My families Great American Adventure

[BevoSwag 272]

Wow.  Eurika is a hellavalot further drive than Hot Springs.  Or is the Wal Mart parking lot in Texarkana or Ft Smith :).  Plus you'll be too busy to ever catch up on The Eyes of Texas thread that is already headed towards most posts ever.

Edited June 13, 2020 by BevoSwag

[mdmost 43,869]

58 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

50 miles down the road. To nana and papas house to say bye. 

I made my first fuck up of the trip and didn’t get reservations in hot springs in time so we are checking in to Eureka springs tomorrow at 10. That means no great Smokey mountains and instead week 2 is in bumfuck Indiana. Because week 3 we need to be in DC area to visit my sister in laws for 4th of July. Also, I’m now going to get serious about booking my itinerary for the entire summer. Feel like a dope. Upside, I guess, is that my wife had two people she wanted to see on this trip and we will have that knocked out in the first 15 days on the road (Missouri and West Virginia). 

Pretty excited to sleep in a Wal Mart parking lot tonight- whoo hoooo!  

That sucks. Are you going through North Carolina? Some friends posted about Sliding Rock, NC on the foot of the Great Smoky Mts and it looks really cool and right up your alley. 

I would get that itinerary out and start booking your places pretty quick. Spots are going to get harder to find. 

Edited June 13, 2020 by mdmost

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

Yep. Lesson learned on booking. 

Week 1 eureka springs Arkansas- wife’s friend in southern Missouri. 

Week 2- Richmond Indiana- home to not much of anything it looks like 

Week 3. Charles town wVa (sils)

week 4- Gettysburg PA

so I’m booked thru July 11 now. 

[Brew 3,049]

The preparation differences between this thread and troph’s are pretty funny. I fall more on the Wulaw side of get on the road and figure it out.

Personally, looking at the first few weeks of the trip, you are missing out not hitting the Smokies. There is so much there for kids to see and do.

In making the 14 hour drive back to South FL today, it did look like all the random RV lots were much more full than a couple weeks ago when we went home.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Brew

[dcbc 14,644]

AND AWAY WE GO!!!!

I know someone upthread told your ass to book those spots early and often.  But no matter.  That's the fun for the rest of us.  We're watching our boy on the road become a man! 

Safe travels!  Have fun!

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

55 minutes ago, dcbc said:

AND AWAY WE GO!!!!

I know someone upthread told your ass to book those spots early and often.  But no matter.  That's the fun for the rest of us.  We're watching our boy on the road become a man! 

Safe travels!  Have fun!

They did. I learn by touching a hot fire bc I’m an idiot. Also, wasn’t sure we’d be able to get out when I wanted us too 

[davidg 4,057]

Cancelation fees are typically cheap compared to not getting the days and spots you want.   Book early and often, even double booking then deciding later which booking to actually use.

 

 

[mdmost 43,869]

2 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Yep. Lesson learned on booking. 

Week 1 eureka springs Arkansas- wife’s friend in southern Missouri. 

Week 2- Richmond Indiana- home to not much of anything it looks like 

Week 3. Charles town wVa (sils)

week 4- Gettysburg PA

so I’m booked thru July 11 now. 

Good

WHAT THE FUCK?

Good

Good

Why Indiana? Why not swing through Mark Twain or the Shawnee National Forest on your way to Mountain Dew land?

[dcbc 14,644]

53 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

They did. I learn by touching a hot fire bc I’m an idiot. Also, wasn’t sure we’d be able to get out when I wanted us too 

Not bagging, just pointing out.  You've got balls as big as church bells (or shit for brains) to be diving in like this.  And I suspect it's the former.  But we'll see.

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

1 hour ago, mdmost said:

Good

WHAT THE FUCK?

Good

Good

Why Indiana? Why not swing through Mark Twain or the Shawnee National Forest on your way to Mountain Dew land?

