Tonight, we decided to drive to Boulder. I've heard so many good things about this little town, that I wanted to check it out. We arrived at around 7:00 PM and had a great dinner at a local pizzeria and then came back and sat in the hot tub at our hotel while the kids jumped in the pool.
(Pictures will have to follow tomorrow, because I left my thumb drive in the car.)
While the kids were playing and we were sitting in the hot tub, in this beautiful mountain town just outside of Denver, we were wondering why don't we live on the road?
I mean, THIS is the life.
We are traveling around this beautiful country, seeing new places every day, the kids are having a blast - we are having a blast - we don't have to worry about cleaning the bathrooms, mopping the floors, wiping down the kitchen counters and even the volume of laundry has been significantly reduced.
So, the first thought of the day is that we should sell our house and buy a big old RV. Unfortunately, because of the recent decline in the real estate market in San Diego, the equity that we could pull out of our house would probably be just enough to buy a big old RV. Two years ago at this time, we could have used our "California" equity to buy a house on an acre or two of land outright in many parts of the country.
Now, I think we'd be lucky if we could buy a double wide. So, we're thinking a Winnebago would be nice. Maybe a 35-foot 1973 model. Like Cousin Eddie, from Christmas Vacation.
The second thought of the day is that it is a bad idea to leave three-year-old triplets unattended in a hotel bathtub for FIVE SECONDS while you go to grab your cell phone. Because in the FIVE SECONDS that you are gone, they will pull every single bath towel in to the tub. And then, when you get angry and tell them "Look what you've done!!" They'll apologize and throw them OUT of the tub and there will be water EVERYWHERE and no towels to clean it up.
The third thought of the day is that although the threat "If you don't stop fighting, I will stop this car and put you out!!" might work very well the first five or so times you use it ... eventually your children will call your bluff and say "OK!!" And then, you might have to pull the car over and pretend like you are putting them out - and this is terribly stressful for everyone involved. So if you are planning to ever complete a cross-country road trip, make sure that you have a DVD player. Because so long as we have a movie playing ... EVERYONE IS HAPPY.
Tomorrow, we are planning to drive back to Denver and then continue east on I-76. The goal is that we are in Lincoln, Nebraska (or thereabouts) by tomorrow evening. Provided we don't keep stopping to see all of the beautiful sights and think about where we would like to live.
This really has been an incredible trip. Charlie and I are so excited to be on it, together - and we keep looking at each other in disbelief. Because a week ago at this time - the thought of driving cross-country wasn't on our mind ... and yet, here we are.
Or rather, here I am. Charlie's off doing laundry.
And it's so much fun to think about where we'd like to live because we've seen so many amazing places and we could imagine ourself in almost all of them. If money was not an object and we could live ANYWHERE we wanted to live, where would it be? And why?
Where would you live?
first and foremost, I love your blog and I really loving your cross country trek! I can't wait to tune in and see what you guys are up to next! secondly, to answer your question... in the US, San Diego. It's like a postcard there! outside the US, Greece... in one of the white homes you see on a hill!
ReplyDeleteanyway, keep up the fun!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I just wanted to thank you for your great posts. I always enjoy reading them.
Then, I would love to live in a quiet and calm place. Like near the see on a cliff or in the mountains. But I would probably miss the social interactions.
Keep writing. Have a godd trip. :)
I think about this all of the time~ and I think a nice vineyard in California, France, Italy AND (oops, I'm being selfish... I'll use the word OR!) Spain would be nice. The perfect spot would be on a hillside (mountainside?) with a view of the ocean. It would have a manor that we would turn into a bed and breakfast and we would prepare meals for family and our guests from the garden out back. Of course we would have 'people' who could run the place whenever we wanted to globe trot.
ReplyDeleteGotta go pick out my Mega Ball lottery numbers...
I love traveling cross country with you! Thank you both for this trip. :)
ReplyDeleteI would live in two places...a beautiful beach house in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and a (large) mountain house deep in the Colorado Rockies. Both places, it would be nice to have a chef a couple times a week and of course, someone to keep my houses sparkling clean, although I don't think a house can be sparkling clean with 23 month triplets and a backyard sandbox, can it?
Good luck on the next leg of your trip!
Hey Jen...It's ajdub (from RESOLVE boards of long ago). I am so inspired by your cross-country trek! Frank and I have often talked about it. I know how you are getting into fitness and like goals...so I thought I would share with you that almost 20 years ago my hubby road his bicycle cross-country with two friends. They road from Virginia to San Francisco on their bikes. It took about 2-1/2 months. They brought a tent and camped out in people's yards or campsites. It was a different world 20 years ago...but all three of them still talk about that trip.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that your cross-country trip will be something you and your family talk about for years and years to come!
