Friday, December 30, 2005
Surviving the 2K Mile Roadtrip
We got back from California last night around 9:30 (caught the Holiday Bowl heartbreaker off and on -- lotsa mountains blocking the signal -- from three radio stations between Grants Pass and home). Today the I-5 Siskiyou Pass south of Ashland in closed due to mudslides, so it's good we got back when we did. (We have major flooding in our neck of the woods, but we're high and dry at the moment.)
In addition to the football game keeping me alert during hours 10-13 of the trip, our survival success is also attributable to buying a portable DVD player before we left town. Phil enjoyed Johnny English and Star Wars: Clone Wars on the trip south. He got The Indian in the Cupboard for Christmas, and we picked up a couple $5.50 DVDs from Wally's on our way north (Batman--The Animated Series: Secrets of the Caped Crusader and Quest for Camelot). Our rental car conveniently had a cigarette-lighter power outlet in the back of the front-seat center armrest so we weren't constantly dodging the powercord when reaching for our beverages. Oh, and the boy had headphones, so our CD/radio listening didn't bother him (aren't we thoughtful?).
When we considered taking a Christmas roadtrip last year (thankfully we got cheap airfares) portable DVD players were in the $150-$200 range for a low-end unit. This year we got one for under a hundred. How my parents made the annual trip(s) from San Jose to San Diego with four kids and no portable DVD player, I'll never know. I suppose it goes a long way to explain why my dad looks like this.
(The battery-pack attachment for the DVD player came in handy this morning when the power went out here at the house.)
In addition to the football game keeping me alert during hours 10-13 of the trip, our survival success is also attributable to buying a portable DVD player before we left town. Phil enjoyed Johnny English and Star Wars: Clone Wars on the trip south. He got The Indian in the Cupboard for Christmas, and we picked up a couple $5.50 DVDs from Wally's on our way north (Batman--The Animated Series: Secrets of the Caped Crusader and Quest for Camelot). Our rental car conveniently had a cigarette-lighter power outlet in the back of the front-seat center armrest so we weren't constantly dodging the powercord when reaching for our beverages. Oh, and the boy had headphones, so our CD/radio listening didn't bother him (aren't we thoughtful?).
When we considered taking a Christmas roadtrip last year (thankfully we got cheap airfares) portable DVD players were in the $150-$200 range for a low-end unit. This year we got one for under a hundred. How my parents made the annual trip(s) from San Jose to San Diego with four kids and no portable DVD player, I'll never know. I suppose it goes a long way to explain why my dad looks like this.
(The battery-pack attachment for the DVD player came in handy this morning when the power went out here at the house.)
Mikesell
1 Snarky Remarks:
lindaruth, at 7:53 AM
Regarding long car trips -- I have no idea how we survived before the days of CD players, etc. My brothers could read in the car, but I was cursed with major car sickness, so I had to content myself with looking out the window. But at least the major car sickness guaranteed me the window seat. :)
Sounds like you had a fine holiday. :)
Linda