It’s literally the half way point between sisterfuck Missouri, where my wife’s friend lives, and cousin lovin’ West Virginia where her sister and her sisters wife live. Had to stop somewhere. There’s a cheapish KOA there, a few hiking trails, a hub of the Underground Railroad and also Amish I’m told. Also, because despite all the talking up I did of it in the last sentence it sucks enough that I could still get reservations. 

We are now boondocking in a Walmart in Longview or some such place a million miles from destination and my kids are irritating me 

The stairs are broken (ish) probably because I’m too fat or because my adhd son kept jumping on them. I’m sure that will be easy to fix. And my 5 year old won’t go to sleep and her brother and sister are literally cussing her as I type this. I don’t want to have to get up and whip her ass but it might need to happen. 

So far this has been pretty glamorous. It’s hot as fuck and I just spent $95 putting 51 gallons in the vehicle. Glad gas is cheap. 

No gameplan survives first contact with the enemy, so tomorrow we will get up and figure it out all over again. 

Peace. 

[BevoSwag 272]

About the only point of interest I can think of in your area is Caddo Lake. Unique. When you get into Arkansas the Crystal Bridges is an awesome Museum funded by Alice Walton. The grounds are super nice too.

[dcbc 14,644]

14 minutes ago, BevoSwag said:

About the only point of interest I can think of in your area is Caddo Lake. Unique. When you get into Arkansas the Crystal Bridges is an awesome Museum funded by Alice Walton. The grounds are super nice too.

Caddo State Park is pretty.

Swing back to Tyler and have lunch at Stanley's tomorrow.

[Brew 3,049]

First night out, the adventure begins and the youngest sounds all in. A routine will be key to everyone not killing each other. AC also probably helps.

[T-shirt Sip 2,192]

I just started reading this thread tonight. All caught up now. I’m really going to enjoy living vicariously through your posts. Have fun and be safe. If you really want to show those kids “real America”, take them into the Walmart in every town you bed down for the night.   

[troph 25,111]

My ex and I RV’d together once and stayed in a Walmart parking lot in Lubbock. It was awful, we thought we were going to get robbed. We moved to another Walmart on the better side of town (is there such a thing in Lubbock?) and it wasn’t much better. Kids were young and sleeping on the floor and in pull out beds. I’ll never ever do that again. Stay in those RV parks they suck but the kids have somewhere to go outside and that is absolutely the only way to win at this.

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

6 hours ago, T-shirt Sip said:

I just started reading this thread tonight. All caught up now. I’m really going to enjoy living vicariously through your posts. Have fun and be safe. If you really want to show those kids “real America”, take them into the Walmart in every town you bed down for the night.   

Ha. We will I bet. The plan is spend Saturday night in a Walmart parking lot, go get groceries for the week Sunday morning when we wake up, go to church somewhere local every week, and then check in after church at 2:00 or so. 

That didn’t work this time as we were too late with being at Nana and Papas but that will be the new routine. 

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

6 hours ago, troph said:

My ex and I RV’d together once and stayed in a Walmart parking lot in Lubbock. It was awful, we thought we were going to get robbed. We moved to another Walmart on the better side of town (is there such a thing in Lubbock?) and it wasn’t much better. Kids were young and sleeping on the floor and in pull out beds. I’ll never ever do that again. Stay in those RV parks they suck but the kids have somewhere to go outside and that is absolutely the only way to win at this.

What was awful about it?  I slept like a baby- 8 hours just now. Was it just fear?  Maybe it’s helpful that Walmart closes at 8:30 now due to the pandemic. It was perfectly pleasant. Only real complaint was heat for so long. This AC is not super awesome. But in the AC’s defense it is hot as fuck. And muggy/humid. 

[troph 25,111]

Yes when they are open late you can have all kinds of activity in the parking lot. Walmarts aren’t what they used to be imo. So yes safety should always be a concern.

 

But if you like sleeping in Walmart parking lots then you go! I think it’s abundantly clear what I want to see when the sun is going down and what I want to wake up to in the morning when I’m drinking my coffee. And my kids beautiful life doesn’t include playing two hand touch football in a parking lot.

