Time Travel

It's January, but my mind's on June.

We have to make our summer travel plans now because my wife's work schedule for the next eight months will be set in stone by March. For the past few weeks, we've been discussing various family vacation options. It always seems odd to be planning out most of the summer a full six months ahead of time.

It's not just the days off that have to be reserved. If we have any hope of getting a decent hotel at a popular destination, then bookings have to be made now. At National Parks like Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite, and Olympic, the best accomodations are pretty much gone by the end of February. I've already discovered that Yellowstone's Old Faithful Inn and Cabins are sold out through September.

So, in addition to everything else I have on my mind these days, I'm also flipping through maps, studying travel websites, talking to travel agents, and highlighting specific days and weeks on the calendar.

It's like a military campaign. Even our spontaneous day trips will be planned in advance!

Last summer we missed out on an out-of-state family wedding because of short notice. My wife couldn't make the last-minute changes to her schedule and we were sadly absent from the event. We've always told people, if you're going to get married, or have a baby, or plan a family reunion, we'd better hear about it six months beforehand so the date can go on a vacation request form.

The nice thing about all of this is that I can stop worrying about it in a few weeks. Our summer travel plans will be set and I can get back to the winter and spring projects that seem to be occupying every minute of my free time. By June I'll need a vacation!

Going To Hell

Speaking of road trips, we took one last week with a group of homeschooling families. It was an exciting jet boat ride down the Snake River into one of the deepest gorges in North America, Hells Canyon.

I've been wanting to get a look at Hells Canyon for twenty years, so I was as excited as anyone to board the Beamers Tours jet boat in Clarkston, Washington, where Captain Dan waited to guide us down the river and through three states.





Right from the start we spotted osprey, eagles, antelope, bighorn sheep, and even some old guy panning for gold. The kids had a blast with Captain Dan swerving back and forth along the river at 45mph. Along the way he pointed out unusual geological formations, pioneer homesteads, and ancient petroglyphs that dated back at least 2,500 years.





The turnaround point for this half-day tour is Cache Creek Ranch, where we had an hour to lay in the grass and watch the kids play. The Forest Service runs the ranch now as an interpretive center. While we lazed around, Captain Dan was down at the river catching smallmouth bass right and left.





Even though this trip was just a taste of what the canyon has to offer, the kids absolutely loved it. They had no idea that just a few hours south of where they live is such a massive, and totally unique, wilderness area. There's so much more to see and explore. I'm definitely marking Hells Canyon down on my list of places to which we'll return.

Road Trip Season

The approach of summer means it's time to shake off the cabin fever, clean out the cooler, and hit the road for travels both near and far.

It's road trip season!

Every spring I start planning a dozen or more trips around my wife's summer schedule, which is pretty much set in stone by March. If something comes up at the last minute, well, too bad. We'll be missing my brother-in-law's wedding next month. That's what happens when you only give us five week's notice.

In the spring I also start looking at new gear for our trips. Like any good dad, I'm attracted to all the gadgets and gizmos that hold the promise of easier travels.

Recently I discovered a great online store that specializes in family travel gear. In fact, it's actually called Family Travel Gear. They're a family-run business, based in Colorado, that believes in high-quality, reasonably-priced products. Basically, it's a very cool place to browse for road trip essentials.

We picked up one very helpful item for my daughter -- the Snack and Play Travel Tray is a completely padded lap tray that buckles around the child so it's safe and secure. My daughter loved it for the simple reason that she likes to draw and this tray gives her a sturdy flat area to spread out her books and papers. I highly recommend this product!

I'm eyeing a couple of other items on their site, such as the Whale Beach Bag and the Trashstand Floor Litter Bag. Those would both definitely come in handy this summer.

Anyway, check the store out. Maybe you'll find something to make your road trip more fun (and take your mind off the high price of gas).