Why I Traveled 3,000 Miles with Two Kids in the Middle of a Pandemic
The best life lessons come from the unexpected
On a quiet day in April 2020, I registered myself for a business retreat in Colorado. It was scheduled for July of the same year and I had high hopes that COVID-19 would be under control by then. I know, right? Silly me.
Anyway, I proceeded as planned but instead of booking a flight, I decided to turn the journey into a road trip with my nephew and my son.
This plan made sense at many levels — it was economical, fun, and filled with adventure. I knew the kids who’d been stuck at home since March could use some time outdoor.
Besides, I know for a fact that I’ve learned the best life lessons during my travels, and I was excited for the kids to have a similar experience. And so, I told the kids, “Plan well so we can be flexible as needed.
How do you plan for a flexible trip?
- First, you write down the basic guidelines (duration, final destination, and mileage) then you define possible itineraries.
- Then you find a single common anchor for the trip. For us it was National Parks.
- Third, you grab books and tourist guides to help you navigate the best sightings without the need to be glued to a screen.
By the way, we bought four books — National Geographic Road Atlas 2021: Adventure Edition, The Next EXIT 2020, How To Road Trip America, and America’s Best Day Hikes. They were all worth it.
My twenty-one-year-old nephew and eleven-year-old son were charged with keeping the trip under 20 days with no more than 7 hours of driving per day. We wanted to camp around the national parks and stay at every place for two nights. We targeted hikes of around 5–8 miles. Guidelines, remember?
Finally, their budget (not including gas) was a tiny $100.
The deal was that I only get to discover the plan right before our departure. I I wanted them to feel trusted and responsible for the trip. Besides, their mission wasn’t that hard and they had plenty of time to work it out.
What could possibly go wrong?
The day before we left, I checked the plan and almost had a heart attack.
My nephew didn’t know that National Parks and National Forests were two different things. My son followed along and their plan was a disaster.
They intended to traverse 10 National Forests separated by more than 10,000 miles of asphalt. And of course, they didn’t include driving time, nor rest in their calculations. Perhaps, they wanted to spend all summer on the road.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry so I did both and pulled an all-nighter to redraft the route.
The new plan included six National Parks from the East Coast to the Midwest:
- Shenandoah National Park, Virginia;
- Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee;
- Mammoth Cave, Kentucky;
- Gateway Arch, Missouri;
- Indian Dunes, Indiana;
- Cuyahoga Valley, Ohio.
Though the plan was ambitious, we made it to every park except for the one in Missouri. And by the end of the adventure, my car’s mileage grew 3,000 bigger. More importantly, our heads got supercharged with memories and lessons. Here are a few of the latter:
- Campsites are like restaurants. Most of them require a reservation.
- There is an easy way to start a campfire. Don’t pile up the wood, start with two logs, then feed the small fire.
- Always take a shower whenever shower facilities are available. Trust me, you’ll regret it for a long time if you don’t.
- No matter how much you love your companions, there will be times when you won’t want to talk to each other. Everyone needs a bit of personal space.
- When you schedule a stroll across a park, account for one or two hours of getting completely lost. Also, put some snacks in your bag.
We also experienced life like never before.
Sleeping under the stars for 14 nights made all our problems seem very insignificant. We felt powerful and small at the same time. We started to notice little things, like blades of grass moving in the breeze.
Our bodies and minds started to slow down within 48 hours of staying out in the open. With no electricity or internet, you can easily hear your own thoughts. It is both exhilarating and scary.
Another interesting aspect of the journey was boredom. It forced us to talk to each other. I mean really talk to each other. The kind of talk that makes you rediscover your family members and feel closer to them.
There were also jokes, school anecdotes, and fun facts.
Did you know it takes thousands of years for the light of stars to reach earth? Every time we look up at the night sky, we’re gazing back in time. We’re literally looking at the past of our universe.
It wasn’t all poetic though. We had our fair share of trouble that we delicately documented in a checklist for out next trip. Here’s what it say:
- Carry a lot of nuts pf dry food in your car trunk. You eat way more when you walk all day and grocery shops are sometimes hundreds of miles away.
- It pays to invest in high-quality camping gear. Good quality sleep is vital to keep your energy levels up (and your sanity).
- Carry cleaning supplies and trash bags. A lot of trash bags.
- Always pack plenty of socks and undergarments. Kids somehow manage to get wet and muddy on every possible opportunity.
Oh, and I highly recommend bringing a couple of items that can bring a luxury touch to rough-living in a tent. For us, it was coffee, shampoo, and conditioner.
A road trip that turned into a spiritual journey
Our middle-of-a-pandemic road trip is one of the most unforgettable things we have done as a family and as individuals. Slowing down, disconnecting from electronics, sleeping under the stars, and hiking unknown trails did wonders for our mental, emotional and physical health.
For me, it was also a very spiritual journey.
I experienced the powerful healing of nature like never before which brought me clarity around my life and business. I also witnessed how capable kids can be.
We mastered the art of packing the car like professional Tetris players and invented new recipes based on the ingredients we had left in our bags. Sure, my boys messed up the initial plan but they learned their lesson.
In between stops, they would research, micro-plan, and even track our spending. They also learned to read maps like real adventurers. Even more impressive, they discovered a profound appreciation of nature and being with their own thoughts.
We also rediscovered the beauty of this country and can’t wait to spend more time exploring its history and its secrets.
