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Around The Campfire, Issue #13 Road trips (travel size)
March 10, 2009

Planning=fun


The Official newsletter


from www.family-fun-camping.com

Issue # 13

February 2009 (travel Size)

In this issue


  1. Introduction
  2. Section:I Basics of planning
  3. Section: II travel lightly
  4. Section: II Mapping out success
  5. BonusTake a look



Welcome once more to our little monthly chat around the campfire, this is a travel size issue since I really wanted to research a lot of material for March's issue I kept this issue short or travel size.
Do you remember the favorite family vacation from your childhood? Chances are it involved a road trip.

Driving to your vacation destination can be fun if you plan for some side trips along the way. Most families have limited vacation budgets so stop by free places like state parks or just main street USA in any town of your choose.

Road trips can be done in a day or take several days or even weeks.

We will take our own trip this month discovering different ways to turn boring driving into exciting family memories.

Section I: Basic's of planning



You will want to plan your vacation at least several months in advance to make reservations, save money and gather the resources. I do know people that think all the fun is just setting out with cash in hand and following the road where ever it may lead, this is fine as long as you can handle lots of change.

Road trips are born out the need to get to your vacation destination, so I recommend considering an exciting part of the trip. Kids have short attention spans so having the right types of entertainment is crucial to having a pleasant drive.

With Gps units being so popular getting lost is not a major concern for most travelers, this does not mean you should travel without a map since if your Gps breaks you could be in some real trouble.

Be Prepared for disaster…………


I know plenty of people that travel without first aid kits or a basic set of tools, let me just say this is a terrible idea!


Even the best maintained car can break, most accidents you will ever have be involved are not your fault, and so be ready plain and simple.


Section II: Travel Lightly



The hardest part of packing is deciding when enough Is enough, your poor car can only handle so much weight so you will need to plan ahead of time and take only the necessary things for your vacation.

My wife and I are certainly guilty of over packing (its easy to do) the easiest way to avoid it is to pack early and check your children’s luggage.

A lot of kids will add their favorite everything if you do not watch them.
The other point I can make is make sure the toys, books Ect are something you can part with in the case of the tent flooding or being left outside overnight in the rain.

Trust me this happens all the time so if nothing else a good policing of your camp site before you call it a night can save your kids favorite teddy bear.

The coolest and easiest way that you can keep some order while camping is to have a designated toy tote , a separate totes keep everything clean, dry and of course organized( well to a point we are talking about kids here).


Section III: Mapping out success


  Kids love to push buttons when they get board so a test of patience will come your way sooner rather than later if your family is taking a long road trip. Car games like Punch buggy, Griswold, state plate games Ect. can provide some entertainment along the way to your destination. I recommend saving these games for later in the trip or after a pit stop.

Some basic safety ideas you can benefit from are :

  • Never let your kids use rest stop bathrooms without an adult
  • Lock your car
  • The buddy system rules
  • Make sure you let people know where you’re going and when you will return
  • Keep anything valuable out of sight or locked up
  • Be friendly, however be cautious of any one you do not know

Car safety that works

  • Make sure your spare is in good shape and inflated
  • You have a jack and tire iron
  • Maintenance is up to date before you road trip
  • You have an updated safety kit with flares, rope ECT.
  • Your inspection sticker is current (often over looked)
  • Does your Insurance cover you out of your home state
These are just some basics ideas I think will help you be prepared for the open road.

 




Bonus: Links an Ideas


Well every one like freebies and tips so that’s why I always try to include as much as I can in this section, and this month is no different so lets see what we have this month.

First some links to great sites:

LoveRVing.com
Useful recreational vehicle information from camping etiquette to choosing an RV, renting, joining an RV club or tour, volunteer & work opportunities, health & wellness, and pre-departure checklists.

Reserve Americas Directory
Plan your next trip with reserve America!

Rent an RV before you buy
Try RVing before you invest your hard earned money, Rent Today!

Learn all about Rv's !

Interesting product ideas:

Try this Eco friendly product:
Stop wasting water and polluting the environment with chemical run-off from traditional car washing. Use UltraLuster Waterless Car Wash and save the environment.

Need some education on Class C motor homes on  DVD?




Amazon store

National Parks

Home Page-Family fun camping

Website hosting - Site build it!

A final Word


My hope is that people take something away from reading this news letter so please contact me if you have questions or suggestions.

Scott


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