tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67560343940202750012024-03-08T10:11:31.222-05:00FamilyRoadTrippers.comA Road Map for Peace-ful Family Travels: Teach your kids about the United States by driving America's backroads and city centers. Games, tips, and tactical advice for adventure road trips with kids and dogs.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-43001270427881080982009-12-12T14:46:00.006-05:002009-12-12T15:40:34.606-05:00Checking out a slideshow through FlickrUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-62660972273919185922009-11-14T14:39:00.004-05:002009-11-30T23:01:58.957-05:00Thumb's-Up List for Family Travel
View Thumbs Up List in a larger map
We mentioned in a previous post that we're beginning a map of shame for gas stations who "don't have a bathroom." We figured it was only fair to give a pat on the back to those that do it well for families that are traveling across this great land of ours.
So we're starting a Thumbs Up Map. We'll update the Thumbs Up Map whenever we stumble across another Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-57698933226620738602009-11-14T08:57:00.003-05:002009-11-14T09:03:33.521-05:00Another Source for Natchez Trace Information
A Google alert popped up for FamilyRoadTrippers last week -- it seems that the Fun Times Guide to the Natchez Trace Parkway likes our video of driving the Natchez Trace Trail with George Jones playing on the radio (is there any other way to do it?)
Lynnette, the editor, lives in TN right near the trace and gives regular updates on it. If you're planninga family road trip down (or up) the TraceUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-70778437704961881052009-08-02T14:07:00.002-04:002009-11-14T13:11:53.589-05:00Camera Phone BlogAnd it works.
If I blog with my thumbs, is it fair to call it th-logging?
It's a whole new day.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-75466414233216810692009-08-02T13:43:00.001-04:002009-11-14T13:10:12.806-05:00Can I Pubish Blogs From My Phone at Camp?This is a thumb-written trial post. If it works, I'll try one with a photo.
If that works, we'll celebrate with a box of camp wine!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-42089632687025083712009-06-01T17:40:00.012-04:002009-11-14T13:12:56.862-05:00Getting the Itch for a Summer Road Trip
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I need to be in Montana this summer for some video shoots and other job site visits. Was planning to fly the family out to Spokane and rent a car, but we're wondering if maybe we ought to seize the opportunity and drive the whole danged way.
This route would take us through Niagara Falls to Chicago where we could pick up Route 66. We could drive 'America's Main Street' to St.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-29588906469987398632009-05-10T23:32:00.006-04:002009-11-14T13:14:07.261-05:00Eat Well and Sleep Cheap in Dallas
A Dallas mini-trip report
I had a building conference to attend this weekend, (the National Green Building Conference). Not a family roadtrip, but a trip worth reporting on nonetheless. In a couple of days, I'll drive to Houston to visit sdome job sites and shoot video. I'll check in with a Houston mini-report too.
Hotels.com: an excellent suite for $50 per night
Well, not every night; it was $Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-38640882814618329512009-02-28T08:58:00.003-05:002009-02-28T09:09:39.421-05:00Another Disney World Tip (for Parents)Disney days can be looooong. If you go for a week or at least more than one day, they can be really long. One way to shorten the day is to start late and go till the fireworks. But sometimes the parents need a little break in the middle of the day. One way to get some 'me' time is to break away from the kids and enjoy an adult beverage. Now, you can't just abandon the kids, you need to plan Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-49849286426025127632009-02-26T07:00:00.001-05:002009-02-26T07:00:00.294-05:00Another Road Trip Word Game: Word CaterpillarHere's a cool game I learned on a little drive with some friends when I was visiting San Francisco area a few months back. We were going out to dinner and had a little bit of a drive, so to keep everyone occupied we played this game.It goes like this:Choose a category such as food, animals, machines, etc. The youngest goes first to pick something within the category. The next person has to think Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-72452735954575656352009-02-18T14:05:00.005-05:002009-02-21T08:39:16.905-05:00Profile of a Road Trip FamilyFamily road trippers enjoy scenic drives and National parks. They don't sweat the gas prices, they prefer road atlases to GPS devices (although many like both), and they have a sense of humor.We've been studiously collecting data from familyroadtripper.com visitors since our site launch three years ago and have recently compiled the date into this interesting blog post. While these data in no wayUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-48570352448205594462009-02-17T19:46:00.012-05:002009-02-27T22:40:18.892-05:00Is Las Vegas a Family Destination?In a word, maybe. In two words, probably not.I've been AWOL from the blog in the last few months. Sorry about that, I've been working nights and weekends to get www.greenbuildingadvisor.com (my day job) launched. It's launched, I'm back. GreenBuildingAdvisor was launched at the International Builder's Show in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago. It was my second time to Vegas.In the past twenty or Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-31303554410008230362008-11-01T18:29:00.003-04:002008-11-05T22:16:46.963-05:00A Beautiful QuoteI heard this on NPR the other morning on the way in to work. A reporter was interviewing a group of people in St. Louis and one of them said this:"Rosa sat so Martin could walkMartin walked so Obama could runObama is running so our children can fly"Amen.Isn't it wonderful that the African American candidate is the best Presidential candidate of our lifetime?Tinsleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16004488128241961142noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-16642724262091263192008-09-04T08:00:00.004-04:002009-11-14T13:16:04.206-05:00Find This Place -- Northeast
Somewhere in western Massachusetts, close by to the post below (that was a hint) is a great place to tire out the kids, and shoot panorama photos of three states.
As always, If you email me with the location of this mystery spot, I'll send you a custom FamilyRoadTrippers barf bag!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-41706152132134053902008-09-01T20:17:00.008-04:002009-11-14T13:17:38.015-05:00Bridge of Flowers -- Shelburne Falls, Mass
An abandoned street trolley bridge transformed into a Footbridge for your senses.
