Before finalizing our first US road trip, I invited my friend Kay to join me for a coffee. She’s a road-trip pro, so I knew she would be the best person to speak to. Kay helped me to see that however crazy this trip looked on paper, it was possible. And the road-trip was likely to bring us closer together as a family unit.
Leading up to our road trip, (Langford BC to Utah—1,600 kms each way) I found myself mentioning it to almost everyone I met, bringing to light happy memories of long road trips that kind strangers had once taken. They only had good things to say about their adventures and seemed excited and in awe of what we were about to embark on.
Pushing the Limits
Travel time was around 16 hours each way (or 26 hours with regular breaks).
We escaped the island via the Coho Ferry from Downtown Victoria to Port Angeles, a surprisingly affordable and stress-free passage, to and from the US (as British citizens).
We travelled southeast across Washington towards Yakima. Climbing high up into the snowy mountains, and surprisingly staying up at this elevation for what felt like hours.
The journey pushed us to our limits. Seeing the “Welcome to Oregon” sign was very welcome—Washington is vast! We planned to stop for a couple of hours somewhere in Baker County. And when we did, the children woke up, wriggly, wanting hugs.
An hour or so after stopping, the temperature dropped considerably, our teeth were chattering. We decided to press on.
Welcome to Utah
Boise was our intro to Idaho, and as soon as we passed this metropolis, the traffic vanished and I was able to enjoy the quiet open roads, with three sleeping passengers… heaven!
Seeing the “Welcome to Utah” sign was emotional. I couldn’t believe that we had almost done it! Just an hour or so away from reuniting with my brother and family for some quality time together.
After a nourishing three days of parks, bike pump tracks, water balloons and BBQs, we began our homeward journey, taking a different route home, through Oregon—towards Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA. This extended our travel time quite a bit but descending towards the Columbia River with the sun setting in Oregon was breathtaking.
We took more regular breaks on the return journey, every one to one-and-a-half hours during daylight hours. And it wasn’t until the light faded that I felt some anxiety. I used breathing exercises and meditation to help me regulate, including affirmations “I am safe, I am loved, all is well”—it wasn’t always easy, but this helped.
Service station coffee was surprisingly sublime, and a couple of McDonalds along the way had Play Places, which were fantastic for our wriggly littles.
Things to Consider
We had a great time and learned a lot on our adventure. Here are some tips for how to prepare for your big summer road trip:
• Service your vehicle. Make sure you stop into a garage before you leave. Have a mechanic check your vehicle over and change your oil if needed. They can also offer valuable advice, such as how to eject your spare tire if you need it.
• With young children, break the journey into one-to-two-hour segments. When our children would ask “How much longer?” We’d say, “Just another 45 minutes until we have a break.” Imagine saying 12 hours!
• Consider downloading an app such as the Playground Buddy App, which helps you to find playgrounds—anywhere in North America. (Thanks to Kay for this tip!)
• Research awe-inspiring stops that are worth detouring for. Shoshone Falls in Idaho was spectacular. It was a 30-minute detour, and a memorable highlight of our return trip.
• Aim to fill up with gas when you get to 50 percent full.
• Consider who you want to share your journey with. I shared our plans with 12 to 15 close connections. Giving them the opportunity to feel like they were with us on the journey.
On our return, I shared photos and audio notes with our family WhatsApp group and my close connections. I plan to host a live virtual event for friends and family who want to hear more about our adventure and will print and send photos and letters via mail, during the month of May. I will share it with my wider connections via social media once I have caught my breath!
As someone passionate about social and digital health, I urge you to be mindful that close connections appreciate hearing from you directly, not only through social media.