[Landomatic 3,813]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but why would you choose a Walmart parking lot for this sort of thing?  I'd think if you're squatting somewhere, you'd pick somewhere a little more highbrow.  Give me like a Louis Vuitton parking lot or a Mercedes dealership lot or a Neiman Marcus.  At least a Target parking lot.

[Incredulity 11,863]

17 minutes ago, Landomatic said:

Maybe I'm missing something here, but why would you choose a Walmart parking lot for this sort of thing?  I'd think if you're squatting somewhere, you'd pick somewhere a little more highbrow.  Give me like a Louis Vuitton parking lot or a Mercedes dealership lot or a Neiman Marcus.  At least a Target parking lot.

Walmart is known for allowing camping in there parking lots.

it would be trespassing at the others

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

Yep. We are talking about travel days only. And also the. We can get food and supplies for next week. When we get to where we are going. 

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

We are going to be boondocking again if mynwife doesn’t hurry up. We are 58 minutes away from campground, closes at 6, and she’s in her 94th minute in the store right now. 

Ughhhh.  Hopefully you can actually check in later than 6:00 pm when it says it closes. I don’t know if you can or not because nobody has answered the phone there. So, this could be fun. 

I need to take a deep breath because in all of human History nobody has ever solved the problem of how to travel with a woman, and I don’t suppose I will be the first.   Serenity now. Serenity now. Serenity now. 

[TwiceHorn 32,029]

3 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

We are going to be boondocking again if mynwife doesn’t hurry up. We are 58 minutes away from campground, closes at 6, and she’s in her 94th minute in the store right now. 

Ughhhh.  Hopefully you can actually check in later than 6:00 pm when it says it closes. I don’t know if you can or not because nobody has answered the phone there. So, this could be fun. 

I need to take a deep breath because in all of human History nobody has ever solved the problem of how to travel with a woman, and I don’t suppose I will be the first.   Serenity now. Serenity now. Serenity now. 

An hour and a half in one store?  God almighty.

Take off and make the reservation.

[DaysOff 8,158]

Leave her for dead. She's got the covids now anyway.

[Landomatic 3,813]

20 minutes ago, DaysOff said:

Leave her for dead. She's got the covids now anyway.

Yeah, no doubt...y'all are done already.  Damn, this thing died on the vine before it even started.  Was at least hoping for a few months.  But, if they're dumb enough to do this from the start, there's probably not much hope

[mdmost 43,869]

I would suggest you make it like a vacation tour bus operator. The RV leaves at X time. If you are not on the RV at X time, you will be left behind and will have to find your way to the next stop on the tour. 

[dingleberryswitzer 2,724]

I thought wu's wife was driving a separate truck?  Just go and let her catch up.

[Chewbacca 7,828]

I would suggest you make it like a vacation tour bus operator. The RV leaves at X time. If you are not on the RV at X time, you will be left behind and will have to find your way to the next stop on the tour. 

Just AIS her.

[Brew 3,049]

35 minutes ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

I thought wu's wife was driving a separate truck?  Just go and let her catch up.

This, just leave her. Two nights in and it looks like this thread will be as entertaining as expected.

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

1 hour ago, dingleberryswitzer said:

I thought wu's wife was driving a separate truck?  Just go and let her catch up.

She is. I decided that wouldn’t be the best start to the trip. 

Edited June 14, 2020 by Wulaw Horn

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

Home for the week:

 

https://ibb.co/gJ6GBv6

 

wife is making pork chops tonight. We set up camp. Banned all screens except me making a work call (and this nonsense obviously) going swimming after dinner. 6:00 am nature hike before work tomorrow. 

If it’s the same as today and wake up at first light. 

[CycleTex87 3,010]

So Eureka Springs?  Looks nice.  Envious. 

[dcbc 14,644]

Right click on IMGBB image.  Copy image location.  Paste into posting field here.  You got this. 

Glad you made it.

 

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by dcbc

[John Lawrence 244]

Nice rig.

[Paco 1,960]

My sister lives in eureka springs. Nobody wants pics. But the downtown area is pretty cool, and kayaking the King's river was a blast.

