Driving 6000 Miles for the Magic: A Miracle Trip
- Thread starter eternaldisneyfan
- Start date
As god is my witness I will NEVER EVER complain about lugging my 2 kids and their strollers, car seats and luggage around .....!
you guys are AMAZING!!
your dad - I want him to come live with me! what a guy,
your mum - what a star to drive all that way
and for you, your sister and grandma ...... for all of us who use excuses to say life's too hard and difficult to accomplish things - all we need do is read this trip report and sit back in admiration and be humble.
hope you had a FANTASTIC time, loving the report and I hope Disney was everything you always wished it would be
you guys are AMAZING!!
your dad - I want him to come live with me! what a guy,
your mum - what a star to drive all that way
and for you, your sister and grandma ...... for all of us who use excuses to say life's too hard and difficult to accomplish things - all we need do is read this trip report and sit back in admiration and be humble.
hope you had a FANTASTIC time, loving the report and I hope Disney was everything you always wished it would be
chiefdragon
DIS Veteran
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Awesome TR....Your dad is an amazing man, but so is everyone else in your family.
SaratogaShan
DIS Veteran
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- Jun 7, 2004
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Great trip report! What an amazing family that you have! 
Joanna71985
<marquee><font color=green>Characters are my frien
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Your parents sound like awsome people.
Can't wait to read more.
Can't wait to read more./
You and your Family are amazing 
Can't wait for the next installment 
eternaldisneyfan
<font color=royalblue>Have an Attitude of Gratitud
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A big thank you to everyone who is reading and especially those posting!
eyeheartgoofy: The driving definitely stressed Mom out, especially with all the construction and 'walls of death' (barriers)
ellindea: Well nice to see you. I often thought of the song? I will go the distance, too. I have always loved that song anyway. It is also in Wishes.
hrsmom, chiefdragon, tkd lisa, SaratogaShan, Joanna71985, nts4wdw, GoofyFan1: Thank you for your kind remarks on my family and writing
islandmum:
Thank you for your kind remarks. The best things in life always take effort.
jlcd: Wow was uttered with many different inflections during the trip- amazement, anger, sarcasm...
Okay. Without further ado...the next chapter...
eyeheartgoofy: The driving definitely stressed Mom out, especially with all the construction and 'walls of death' (barriers)
ellindea: Well nice to see you. I often thought of the song? I will go the distance, too. I have always loved that song anyway. It is also in Wishes.
hrsmom, chiefdragon, tkd lisa, SaratogaShan, Joanna71985, nts4wdw, GoofyFan1: Thank you for your kind remarks on my family and writing
islandmum:
Thank you for your kind remarks. The best things in life always take effort.jlcd: Wow was uttered with many different inflections during the trip- amazement, anger, sarcasm...
Okay. Without further ado...the next chapter...
eternaldisneyfan
<font color=royalblue>Have an Attitude of Gratitud
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2004
- Messages
- 774
We headed out of Winslow, Arizona (an official Route 66 town, by the way) and had a goal of getting to Amarillo, Texas. This is me, very happy to still be on the way and getting out of the elevation:
Now one of the tricky parts of this part of the trip was that the stop for the night had to be carefully planned. We did not want to sleep at a city over 5000 feet due to respiratory problems. Albuquerque, New Mexico and Amarillo, Texas were the only towns under 5000 feet. Albuquerque was only 3-5 hours away and if we stopped there we would definitely be another day late to Florida. But once we passed Albuquerque we were committed to Amarillo, no matter how long it took.
The elevation bothered me a bit more on this day. Both the RV and my body were complaining when we climbed. But it was tolerable and it was for Disney. Hardships are much easier to tolerate when you’re striving for a worthwhile goal.
The sights were the same-mountains and lovely, gravity defying rock formations. We did pass the Painted Cliffs which were beautiful. It looked like someone took a paintbrush and splashed random colors on the cliff and then blended them seamlessly together.