On a trip between Brattleboro, VT and home, I had an extra hour or so to kill, so I followed the sign I've been wondering about for so long: "Bridge of Flowers Next Right." This time I bit: the light was going to be good, and I had a camera with me, so I took the exit to Shelburne Falls.
One problem, which I Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-7787475158574327882008-08-23T20:45:00.007-04:002009-11-14T15:46:22.901-05:00Our New Puppy Road Tripper!
To answer the question posed in the long-standing previous post, to dog, or not to dog?
The answer, is To Dog!
Meet the new puppy roadtripper (name narrowed, but not chosen).
We're leaning towards Daisy, Zelda, Moxie, Smarty Jones, and Lucy.
What do you think?
UPDATE:
Moxie won out.
She's been one on the greatest dogs we've ever had. An instant classic.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-79239324436120778552008-07-31T07:33:00.005-04:002008-07-31T07:40:39.209-04:00To Dog or Not to Dog? .hmmessage P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body.hmmessage { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:TahomaFamilyroadtrippers are looking for a dog.The following email came to me while I was at work the other day. It was from Tinsley. To put it in context, I should say that we've been contemplating getting a dog. It's been almost three years since Wookie died and we feel like it may be time to fill her shoes,Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-4064879449771573202008-07-28T20:39:00.004-04:002008-08-06T20:18:09.948-04:00Eugene Slug Queen UpdateOur roving Oregon reporter, Constance Van Flandern, has updated us with the details of this year's Slug Queen Festival. At the time of her previous post, the details of the coronation hadn't been smoothed out, shall we say. The Festival begins in a little over a couple of weeks on Aug 15, but"Don't worry if you can't make it to Eugene until after Labor Day--you'll be just in time for the new Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-76372373518693374982008-07-12T10:31:00.006-04:002009-11-14T13:31:05.026-05:00Dyce Head Lighthouse in Castine, Maine
Another light house in the quiver of Familyroadtrippers. Me and the kids went for a side trip along with my Dad to Dyce Head Light in Castine, Maine. Tinsley stayed back at Dad's to fix the zipper on our tent (it's what she wanted to do). The drive from Belfast to Castine is beautiful and worth a day trip.
Dyce head light house is a private residence but there's an access trail that goes along Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-27778985062028607762008-07-12T08:41:00.006-04:002009-11-14T13:31:45.778-05:00Choosing a Family Road Trip Vehicle
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The polling at familyroadtrippers.com indicated that SUV edged out station wagons and "children pulling buggy" and all of them beat mini-vans. But the real choice is a little more complicated.
When we were looking for a new roadtrip vehicle, it was an interesting choice. There are many choices available, station wagons, mini-vans, SUVs, compact SUVs, cross-over vehicles, and stuff like Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-12491223247678207602008-07-09T21:54:00.010-04:002009-11-14T13:32:29.236-05:00City Guide: Belfast, Maine
A waterfront city with magnificent downtown buildings is experiencing a wonderful renewal.
I'm a little prejudiced towards Belfast, Maine. Much of my family lives there, I visit whenever I can, and it feels like home. Home away from home, anyway. We've written about Belfast in the past.
My mom wrote about it when she was in elementary school:
Belfast is a little city
Nestled by the sea.
It's Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-9173383283673599432008-06-27T21:48:00.006-04:002008-06-29T10:37:40.717-04:00Three Ways to Green Your Family Road TripThere are a lot of reasons to do less damage to the environment. There are also a lot of ways to do it. Here are three ways to use less gas and support local economies at the same time. After all, the money you put into your tank doesn't really trickle down to the locals does it?1. Drive fewer miles, spend more time in local placesOften some of the coolest things are right around the corner. The Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-9269959094802624042008-06-12T07:47:00.010-04:002009-11-14T13:33:59.729-05:00Summer fun in Eugene: SLUG Queen Festival
While the garden slug may not be revered in the garden, they are
beloved out of that context in the lush garden city of Eugene, Oregon.
By Constance Van Flandern
No matter how you feel about slugs there's no denying that they leave a trail of sparkling glitz behind. This year's sparkling trail begins in the Ken Kesey Plaza on August 15 with the annual coronation of Eugene's most beloved Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-50851273365935846072008-06-07T19:09:00.002-04:002008-11-13T03:38:13.591-05:00Find This Place: Mississippi!The ongoing Family Road Trippers geographical scavenger hunt!Find this ruin somewhere in Mississippi. A little off the beaten path, but near the Mississippi River.As always, if you can identify this place, we'll send you a free barf bag!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-49357058144607759882008-06-01T07:49:00.009-04:002009-09-07T15:52:54.628-04:00An Eye-Opening Drive through MississippiHow can a state with the richest farm land in the world, in the richest country in the world, be so economically depressed? I had driven through every state in the US except Hawaii, Mississippi, and Alabama. I drove a little bit of the gulf coast of Mississippi last fall, but that was it. Never really explored the state. We did it last week at the end of a roadtrip from Nashville to New OrleansUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6756034394020275001.post-49883914507687348502008-05-24T18:58:00.011-04:002009-11-14T11:04:47.449-05:00Let the Weather Choose Travel Routes on Roadtrips
Sometimes its better to drive west in order to go east; you'll find beautiful weather, new sights, and new adventures.
Making our way back from New Orleans to Nashville, the sky turned gray and then black. Then the black clouds started swirling. Black swirling skies are a bad sign in the southeast, usually meaning tornadoes. Rather than drive northeast on the Natchez Trace, and along the stormUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0