[HornOnTheBayou 9,061]

23 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

We are now boondocking in a Walmart in Longview or some such place a million miles from destination and my kids are irritating me 

The stairs are broken (ish) probably because I’m too fat or because my adhd son kept jumping on them. I’m sure that will be easy to fix. And my 5 year old won’t go to sleep and her brother and sister are literally cussing her as I type this. I don’t want to have to get up and whip her ass but it might need to happen. 

So far this has been pretty glamorous. It’s hot as fuck and I just spent $95 putting 51 gallons in the vehicle. Glad gas is cheap. 

No gameplan survives first contact with the enemy, so tomorrow we will get up and figure it out all over again. 

Peace. 

Edited June 15, 2020 by HornOnTheBayou

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

1 hour ago, dcbc said:

Right click on IMGBB image.  Copy image location.  Paste into posting field here.  You got this. 

Glad you made it.

 

 

How do I right click on a cell phone? 

[Mrs Whiggins 13,050]

Just saw this thread. Wow! An adventure indeed.

If you're of a mind, near Republic, MO (which is close to Springfield) is Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. One of the western battles of the Civil War. We really enjoyed our visit there.

Also, if you have any Laura Ingalls Wilder readers in your family, her farmstead where she lived with her husband, Almanzo, is in Mansfield. The museum has Pa's fiddle IIRC. Lots of neat caves there, too.

Edit

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by Mrs Whiggins
clarification

[Biff Tannen 46,099]

In before Wulaw goes crazy. 

[HornOnTheBayou 9,061]

Just now, Biff Tannen said:

In before Wulaw goes crazy. 

I'm kind of disappointed in all of us that we didn't set lines on this.

Over/under 20.5 days before Wulaw makes a post that is at least 1/3 cuss words
Over/under 30.5 days before Wulaw punches an animatronic robot
Over/under 50.5 days before Wulaw scraps the whole thing and returns back to Austin

[Wulaw Horn 19,565]

2 minutes ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

I'm kind of disappointed in all of us that we didn't set lines on this.

Over/under 20.5 days before Wulaw makes a post that is at least 1/3 cuss words
Over/under 30.5 days before Wulaw punches an animatronic robot
Over/under 50.5 days before Wulaw scraps the whole thing and returns back to Austin

Houston, but yeah- the consensus over under seems to be 2-3 months. 

Me to wife- how much was the bill at Walmart

her- $400. 

Me- what the fuck- you had like 9 bags of groceries is all

her- I don’t know that’s just what it was o have the receipt

me- checking receipt- how many blankets did you buy?

her- just 2

me- well it says here you bought 6. Also- did you buy 4 of this item and 3 of that item?

her- no- I can’t believe they charged me for all that stuff I didn’t buy 

me- do you, at any point (trailing off and mumbling incoherently because I know the futility of it all) but what I was going to ask was- have any rough approximation of the value of stuff you put in the shopping cart,  but recognized that’s just silly to expect that. 

Next Sunday we will go grocery shopping as a family- that’s on me. So, shopping at 8:00 am or whatever, put groceries up, go to church, go out to eat (decided on one meal out in every place that gives a flavor of the indiginous to the area specialty for the kids- that’s part of culture and America after all) and then check in at 2:00. 

All that said/ I showed the boy around the RV and we talked about how it worked- I saw him do tricks on his bike- we went swimming together me and the 3 kids, we all pitched in to set up camp and then we read together. 

None of that shit was happening at home. 

My 9 year old got a dandelion for

me and told me to make a wish/ I did and then blew it out. She asked me what I wished for. I told her that I will be a good daddy to her, full of patience and that I will share a love of country and sense of adventure with them on this trip- and we will grow closer and stronger as a family.

today I saw some stuff that makes me think this can all happen, and some stuff that makes me wonder how long we will make it. 

 

[Incredulity 11,863]

5 minutes ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Houston, but yeah- the consensus over under seems to be 2-3 months. 

