adult.  For the most part, we found plenty to do that was free or very affordable.

How did you choose your route?

From here, I would drive straight to at least Omaha.  For us in Kaysville, I-80 is the fastest route, at least to Omaha.  From there it just depends on what you're interested in.  Omaha is where you either stay on 80 or drop down to 70, or take other routes.  My kids voted to do Kansas City and St. Louis, and we loved both.  From there, we veered out of our way to go to Indianapolis and Bloomington, which I wouldn't recommend as tourist destinations.  On a personal level, I'm glad I chose those over some of the LDS church history sites that we missed, which we'll have to catch next time.  For every place we visited, there were at least 2 or 3 other options that would have been great, too.  The route we took to get to Louisville from Bloomington just happens to be the most scenic part of Indiana, so don't be afraid to go off-interstate.  Lexington and the surrounding countryside, loved.  If I could choose a different route as an adult, I would certainly switch out Gatlinburg for Nashville, but with kids, that would be like trading in Disneyland for Denver.  Besides, I really wanted to see the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  I wish we had had more time there.  I originally planned to camp in the park, and looking back, I wish we had done that.  It would have been less touristy than Pigeon Forge, and it's so darn beautiful!  Once you get to that point, there are a million options.  I was going to drive through the Shenandoah Valley, which I saw on a list of  "10 Drives to Make Before You Die," but David suggested Charlottesburg, VA, where UVA is, and the kids and I had a great time there, with all the fun shops.  We walked all over the UVA campus, which is essentially Thomas Jefferson's masterpiece.  Once you have a plan, you can definitely change it last-minute.   I guess what I did was take my top choices and work around them.  The website I became addicted to is distance-cities.com.  Invaluable for planning your route.


What ages of kids are good for road trips?

All ages, and I know because I had one of every age group.  Several times on the road trip, though, I was glad I didn't have Golda and Ruby with me.  I think it's better to take them when they're young and still think everything is fun.  In short, whatever age your kids are now, hurry and take them before they get too old!!  Teenagers in cars for long stretches...could be bad.

Was it hard to do the drive with just one parent?

Even though I love Scott, loved it when he was there with us, and would have loved for him to be there the whole time, I'd have to say no, it wasn't harder without him.  The ways in which it's easier to have just one parent outweigh the ways in which it's harder.  There is more freedom when two adults aren't trying to work together.  The kids are better in the car because there is nobody to wait on them hand and foot.  It was sad that Scott missed some of our experiences, but it's not often in a marriage that two people can go and have completely separate adventures, and I think it's good to shake it up.  But that's just me, and I am a bossy individualist.  In fact, Scott probably needs breaks from me once in awhile. :)

When you don't have much time, what is the best way to get the flavor of a city?

Baseball games.  Divey restaurants in seedy neighborhoods.  

How did you plan the trip?

distance-cities.com, booking.com and googling "Free things to do with kids in.....blank." and "Cheap eats in...blank."  We planned extensively before we left and also as we went along.  I think you could really not plan at all and have a great time, but not without an internet connection and a good GPS.  We relied heavily on both.

Are you sad to be home?

Yes.  And no.  And yes.