We were through Albuquerque about 1ish and the push for Texas began. Now the RV was always active between bathroom trips, breathing treatments, ventilators, oxygen, and feeding people. For entertainment purposed- Disney Trivia and I believe Danielle and I watched the Lion King. So since we were committed to Amarillo Dad started calling for reservations around 3 PM. Plenty of time…right???
Well after six major hotels (Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Best Western, Holiday Inn, Economy Inn) were booked we began to wonder. Desperation setting in, Dad asks us to think of hotel brands- Ramada…booked, Red Roof Inn…booked, La Quinta…not one in Amarillo, Marriott-too expensive!! We were beginning to think we would be stuck in Joe Blow’s Motel when I remembered Microtel Inn and Suites. I hadn’t mentioned it before because something in the back of my mind said it was not a good hotel for our family. Nevertheless, it was a hotel. After a few tense minutes we had two rooms side by side on the second floor.
“Oh, not the second floor that will mean extra load time.” Mom groans.
“Do they have a working elevator?” I asked, remembering Travelers Inn.
“Yes…That’s all they had and we’re lucky we got that because there’s a Jehovah Witness convention.” Dad grumbles.
We all laugh a little, recalling conventions we ran into on previous road trips.
Our family is no stranger to road trips. Dad had a good job when I was young, Make-A-Wish paid for one, Mom and Dad's lab jobs at college another, and the school helped pay for one (details to follow).
When we lived in Oklahoma (until summer of 2002), we drove to Orlando twice as a family (me, Danielle, Dad, Mom, Grandma, and my brother-Robert). Those trips had adventures, too. The one that is most told is the cheese whiz story. We had a can of cheese whiz and Robert decided to poke a hole in the compressed air can. Then Robert stuck it in my face, “Feel the air Christamae?”
“Stop it! Don’t do that! Get away!”
“What’s going on back there?” Mom asks.
“Robby’s sticking the can of cheese whiz that he poked a hole in-in front of my face and it’s blowing on me!”
“Robert [insert full name] did you poke hole in that can?” mom asks her voice rising in anger and panic.
“Yes...but”
“Danny, pull over-- pull over! We have to get rid of that can—it’s a ticking bomb!!”
Rather nonchalantly, Dad pulls over and deposits the can in a trash bin by a gas pump. I know, a brilliant spot to discard of a bomb.
Mom then launches into a lecture of common sense and safety.
Dad says his classic-Nothing happened.
To which mom replies her classic-No but it could’ve.
Despite this adventure, this was far from our last road trip. Danielle’s wish trip was a road trip. We drove all over the Western United States seeing The Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon, toured San Francisco area with my Aunt Ramona and cousin Amber (Pier 39, FAO Schwartz, Golden Gate Park & the science museum, the zoo, Hard Rock Café, Muir Woods, Yosemite, Body ghost town, and visited with other relatives), Yellowstone, broke down at Motel 7, Salt Lake City Temple Square, and Dinosaur National Monument.
When I qualified my Original Oratory to the National Forensics League (NFL- yes, I can honestly say I was in the NFL
), we had to drive to North Carolina. And hey, since the school was paying for gas, food, and hotel for my Dad and I, we left a little early with the family (Dad, Mom, Danielle, me, and Grandma) for a side trip to Disney World. 
We also drove to California Thanksgiving of 2001 to scope out houses and visit with Aunt Ramona and Amber (cousin). And then the great move to California summer of 2002. My cousin Shayna also came on that trip since her Dad lives in California.
Oh, there were some funny moments. As we were leaving Texas, Shayna says, “Darn it I really wanted to see a Tumbleweed.”
Just as the words left her mouth, a tumbleweed smashes into the front window getting caught in the windshield wipers.
To this day, Shayna still has a piece of the Tumbleweed in her journal...Trying to find a hotel at midnight-Dad screaming about “just wanting to find a place to rest his sorry head” to a Marriot hotel person. Driving around crazily while Shayna, Danielle, and I are laughing about getting arrested-really giddy. Ah, memories...
