A Mother, a Toddler, a Fetus, a Toyota Prius, and 4500 miles.  Violet and I just returned from a month on the road.   I’ll call it Violet’s 2008 Tour of the Western United States. 

In efforts to flee the Arizona summer heat as well as boredom when friends and daddy were away, we took to the road.  Our plan was to begin by enjoying a comfortable condo in Lake Tahoe near some wonderful recreational facilities.  Nope, this was not primitive, transient living.  We had all we needed.  Nevertheless our cargo box contained a bike trailer, camping gear, rock climbing gear and swim diapers.  Other stops included a Grandparents in Eugene Oregon, a wedding in Seattle, Washington, and then a family vacation (with Daddy) in Montana.  We were on the road indefinitely with a varied itinerary. Oh, did I mention, I am pregnant?

As the caretaker, driver, cook, risk manager and medic, entertainer, grower of a new baby, and logistics planner of this expedition, my plate was full.  Luckily, I had help along the way.  Daddy, Grama, friends, and even a babysitter from back home played important and valuable roles in this trip.  The constant though, was me.    How did we do?  All things considered, great.  Here are some insights and illustrations.

1.  Get out of the car.  Another possible title for this expedition could be, The Great Western Playground Tour.  All driving was worked around nap times to ensure that Violet would not have to endure lucidly sitting helpless in her car seat any more than necessary.  She would sleep between one and a half to three hours at a shot.  When wearing my driver’s hat, this means 90 to 180 miles of ground covered.  Oftentimes, though, I needed to get to a further destination.  In these cases, the drives were broken up by stops at neighborhood playgrounds.  The good news is that every town we searched had a playground of some sort.  Most were even updated since the days of the metal merry-go-rounds and scorching hot steel slides.  In fact, we found some real gems.

It should be noted that the state of Utah wins my prize for the best parks.  There is an obvious focus on family fun in this state (for good reason).  My guess is that the priority in tax spending is quite different in Utah than in, for instance Arizona, where retirees are not budgeting for children.  With the three of us salivating at the sight, we spent an extra two hours in small town Kanab, Utah simply to await the opening of the city pool adorned with water slides and a lazy river.

On a much smaller scale, Libby, Montana’s elementary school should be congratulated for creativity with the trip’s one and only ‘roller slide’ – somewhat like a conveyer belt.  Violet loved it.  We saw extensive castles and water features growing out of woodchips, gravel and bits of rubber as creative foundations.   Options for playgrounds seem to be endless.

It should also be noted that creeksides, and grass fields are also great to unkink the kinks in weary travelers.  Violet was sometimes occupied longer in these natural areas than she was in the developed playgrounds.

2.  Get dirty.  It was wonderful to spend time with generous family and friends, and equally as nice to feel the comforts of home (even someone elses’).  Nevertheless, one stressor for mom was kid management in the clean, kid-free houses along our route.  Arriving in Montana and breaking out the camping gear was a relief.  Sure, spill your food, pee on the ground, throw sticks and rocks!  Violet was relieved to be able to be a kid while I was relieved to let her.  Hosts may say that their house is ready for a toddler, and they may even mean it.  That does not reduce the level to which a conscientious mother hovers over potential messes and noises.  Give yourself a break.  Enjoy some good ol’ public lands – outside.  Of course leave no trace, but have fun!

3.  Get organized.  Violet and I, (and daddy or grama) were sharing our nations highways with many an RV, Suburban or Expedition well stocked for their summer adventures.  Some were pulling auxiliary vehicles, some were loaded down with additional freight on top.  Clearly they were all GOING to have fun.  We were in a compact Prius and packed to travel for 5 whole weeks.  Though we impressed friends with what we had hidden away in the back or in our cargo box, we still had to stay on top of the gear to stay sane.  Compartmentalize.  Keep all parts of camping equipment together.  For instance make sure that the full fuel bottle is near the stove and that a lighter is packed with the stove.  If you are not going to use a 54 pack of diapers in the time you spend in one place, pack the bulk of them out of the way (cargo box possibly).  Your car’s layout is important too.  When a solo adult, I needed to have snacks, drinks and a toy or two in arms reach from the driver’s seat to keep Violet happy.  Positioning her car seat in the center made her more accessible too.  Some protein snack nearby was good for staving off nausea in the pregnant driver as well.  A washcloth and/or receiving blanket was also helpful for quick wiping of spills.  Do your self a favor at the start of each leg of the trip and repack the bits and pieces that make it out of their bags or boxes.  The fewer trips into your hotel, house, or tent the better when you are also toting an inquisitive toddler.

Here is a partial list of our stuff:

Tent, sleeping bags and pads

Stove, pot set, unbreakable child dishes

Headlamps

Swimming diapers and PFD

7 story books and 2 puzzles

Two favorite stuffed toys

‘Pack and play’ crib

Small potty (yes, she is doing it)

Umbrella stroller

A Golden Eagle pass for National Parks

Ice chest with necessary foods for an allergenic kid

Naturopathic remedies, Tylenol and Benedryl