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Chari
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My husband wants us to take a "real" vacation next year.
The East Coast beat out Hawaii........Ireland & Scotland were out of my dh's vacation plans.........as he does not want to leave the country (unlike the rest of his brood  )
We were thinking of taking a ride across the country, seeing some sights along the way (SLC, Denver, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Ohio, Gettysburg probably) landing in VA, hitting DC, Philly, NYC & Boston....staying a few days with family in NH (an hour from Boston) and heading home a different way, maybe taking in Niagara Falls........and heading west.......maybe trying to get to Mount Rushmore???
I am curious how many of you have traveled across the country......is this doable in about 8 weeks? We would go longer, but we must get back for the CathCMWestCoastFun camping trip, or we will be in big trouble! 
I am excited  ...........and overwhelmed  ......I would love to do this  .......and I hate the idea of going away from home that long  .....though, I guess it is only 3 weeks longer than our two longest trips.
Now, my dh will not be driving with us.........he can only join us for ten days, flying out to meet us somewhere, hopefully DC
...........But I would miss my dh too much 
If we all fly, which is what we thought we would do at first........it would be just under $3,000.....and we thought it would be more valuable to spend that money on REAL memories, not an airplane ride.......plus the expense of a rental car...
Would you do this? Have you done this? Am I crazy?
The kids and I have always dreamed of a cross-country trip.......for a decade!.......and now that it is possible.......I am nervous.....
Thanks for letting me chat with you.......
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Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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MicheleQ
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Sounds like a great idea Chari! Oh and if you plan to go to Gettysburg and Philly you had better plan to go through Lancaster too!
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Michele Quigley
wife to my prince charming and mom of 10 in Lancaster County, PA USA
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Jen L.
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I would definitely do it, but our farthest trip has been about 1000 miles so I don't feel too qualified to answer. I know one person who can though - Kelly in Florida!!
Would love to see you here!,
Jen
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Rebecca
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OOO! OOO! You have a place to stay in Ohio ! The northcoast is lovely in the warm months!
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Willa
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If anyone can do it, you can, Chari!
If it's any help, my family moved every year, and we always travelled by car, in August! I think the longest was Maryland to Oklahoma, but I was too little to remember much at all.
I owe you a call!
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AMDG
Willa
hsing boys ages 11, 14, almost 18 (+ 4 homeschool grads ages 20 to 27)
Take Up and Read
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MaryM
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Hopefully Kelly will chime in her, because she has done this. She's the biggest cross country traveler I know of on the forums - and she does it on her own, too. Oh and you should talk to Lissa - hers was the cross country but not back trip and she did it in a couple weeks. And MacBeth and family did a 3/4 across the country and back trip this summer - in a pretty short time, too.
Given our location in the middle of the country, we have never done a cross country trip - it doesn't exactly work. But we have done half country trips to each coast and back. With the amount of time you were talking about I think it is very doable. It really would be whether you do want to be gone that long. It would really be an adventure and there is so much cool to see along the way. And those of us here in the Mile High City would defintitely show you some Rocky Mountain hospitality.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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Elizabeth
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Chari,
Lissa recently did it by herself with 5 young children, including a nursing baby. And she has some great memories of it!
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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lapazfarm
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It sounds awesome to me! My dh drove from NC to Alaska in a week. But he is a maniac and didn't stop to see much at all. He also did the trip back in a week. In December blizzards!What a nut! We hope to all make the trip together either this summer or next, taking much more time, of course!
As for going alone, I would do it, but don't forget the expenses of hotels along the way (or campsites of you go that route) and gas $$$$.
Why not have the kids spend some school time figuring out the cost/benefits of flying vs. driving and put together a proposal including maps of routes, mileage, fuel and food costs, ticket prices, hotel rates, points of interest, etc. Could be a fun little unit!
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
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Tina P.
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Chari:
We've done the trip from Las Vegas, Nevada or Phoenix, Arizona to Wisconsin in 2 or 3 days.
When you stop through SLC, you have a place to stay. We're only about 1 hour north.
If you have enough of us along the way to stop and stay with (or even if you can't stay but can meet), maybe you won't be so lonely for your husband on the way out ... ?
I like Theresa's unit study idea. My dh and I did that a LOT when he was in the military. How much would it cost to fly home? How much to drive? And what are the benefits/drawbacks of each? We always drove, especially when we started having more children.
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Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
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Chari
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Michele, we thought we would hit Getty and then go down to Laureen's at Woodstock (she does not know it yet )........and then hit Philly on our way north from DC........when I was studying the map........it seemed you were out of my way both times.......how far are you from Philly? Or Getty?
.......because, of course, you were on my list of people to bother ....but I was not sure how to fit it in....
Tina..........I just may take you up on your offer....see my private email. We much prefer staying with REAL people, versus a hotel. When we took our trips around the west, we usually stayed with our CCM friends...........and we had a blast!
I feel like I already chatted with Lissa, since I read her blog , AFTER she arrived in SD... I am forever behind!
Mary, I would love to meet up with ya'll in Denver, it looks like a stop on my way.........and Gwen and I go WAY back to an old yahoo list, so I just gotta meet her.........and Anne wants to meet Michaela, too.
Rebecca, where do you live in Ohio? I think I need to go through Ohio twice.........once in the south, once in the north.....that would be cool if you were on my way.
It looks like I will go east on 70 and west on 80.....are you anywhere near those highways?
