How the West was done

Have a few days to reflect, swap gear, do laundry, change oil, and do other chores while hanging with Daphne and Marina.
The tree is in the living room with lights twinkling.  Kali and Pickett have renewed their friendship.  Still a bunch of e-mails and bidness stuff to catch up on and tie up again.  We'll watch the KCJH Lady Badgers' basketball games Monday, then head east.
If you have been considering a trip such as this with one of your offspring, I can heartily recommend it!  Granted, I was born under a wandering star and have never met a stranger or passed up a cafe.  I'm enthused by history and geology and anthropology, especially when they all tie together at some significant point.
Just don't let the logistics of such an adventure dampen your enthusiasm.  In a nutshell, be prepared, then forget about an agenda.  Oh sure, there are places that are must-sees, but recognizing from the start that you can't see everything and accepting and enjoying what you do is half the challenge.  Let your companion answer their own questions with the ubiquitous smart phone.  That sometimes leads to new discoveries in places that may not have been on your list.
Some general thoughts after our first 26 days on the road:

• this country is huge ... would take years to cover all the national sites alone, and that doesn't include the home made pies!  In the West, it may be 200-300 miles between stops.  Can't fight that, it's just big country.  Will be different in the East, but don't set yourself up for some specific quantity of stops per day.  Do what you can and enjoy what you do.
• have your wing man do research well in advance ... buy maps for every state along the way and find the points of interest.  One glance at the map then tells you what's in the vicinity and if it is a priority.
• forget about an agenda ... do the random walk thing.  We had several days of weather issues and a half day break down, but never stopped exploring or learning while we waited - it was just in places we hadn't anticipated.
• leave the tent at home ... I though camping might be a money-saver and get us further into the outback, but there's so much gear and time associated with setting up camp (usually in bear country) that it really robs you of valuable time elsewhere.  Or else decide all you want to do is camp in parks ... but if you're doing this in the Fall, expect brutal weather!
• build in rest days ... teenagers need sleep.  Sleeping in a few days leads to happier travels.  The road game is grinding.  Find a motel with guest laundry, go see a movie, plays cards ... do some home style stuff periodically to recharge the batteries.
• carry a small cooler with some yummy foods purchased along the way ... this saves time and money, is an excuse to explore general stores in small towns and experience new vittles, and allows you to enjoy some remote and pretty places for a quick meal.  Again, if you travel in the Fall, you don't even need ice for the cooler!
• learn from ALL of the resources ... not just talking park rangers and forest service employees.  The cultural experience comes from cafes, hardware stores, sporting goods counters, high school offices, Basque restaurants ... just about anywhere.  There's little sniglets of history and economics and ethnology you can pick up from any conversation - some of it bogus, some of it priceless.  But America is an idea, an accumulation of experiences ... I'm always amazed by the list of things I don't know and how information is always there for those willing to seek it out.

So if you and your offspring have been following along and considering a similar experience, I can only encourage you to make it happen.  The bond with the traveling companion is strengthened and you both learn along the way.  Bet I can offer you a lot more good reasons to do it than you can offer reasons you shouldn't.

Oh, and the family at home, while missed, get to bond in their own way.  And returning and sharing the adventure is special too.