Me to wife- how much was the bill at Walmart

her- $400. 

Me- what the fuck- you had like 9 bags of groceries is all

her- I don’t know that’s just what it was o have the receipt

me- checking receipt- how many blankets did you buy?

her- just 2

me- well it says here you bought 6. Also- did you buy 4 of this item and 3 of that item?

her- no- I can’t believe they charged me for all that stuff I didn’t buy 

me- do you, at any point (trailing off and mumbling incoherently because I know the futility of it all) but what I was going to ask was- have any rough approximation of the value of stuff you put in the shopping cart,  but recognized that’s just silly to expect that. 

Next Sunday we will go grocery shopping as a family- that’s on me. So, shopping at 8:00 am or whatever, put groceries up, go to church, go out to eat (decided on one meal out in every place that gives a flavor of the indiginous to the area specialty for the kids- that’s part of culture and America after all) and then check in at 2:00. 

All that said/ I showed the boy around the RV and we talked about how it worked- I saw him do tricks on his bike- we went swimming together me and the 3 kids, we all pitched in to set up camp and then we read together. 

None of that shit was happening at home. 

My 9 year old got a dandelion for

me and told me to make a wish/ I did and then blew it out. She asked me what I wished for. I told her that I will be a good daddy to her, full of patience and that I will share a love of country and sense of adventure with them on this trip- and we will grow closer and stronger as a family.

today I saw some stuff that makes me think this can all happen, and some stuff that makes me wonder how long we will make it. 

 

Keep punching.

[tx 3 putt 78,577]

I like where this is going 

[ImissWallyPryor 9,046]

Family’s 

[dcbc 14,644]

9 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

How do I right click on a cell phone? 

Long hold on the picture, possibly.  Or Tapatalk.

[Mrs Whiggins 13,050]

9 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

Houston, but yeah- the consensus over under seems to be 2-3 months. 

Me to wife- how much was the bill at Walmart

her- $400. 

Me- what the fuck- you had like 9 bags of groceries is all

her- I don’t know that’s just what it was o have the receipt

me- checking receipt- how many blankets did you buy?

her- just 2

me- well it says here you bought 6. Also- did you buy 4 of this item and 3 of that item?

her- no- I can’t believe they charged me for all that stuff I didn’t buy 

me- do you, at any point (trailing off and mumbling incoherently because I know the futility of it all) but what I was going to ask was- have any rough approximation of the value of stuff you put in the shopping cart,  but recognized that’s just silly to expect that. 

Next Sunday we will go grocery shopping as a family- that’s on me. So, shopping at 8:00 am or whatever, put groceries up, go to church, go out to eat (decided on one meal out in every place that gives a flavor of the indiginous to the area specialty for the kids- that’s part of culture and America after all) and then check in at 2:00. 

All that said/ I showed the boy around the RV and we talked about how it worked- I saw him do tricks on his bike- we went swimming together me and the 3 kids, we all pitched in to set up camp and then we read together. 

None of that shit was happening at home. 

My 9 year old got a dandelion for

me and told me to make a wish/ I did and then blew it out. She asked me what I wished for. I told her that I will be a good daddy to her, full of patience and that I will share a love of country and sense of adventure with them on this trip- and we will grow closer and stronger as a family.

today I saw some stuff that makes me think this can all happen, and some stuff that makes me wonder how long we will make it. 

 

Discount Retailer 101. Do not cross the threshold without a list. 

May the Force Be With You.

[TwiceHorn 32,029]

10 hours ago, Wulaw Horn said:

How do I right click on a cell phone? 

Long press on the desired area, cut/copy/paste etc. menu shows up.

[Landomatic 3,813]

7 hours ago, ImissWallyPryor said:

Family’s 

Let’s hope he’s doing the math part of homeschooling and his wife’s doing the English part.

[Mrs Whiggins 13,050]

How is it ‘homeschooling’ if they’re not at home? 
 

Travelschooling?

Roadschooling?

[Moby Ric 2,058]

Road Scholars

I will see myself out.