Now that I've got Big Al on the case, YD and I can focus on the important part of our planning. What can we do that will get us selected as contestants on the Price is Right? Although the inspiration for this excursion was a Nationals Park Tour, what is quickly becoming the highlight and focus of our trip, ,before we even leave, is attending the Price is Right taping.
We know the personalities they are looking for, and in that respect, we are tailor-made. Hyperactive, overenthusiastic, noisy, demonstrative, etc. The question is, are we too normal? Caucasians from the East Coast. Duh. A dime a dozen. What's going to make us stand out? We definitely have to have custom t-shirts. What should they say? Should we have them professionally made, or make them ourselves? Crafts/artistic talents are not our strong points, to say the least. What can we do to secure a spot for one of us on contestants row?!?!?!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Planning - Part 2
OK, so much for the just unplanned, get-up-and-go, unscheduled, fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants trip, it's clear that unless we want to risk sleeping in the car (which, when we were driving from Phila and planning on bringing camping equipment, would have been an option), schedules, reservations, etc, are clearly needed.
Problem: the reason I never considered a career as a travel agent is, I don't find making reservations fun.
Solution: Call the expert. Travel agent, Big Al, everybody's pal. AKA: Big Daddy. AKA: My Daddy. So, I put Dad on the case. Reservations at/near the National Parks (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce). Reservations near the CBS studios in LA. Reservations in
Vegas. Reservations in Denver.
Sigh. And we wanted the freedom to just drive and see what we wanted to see and stop where we wanted to stop along with way, w/o being scheduled. Welcome to the real world.
Problem: the reason I never considered a career as a travel agent is, I don't find making reservations fun.
Solution: Call the expert. Travel agent, Big Al, everybody's pal. AKA: Big Daddy. AKA: My Daddy. So, I put Dad on the case. Reservations at/near the National Parks (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce). Reservations near the CBS studios in LA. Reservations in
Vegas. Reservations in Denver.
Sigh. And we wanted the freedom to just drive and see what we wanted to see and stop where we wanted to stop along with way, w/o being scheduled. Welcome to the real world.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Step 1- Planning
In a word, planning sucks. It started simply enough, an innocent conversation between mother and daughter where each discovers that the other harbors a yen for a cross-country road trip. YD has just graduated from college and has 5 months until her new job and entry into the real world starts. OM works as an independent contractor with a flexible schedule, and has the means for such a trip. Having never had the opportunity to do this at YD's age, OM is not passing up this opportunity, believe me.
The first thought, load up YD graduation gift, 2009 Prius, with a combination of shoes, flat-irons, make-up, and other personal grooming products, as well as hiking boots, tents, and other camping equipment (I told you we were schizophrenic in this way), and just take off and have an adventure. YD rattles off the places she wants to see, a taping of Oprah, the Mall of America, the Canadian Rockies, as many National Parks as possible, a friend in Northern Calif, a taping of the Price is Right, Vegas, spas in Utah, Texas, New Orleans, just to name a few.
No reservations, no set schedule, just hop in the car and go. Yeah, right.
The good news, this country is big and has so much to see. The bad news, this country is so friggin' big and has so much to see! After mapping out just a few of those options, it's clear that the month long time-line we have given ourselves is not nearly enough, unless we want to spend virtually all of time driving, and very little time actually seeing.
Time for Plan B. Since most of what we want to see is west of Mississippi, we will fly out west, rent a car and drive from there. Now we have a schedule. We have to book flights. We have to reserve a car. While I'm looking up reservations, ugh, so much for the fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants, trip, I decide to just check on openings in places we have designated as absolute requirements, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Parks, only to discover that the prime locations, if not all of the openings anywhere near, these places book a year or more in advance, as do the fun stuff, like the mule ride to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
Whatever happened to spontaneity? Obviously, it only applies to travel to places that no one wants to visit. Now we have to start planning.
So much for camping. Throwing equipment in the car was one thing, paying to check it for a flight is another. Oh well, not sure that was going to work anyway. As much as we want to commune with nature, we will rough it only so much. We both have a need to flush. If the accomodations, natural or otherwise, do not include the ability to flush, no thank you. I'd rather dig a hole in the woods than do the outhouse thing. That outhouse scene from Slumdog Millionaire still haunts me.
Let's see what we can do.....
The first thought, load up YD graduation gift, 2009 Prius, with a combination of shoes, flat-irons, make-up, and other personal grooming products, as well as hiking boots, tents, and other camping equipment (I told you we were schizophrenic in this way), and just take off and have an adventure. YD rattles off the places she wants to see, a taping of Oprah, the Mall of America, the Canadian Rockies, as many National Parks as possible, a friend in Northern Calif, a taping of the Price is Right, Vegas, spas in Utah, Texas, New Orleans, just to name a few.
No reservations, no set schedule, just hop in the car and go. Yeah, right.
The good news, this country is big and has so much to see. The bad news, this country is so friggin' big and has so much to see! After mapping out just a few of those options, it's clear that the month long time-line we have given ourselves is not nearly enough, unless we want to spend virtually all of time driving, and very little time actually seeing.
Time for Plan B. Since most of what we want to see is west of Mississippi, we will fly out west, rent a car and drive from there. Now we have a schedule. We have to book flights. We have to reserve a car. While I'm looking up reservations, ugh, so much for the fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants, trip, I decide to just check on openings in places we have designated as absolute requirements, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion National Parks, only to discover that the prime locations, if not all of the openings anywhere near, these places book a year or more in advance, as do the fun stuff, like the mule ride to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.
Whatever happened to spontaneity? Obviously, it only applies to travel to places that no one wants to visit. Now we have to start planning.
So much for camping. Throwing equipment in the car was one thing, paying to check it for a flight is another. Oh well, not sure that was going to work anyway. As much as we want to commune with nature, we will rough it only so much. We both have a need to flush. If the accomodations, natural or otherwise, do not include the ability to flush, no thank you. I'd rather dig a hole in the woods than do the outhouse thing. That outhouse scene from Slumdog Millionaire still haunts me.
Let's see what we can do.....
Prologue
The question is, can a 22-year-old daughter, Ray, (AKA young daugher, YD), and a 52-year-old mother, Jay, (AKA, old mother, OM), survive a month together in a car exploring this great country of ours without disowning and/or killing each other?
How will they reconcile their schizophrenic tendencies to want to camp, hike, and find the best National Park experience, with their tendencies to want to shop, spa, and find the best blow dry experience?
Most importantly, will they make it to the Showcase on the Price is Right?
Stay tuned for the answers to these and other pressing questions, by following along with us on our road trip.
How will they reconcile their schizophrenic tendencies to want to camp, hike, and find the best National Park experience, with their tendencies to want to shop, spa, and find the best blow dry experience?
Most importantly, will they make it to the Showcase on the Price is Right?
Stay tuned for the answers to these and other pressing questions, by following along with us on our road trip.
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