I would probably choose New Hampshire on Lake Winnipausaukee to live. My favorite place in the world.
Have fun!
What a fun trip you are on. I love to go on road trips, but DH, not so much.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to live in Tennessee, in or with a view of the mountains, and on a nice lake.
What fun!!!
ReplyDeleteYou guys need to watch Lost in America, a movie from 1985...an Albert Brooks movie (who i love)...about a couple who sell there house and live in a Winnebago.
It does not end well.
Happy travels!
Looks like I80 is a straight shot from Boulder to Chicago... I've made that trip several times and wow; prepare yourself for the endlessness of it! Too bad you couldn't drive up to the La Crosse, WI area and view the Mississippi River Valley! Then through WI and across the ferry to MI?
ReplyDeleteI used to live in Boulder but nothing surpasses the view from here. In. The. Summer. Only!
Safe travels!!!
I would do Seattle in the summer, Long Beach in the winter, Boothbay Harbor, Maine in the fall, & Rome, Italy (well, actually Casperia) in the spring. Glad you guys are having a wonderful trip!!!
ReplyDeleteI would live in the Southern Outer banks in NC. I love it there.
ReplyDeleteI am lovin this cross country trip!!!!
horray for you guys! glad the trip is going well. it's nice to see that you can have four young kids and still be spontaneous and have adventures.
ReplyDeletewhere would i want to live? marin or san anselmo north of san francisco. i love the great weather and abundance of outdoor activities hiking trails, coast, mountains plus the proximity to urban San Francisco for great restaurants and events. oh, and a short drive to napa and sonoma valley for weekend excursions.
Yes WI is lovely, LaCrosse is lovely. But COLD in the winter. IF I could live anywhere I think North Michgan for the summer and Plano Tx for the winter! I want to live where they have good food. KC lacks greatly in that area. Man I can't believe how close you are to me. Are you sure I can't meet you on I-80 somewhere. Sara7th@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteHi Jen,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Colorado! After growing up in Colorado, leaving for Vermont, Connecticut, and northern California, I am delighted to be back in Colorado. San Francisco was fabulous, but oh-so-expensive. Tough to raise a family there unless you really like apartment living. My favorite thing about Colorado aside from the mountains, skiing, and lack of bugs...the weather! No humidity, warm days in the winter, a few fun snowstorms thrown in for variety, and warm summer nights. Can you tell I'm a Colorado girl, through and through?
On behalf of Coloradans, we would be delighted to welcome you to our state if you decided to stay a while.
Allison
www.thrivefamilyservices.com
we were just in Zion last week. Bryce is my favorite of the Utah parks. It was my first long road trip with kids and lots of in.
ReplyDeleteI would chose to live in Colorado. I love that state and miss it so much.
Hi Jen! I love your blog!
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that I would want to live in Massachusetts, for the sole reason that that is where my boyfriend lives. In fact, I am planning on moving there when I finish my MA next year. Not long ago I would have longed to live in either Germany or Wisconsin, but they are out now. Love does strange things to you.
Wow this is bringing back memories.
ReplyDeleteIn 1990, as a 16 year old Australian exchange student staying in good old Nebraska ("great place to bring up a family.... (dripping sarcasm)") I went on a bus tour with a group of other exchange students (mainly Europeans)from Nebraska to Southern California and back.
We had such a great time. Seeing your photo, Jen, of the plains of Nebraska brought those memories flooding back. I remember crossing the border from Colorado into Nebraska and suddenly, it was just FLAT and you knew you were in Nebraska.
As for places to live, I'd have to say that while I love travelling all over the globe, my home town of Adelaide in Australia is exactly where I want to live.
Loving the blog and the road trip. It's making me want to pack up the car and drive somewhere... but only after I purchase the portable DVD player!
Kate
What a great trip! If I could live anywhere, it would be in Colorado. I love that place.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that ya'll are getting to do this. One day I want to follow in your footsteps!
ReplyDeleteWe used to go to Boulder every summer and I loved it. I always thought I'd grow up and move there. Then I met Jeff. Looks like I'll be in Texas forever!
Oh wow. Sounds like a great idea. I would love to do it!!! (I'm jealous! Enjoy but be careful!) I had to catch up a bit to understand what was going on... Have fun on your journey.
ReplyDeleteBy the way I'm happy were I am!! It's beautiful! Great view ~ as you know and lots of land. Although at times I have the desire to move my house to the beach! Ocean view! With all the windows it would be wonderful. (of course unfortunately, I'm not a world traveler...I hear Italy is beautiful ~ my father and my son both want to live there!)