Jen, where do you live in VA? I KNOW for sure I will be staying in VA. Woodstock, for sure......but as I mentioned before, my hostess is as of yet, unaware ..........I am dropping the hint in my Christmas card
Willa, thanks for the vote of confidence...oh, I think I forgot to mention last night that I MAY be coming to see you in April.....more details by phone, when I remember to call you again........ please tell the kids NO promises, and tell that sweet bonny lass that Anne would probably NOT be with us.........or, Matthew for that matter........hmmmmm.........wonder if we would still be welcome???? I am SURE Aidan will be happy to see us! ........anyway, I just want to go on summer vacation with YOUR family this year
Elizabeth, I sent you a private email as well.......
Theresa, thanks for the encouragement........I wish NC was on my way.......but not this time, I guess 
Off to plan...... 
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Chari...Take Up & Read
Dh Marty 27yrs...3 lovely maidens: Anne 24, Sarah 20 & Maddelyn 17 and 3 chivalrous sons: Matthew 22, Garrett 16 & Malachy 11
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cathhomeschool
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Chari, we haven't made a trip that large, but we did make a big loop a couple of years ago starting in Texas, then going up through Tennessee and Virginia to New York City. Then we headed down the east coast through North Carolina and all the way to the tip of Florida before heading back to Texas. We trip took 6 weeks, but we stayed several days each in Tennessee, NYC and DC, and then a week at my parent's house.
A different time we went west from here to San Diego, taking several large detours along the way. That trip was 3 days each way.
Dh was with us on both trips (He flew home and back at one point on the 6 week trip.) and we had toddlers. Both trips were very doable and we had so much fun! I would definitely go for it and wish you could have incorporated a more southern route to stop here! 
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Cay Gibson
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Chari,
No one ever seems to head way down south.
But the girls and I will be in Kansas in June. When is your trip scheduled? Perhaps we could bump into each other.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
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Paula in MN
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Cay:
While I am still a "newbie" on these boards, we are heading your way in April......Kaplan and Gueydon area...
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 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
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Cay Gibson
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PaulaL wrote:
Cay:
While I am still a "newbie" on these boards, we are heading your way in April......Kaplan and Gueydon area... |
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My godmother/aunt lived in Kaplan until last year when her husband died. She's in Lafayette now (where many of our family lives). PM when you come down. 
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Cay Gibson
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Cay Gibson wrote:
[QUOTE=PaulaL] Cay:
While I am still a "newbie" on these boards, we are heading your way in April......Kaplan and Gueydon area... |
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My godmother/aunt lived in Kaplan until last year when her husband died. She's in Lafayette now (where many of our family lives). PM when you come down.
We'll get Cheryl and Margie to meet us.
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Diane
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Chari, I'm just now seeing this thread. I've done a 6-week cross-country loop twice---the first time I was married with no kids and the second time my oldest dd was 6yo and an only child. Of course, these situations were different than yours will be (I would miss dh terribly for that long ), but both trips were such amazing experiences that I just have to encourage you to go for it! We stayed with friends and family most of the time and camped in a few spots. The first time we did it I was awestruck at how incredibly beautiful and varied our nation is. Each area of the country has such unique character and charm. If you have the chance to see a good bit of it by car, that opportunity should not be missed, imho. You will build such lasting memories with your dc!
All that said, we too are planning an 8-week cross-country journey when we move back to the US in late spring (God willing!). I must admit that I am a wee bit more apprehensive about doing it with 6 dc and a pop-up  . But deep down I know that it will be worth every pitfall we encounter. And at least all of the signs will be in English.
We're hoping to move to Dayton, OH, and if that happens and if we're settled by the time you take your trip, we'd love to have you stay with us. Rebecca lives in the north off I-80 and we would be in the south off I-70, so theoretically we could cover you both ways. Of course, we may end up back in DC, in which case I'd love to meet up with you there. If you're travelling in May and June, we may just have to wave to each other across the highway. Who knows...maybe the good Lord will bless us with an unexpected meeting at a rest area. I can only hope.
Happy Planning! (I am still months away from that stage.  )
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Diane
Mom to five fair lasses and one bonny prince
The Journey of a Mother's Heart
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CathinCoffeland
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sounds like a fun idea- we used to go all over as a kid and made the slc to chicago run at least 2 a year.
my only suggestion would be to plan in some "flex time and money " for when everyone gets grumpy or tired and you just want to stop at 2 in the afternoon to float in a hotel swimming pool. Id say that we needed one day like taht every trip.
and dont be afraid to throw out a planned activity if everyone is happy sitting around the campfire and enjoying a chat. Some of my best memories come form the "downtime" of a trip not just the planned activiites.
maggie
btw TinaP are you near ogden? I grew up in logan mostly and ogden and slc. We are coming out in for my goddaughters first communion in ogden. Her mom is in slc but could use some fellow catholic homeschoolers to meet.
-mags
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alicegunther
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We look forward to seeing you when you get to New York.
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Love, Alice
mother of seven!
 
Cottage Blessings
Brew yourself a cup of tea, and come for a visit!
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Rebecca
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Chari, I am in Cleveland on the east side, twenty minutes east of downtown. We are within 5 minutes of any of these highways: RT. 2, RT. 90 and RT. 271. Oh, it would be so fun to meet!
And Diane, I had NO idea you were moving back to Ohio! Yippee!
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Diane
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Rebecca wrote:
| And Diane, I had NO idea you were moving back to Ohio! Yippee! |
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At this point, Rebecca, moving to Ohio is nothing more definite than a hope I have, though there is a good possibility. We'll have to wait and see what the Air Force has in mind and probably won't know until Feb or Mar, which should make coordinating a May overseas move a very fun experience. You'll be one of the first to know---hopefully, we'll be able shout that Yippee together this summer!
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Diane
Mom to five fair lasses and one bonny prince
The Journey of a Mother's Heart
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: UPDATE Does this sound like a crazy idea?
