What We’ve Learned

We wanted to finish up our blog by letting people know, first of all, that we are truly thankful for all the great friends and family that followed us on our travels. Knowing that you were out there thinking of us and commenting made a fantastic trip even more fun. We are now home and sorting through the 2000+ pictures we took on this adventure. We hope at some point to show them to anyone interested in seeing them. We also though you might like to know what we learned from this experience. So here is the final installment of this adventure blog….

25 Things We Learned from 5 Weeks on the Road

1. Pack light – you don’t need it and it will be in the way.

2. Planning is very important – you don’t need to have a detailed itinerary, but knowing how you are getting to your next stop and where you are staying makes things less stressful.

3. A G.P.S. designed for a truck is a must – this will detour you around areas that might be difficult for your rig to maneuver.

4. Share the driving – you can get a lot further if more than one person can be in the driver’s seat.

5. Don’t use cheap gas – it clogs the fuel filter .

6. Designate an electronics storage area and charge your electronics nightly – I bought an over the door shoe holder with 20 pockets and kept chargers, keys and sunglasses here – worked like a charm!

7. That being said – bring more than one pair of sunglasses – you will still lose them!

8. Always have some cash on hand – unforeseen tolls or tips happen.

9. Free internet doesn’t always work – sometimes it’s best to pay for it.

10. Get Satellite Radio – it worked everywhere and had tons of different venues – we got to keep up with the Phillies games by listening.

11. Be flexible – plans change and you might be surprised that you enjoy plan B even more that your original one.

12. Take some guided tours – they can be costly, but you get to learn so much more about your destination and they often times take you off the beaten path for something really special.

13. Don’t try to do too many things in one day-this will make everyone grumpy, and grumpy isn’t fun!

14. Try new things – even if you’re not an adrenaline junkie, try something you might not have thought to do – you’ll be glad you did.

15. Use adversity as an opportunity – have to have an oil change or tires replaced or just stuck somewhere you didn’t plan? Take that time to get groceries or read or play a game with the kids – you’re on vacation – it’s all good .

16. Use a Crockpot – dinner will be ready when you get back from your adventures.

17. Sometimes it’s good to sleep late – no one is having any fun if they are tired.

18. Work as a team and learn to compromise. When things happen, and they will happen, don’t waste time blaming or getting angry, decide to fix the problem together and not create another one.

19. Top off your gas tank before bedding down for the night – it makes getting up and leaving early the next day much easier.

20. Buy a National Park pass – they are $80.00 and if you plan on seeing a bunch of the parks, they’ll save you money.

21. Kids can never get enough time in the pool

22. Split up – everyone doesn’t always have to do the same things and you get a different dynamic, one-on-one or one-on-two.

23. Know that you can’t and won’t see everything – enjoy what you do see and don’t worry about the rest.

24. Blog, blog, blog – it’s a lot of fun and you’ll have a wonderful record of your amazing adventure!

25. Take time to watch the excitement of being somewhere new and doing something different in the eyes of your children – it’s makes the whole thing worthwhile.

Well, that’s what we’ve learned and then some. Thank you again for being a part of this grand adventure. We hope that in the future we can add to this blog other great trips.

Lots of Love,

The Hearys
Jeff, Molly, Meghan, Colin and Maura