Oh, yes, conventions. On two separate Disney World trips we ran into conventions. A-get this- pig callers convention/contest
and a psychic convention. 
In the words of my mom, “we should have known.”
Anyhoo, we are no strangers to travel. We get to Amarillo at a decent time. The sign Amarillo-the two L’s cowboy boots-welcomes us. The Microtel desk person welcomes us, too, “Hi-I hope y’all enjoy yer stay.” Ah, I had forgotten the accent.
Once we saw the rooms that wary thought I had was confirmed. These are really small rooms. It is literally a microhotel. After mom got upstairs, Dad had to take her wheelchair back to the RV because there simply was not room. Definitely not $275 worth of space (2 rooms). But it was a place to sleep. And after 4 hours of equipment set up, sleep we did.
Up next (Tuesday May 1): Broken equipment... just keep swimming-we are over halfway there!
Broken equipment...just keep swimming-we're over halfway there!- Page 5, Post #68
Now one of the tricky parts of this part of the trip was that the stop for the night had to be carefully planned. We did not want to sleep at a city over 5000 feet due to respiratory problems. Albuquerque, New Mexico and Amarillo, Texas were the only towns under 5000 feet. Albuquerque was only 3-5 hours away and if we stopped there we would definitely be another day late to Florida. But once we passed Albuquerque we were committed to Amarillo, no matter how long it took.
The elevation bothered me a bit more on this day. Both the RV and my body were complaining when we climbed. But it was tolerable and it was for Disney. Hardships are much easier to tolerate when you’re striving for a worthwhile goal.
The sights were the same-mountains and lovely, gravity defying rock formations. We did pass the Painted Cliffs which were beautiful. It looked like someone took a paintbrush and splashed random colors on the cliff and then blended them seamlessly together.
We were through Albuquerque about 1ish and the push for Texas began. Now the RV was always active between bathroom trips, breathing treatments, ventilators, oxygen, and feeding people. For entertainment purposed- Disney Trivia and I believe Danielle and I watched the Lion King. So since we were committed to Amarillo Dad started calling for reservations around 3 PM. Plenty of time…right???
Well after six major hotels (Comfort Inn, Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Best Western, Holiday Inn, Economy Inn) were booked we began to wonder. Desperation setting in, Dad asks us to think of hotel brands- Ramada…booked, Red Roof Inn…booked, La Quinta…not one in Amarillo, Marriott-too expensive!! We were beginning to think we would be stuck in Joe Blow’s Motel when I remembered Microtel Inn and Suites. I hadn’t mentioned it before because something in the back of my mind said it was not a good hotel for our family. Nevertheless, it was a hotel. After a few tense minutes we had two rooms side by side on the second floor.
“Oh, not the second floor that will mean extra load time.” Mom groans.
“Do they have a working elevator?” I asked, remembering Travelers Inn.
“Yes…That’s all they had and we’re lucky we got that because there’s a Jehovah Witness convention.” Dad grumbles.
We all laugh a little, recalling conventions we ran into on previous road trips.
Our family is no stranger to road trips. Dad had a good job when I was young, Make-A-Wish paid for one, Mom and Dad's lab jobs at college another, and the school helped pay for one (details to follow).
When we lived in Oklahoma (until summer of 2002), we drove to Orlando twice as a family (me, Danielle, Dad, Mom, Grandma, and my brother-Robert). Those trips had adventures, too. The one that is most told is the cheese whiz story. We had a can of cheese whiz and Robert decided to poke a hole in the compressed air can. Then Robert stuck it in my face, “Feel the air Christamae?”
“Stop it! Don’t do that! Get away!”
“What’s going on back there?” Mom asks.
“Robby’s sticking the can of cheese whiz that he poked a hole in-in front of my face and it’s blowing on me!”
“Robert [insert full name] did you poke hole in that can?” mom asks her voice rising in anger and panic.
