Lessons Learned

We have now traveled with our son a few times with this past weekend being both the greatest distance that we have traveled from home and also for the longest duration. I can’t say that everything was perfect during these weekend adventures but we were able to get there and back in one piece each time so I would call them successful. However, there have been a few takeaways from our travels thus far and here are just a few of them:

• Rest Stops Are Your Friends – Always be cognizant of the rest stops during your drive. Know when you pass one and how long it is until the next one. You may not need to stop at that exact moment but things can change in a matter of minutes.
• Stick As Closely To His Schedule As Possible – The last thing you want is your son being in a different and unfamiliar place and have his schedule messed up. Keeping to a feeding schedule as much as possible and repeating the nighttime routine can make things a lot easier.
• Don’t Underestimate The Number Of Wipes You Need – this is both for the obvious reasons but also because you’ll have other uses for them as well. If you are like our family you will be out and about all day… use the wipes to clean your hands regularly. They are also convenient for the occasional road trip spill in the car.
• You Are Going To Forget Things – Begin with packing the things that you can’t readily replace. Everything else comes after. It is pretty much guaranteed that you are going to forget things so make sure that they are items that you can pick up on the road.

Of course, there are countless other lessons learned during our explorations but those seem to be the four that most readily come to mind. While those might be the things that didn’t go as smoothly as expected, there were also things that we were very thankful for as we drove down the highway. Most notably is the fact that we upgraded our cars over the past few months. While absolutely possible to travel in our former vehicles, having the Outback and the Cherokee have made things a heck of a lot easier.

So this is just the beginning. I am sure that we will make more mistakes and overlook things in the future but we are at least keeping things moving in the right direction. The true test will be next month as we significantly extend our vacation…. I even took time off from work for this one. While there is always going to be some trepidation, I am looking forward to rediscovering a place (and reconnecting with distant relatives) from my childhood and sharing that experience with my wife and my son. Of course, you can read all about that trip next month so stay tuned.

And The Search Begins…

2012 Chevrolet Malibu

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I had to make a couple of stops on my way to lodge on Tuesday night. Thankfully I was able to get out of the office at the usual time which allowed me a few detours before I was supposed to be in Ardmore that evening. So where did I go? As is evident in the title, I stopped at a couple of car dealers

My wife and I decided last week that it might be time for me to get a new car. I have enjoyed my Chevrolet Malibu over the last three years and haven’t had a single issue with it (beyond potholes) but it just doesn’t work for us now that we are a family of three. While we aren’t really flushed with cash (to say the least) we need something that will serve us better than my current car. Plus it would keep us from putting so many miles on my wife’s Subaru Outback that we got earlier in the year. So, with that in mind, I put together a short list of things that I am looking for in a new vehicle. Here is the basic criteria:

Reasonably priced (preferably under $25,000) – easier than you might think using USAA pricing but still significantly limits the options given the criteria below.  

Reasonable Insurance Rates – I really would like to see my rates stay about the same (lower is obviously preferred).

All Wheel Drive - four wheel drive is also acceptable (my wife is at least laughing at that one).

Automatic – because manual is a ‘pain in the what’ and I haven’t had to drive a manual car in 15+ years.

SUV – Putting a stroller in a trunk is not fun. Add anything else in the trunk and it becomes exponentially more difficult.

Leg/Head Room – This is a basic comfort level. If I can’t fit in the front AND back seats I know it won’t work.

Other Basics – power driver’s seat, windows, doors, air conditioning (still not included in the base models of some cars), radio, etc.

Here are some things that I would like to have but can do without:

Remote Start – I don’t use it much but there are some hot/cold days when it is needed especially when we are taking our son.

Bluetooth – I am usually on the phone when I am in the car.

Cruise Control – most of my driving is on the highway.

Full Size Spare Tire – see posts about potholes.

Side Molding – I have seen the dings on doors in the parking lot on cars that don’t have this.

Regular Outlet – I have used a fair amount. You never know when you need to plug your computer or some other electronics in on the road.

Roof Rack – For the longer road trips that we hope to take our son on in the future.

As you can see, I have put some thought into the list of things I would like to have in a new car. With all of those things in mind I began searching using USAA’s car buying service. The three vehicles that cleared the board and met all of the aforementioned things on my list (including the optional ones) are the Jeep Patriot, Jeep Compass, and Chevrolet Equinox. With those three in mind I mapped my course on Tuesday night stopping at a Jeep dealer first because I had never driven any model Jeep before.

2015 Jeep Patriot

Contrary to some of the reviews I found in some of the industry publications, I really enjoyed the ride, feel, and finish of both models. They are on the smaller side of the SUV market but there is a lot there for the money (fully loaded (more options than I have specified above) limited models are near the top of the budget). They look to be solid options and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked them.  

2015 Jeep Compass

From there I drove to a Chevrolet dealer near the lodge. The same dealer from which we bought my wife’s previous car. There I was able to see the Equinox. In addition to being larger than both Jeep models the price tag is also higher (about $4,000 – 5,000 more than a comparably equipped Jeep). However, I have had a great experience with Chevrolet and am familiar with many of the options that are available. Also nice is the fact that GM now offers 2 years of free maintenance on new cars.

2015 Chevrolet Equinox

By the time I got to the lodge I was basically in the same place that I started. I liked all three options that met every single item on my rather extensive wish list. I would be happy with any of them and they would all work well for many years to come. I guess it is probably going to come down to price and how much they are willing to work with me on getting those payments as low as possible. Of course, I am going to have to test drive each of them some more as well. Stay tuned for an as of yet unscheduled update on the decision.

Weekend Drive

So far, we are enjoying taking some small trips in the new car. 

My wife and I have been waiting for a warm weekend just so we could get out of the house for a little while. Sunday we were afforded that opportunity as the wind subsided, the sky cleared, and the temperature ticked up a few more degrees. We had originally planned on driving somewhere to walk around for a bit but give our son’s fussiness as of late, we decided to drive down another exit on the turnpike for lunch.

During our explorations over the last few months of 2013, we had crisscrossed the turnpike around the Morgantown exit. During one of those trips we came across the Windmill Family Restaurant. While they aren’t going to win any awards for their fair, it remains an inexpensive place to stop for a good meal. Actually, their chicken corn chowder is what brought us back this time so I guess you could say that is an award worthy item.

It had been months since we last ate there and, obviously, the first time that we were bringing our son. When we walked through the doors this time I kept on thinking about how similar the feeling and décor was to some of the places I ate growing up. Ironically, I kept thinking about the places where we stopped (the names of which have long since been forgotten) when we drove down and back from the family reunion in Virginia. Some may call it old and outdated but I prefer to use the term authentically nostalgic.

Our son was surprisingly quite throughout the meal allowing my wife and I to enjoy the time out and catch up on some of the conversations that get overlooked during the course of our hectic week. With a quart of soup to go in hand, we got back in the car and turned away from the highway. With the moon roof open and the windows slightly cracked, we drove up and down the backroads moving generally in the direction of home. This weaving across the landscape was to enjoy the time out, get some fresh air, and allow our son to catch up on some much needed sleep.

About a half hour into our return trip, having not heard a sound from the back seat in a few minutes, I glanced in the rearview mirror to check on our son. There he was still sleeping… and so was my wife. So I continued driving, turning when the asphalt changed direction, until I found a road that would lead us back home. It was a quite drive but it was still time out with my family. Not a bad way to spend the afternoon.