“Yes...but”
“Danny, pull over-- pull over! We have to get rid of that can—it’s a ticking bomb!!”
Rather nonchalantly, Dad pulls over and deposits the can in a trash bin by a gas pump. I know, a brilliant spot to discard of a bomb.
Mom then launches into a lecture of common sense and safety.
Dad says his classic-Nothing happened.
To which mom replies her classic-No but it could’ve.
Despite this adventure, this was far from our last road trip. Danielle’s wish trip was a road trip. We drove all over the Western United States seeing The Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon, toured San Francisco area with my Aunt Ramona and cousin Amber (Pier 39, FAO Schwartz, Golden Gate Park & the science museum, the zoo, Hard Rock Café, Muir Woods, Yosemite, Body ghost town, and visited with other relatives), Yellowstone, broke down at Motel 7, Salt Lake City Temple Square, and Dinosaur National Monument.
When I qualified my Original Oratory to the National Forensics League (NFL- yes, I can honestly say I was in the NFL
), we had to drive to North Carolina. And hey, since the school was paying for gas, food, and hotel for my Dad and I, we left a little early with the family (Dad, Mom, Danielle, me, and Grandma) for a side trip to Disney World. We also drove to California Thanksgiving of 2001 to scope out houses and visit with Aunt Ramona and Amber (cousin). And then the great move to California summer of 2002. My cousin Shayna also came on that trip since her Dad lives in California.
Oh, there were some funny moments. As we were leaving Texas, Shayna says, “Darn it I really wanted to see a Tumbleweed.”
Just as the words left her mouth, a tumbleweed smashes into the front window getting caught in the windshield wipers.
To this day, Shayna still has a piece of the Tumbleweed in her journal...Trying to find a hotel at midnight-Dad screaming about “just wanting to find a place to rest his sorry head” to a Marriot hotel person. Driving around crazily while Shayna, Danielle, and I are laughing about getting arrested-really giddy. Ah, memories... Oh, yes, conventions. On two separate Disney World trips we ran into conventions. A-get this- pig callers convention/contest
and a psychic convention. In the words of my mom, “we should have known.” Anyhoo, we are no strangers to travel. We get to Amarillo at a decent time. The sign Amarillo-the two L’s cowboy boots-welcomes us. The Microtel desk person welcomes us, too, “Hi-I hope y’all enjoy yer stay.” Ah, I had forgotten the accent.
Once we saw the rooms that wary thought I had was confirmed. These are really small rooms. It is literally a microhotel. After mom got upstairs, Dad had to take her wheelchair back to the RV because there simply was not room. Definitely not $275 worth of space (2 rooms). But it was a place to sleep. And after 4 hours of equipment set up, sleep we did.
Up next (Tuesday May 1): Broken equipment... just keep swimming-we are over halfway there!
Broken equipment...just keep swimming-we're over halfway there!- Page 5, Post #68
meeskamouska
<marquee><font color=blue>Doesn't go with jelly</m
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This is an amazing trip report. I have driven that strech from CA to Albuquerque numerous times and I always have that look of dispair I see in your mother's eyes!!! It is excessively winding and in an RV I bet she thought you guys would tip right over!! Can't wait to read more of this.
Goofyluver
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Subscribing!!!!
Goofyluver
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OMGosh...this is an awesome TR and you are an awesome person. Glad you got to travel through our state!!!!!
Sorry you couldn't stay in Abq.---my mother lives there and it's great!!!
Sorry you couldn't stay in Abq.---my mother lives there and it's great!!!
This trip report is great, loving reading it. I'm so impressed with your writing skills, mad skillz baby! I am subscribing and waiting patiently for the next installment.
I must say the "The colored dirt state" is so right on, cracked me up!!!
here's some of this
from all of us, looking forward to more.
I must say the "The colored dirt state" is so right on, cracked me up!!!
here's some of this
from all of us, looking forward to more.-
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