Day 14 and Final Day

Day 14: "Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving." - Terry Pratchett

Let the train wreck continue...lol

We got up and packed, as quiet as they have ever been, and we hit the road by 8am. We were slated to arrive at Niagara at 6p.
And then 6p became 8p.
And then 8p became 10p.
And at which point I said forget it, we are headed home.

Traffic continuously pushed our time back, and I was completely over paying tolls that are outrageously priced. And by the late afternoon, I think we all agreed that we would rather do Niagara right then try and fit it in, at night. Lots of lessons on this trip!

We stopped at Albany, NY, and I feel that Albany really, and very accurately, summarized our trip. This was one of the weirdest, most random cities I have ever been in. There was just about every type of architecture in this city - and it felt like a forced mash-up smorgasbord of crazy. So yes, accurately describing our trip haha!

(Albany, NY)

I have never seen anything quite like it.

We hopped back into the car and hunkered down for what would be the longest straight drive (with stops for naps) that we have made. We rolled in this morning at about 10:30a on fumes - in many ways. 27 hrs in the car. 27. And we all made it out alive.

Recap:

1481 miles

$187

Today's lessons:

1. I can sleep anywhere when properly motivated.

2. Budgets are hard.

3. Google Maps doesn't factor in traffic to their time. 

4. It will cost you $15 to go from Albany to Buffalo, and also $15 to cross a bridge in NY. Basically NY is really expensive to drive in.

5. States you have to pay tolls in: NY, OH. States you can drive through and pay later (or be billed): Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine.

Today's Song: "I'm So Tired" - The Beatles. So, so fitting at about 3am this morning.

Finals:

4,383 miles

$1686 (includes everything)

7 State Capital Buildings

1 Smithsonian Museum

1 National Park

Trip Lessons:

1. Make sure you know how to access your funds before you leave. I almost pulled a Winona Ryder from "Reality Bites".

2. Plan for tolls - lots of tolls.

3. We have decided that we can't start a trip at one place for a week and then venture - it was very difficult to do.

4. It's ok to skip. It's difficult, but it's ok.

5. Found $75 in Waukesha Tattoo gift cards in my glovebox while digging for cash. Getting new ink this week!! 

6. When traveling the Northeast, you need to pre-plan. And have specific destinations.

7. We spent more time in the car than out, I think (for week 2 anyway).

8. Have a budget, but have backup. Tight trips are difficult. And way less fun. And way more stress.

9. Mashing two trips together in a 5 day turnaround (shockingly) did not go as planned. But such is life, and we adapted, and we made decisions, and we did these things together. And we did just fine.

We had postponed our trip due to a tragedy that hit way too close to home and involved parents losing a child. And we left with very heavy hearts the day after the funeral, ready to be on the road. Our trip may not have gone anywhere near planned, but I will never regret spending that time with my kids. Life can change in an instant, and our time together is too short, and way too precious. And we get way too caught up during the school year with schedules, and sports, and general craziness that we try to make up for that time in the summer. There will never be enough time, so I am trying like hell to find a way to make it all count. I love watching them develop their very strong personalities - for better or for worse! And I cannot imagine a life that they are not a part of, as they bring so much life to everyone they meet.

I hope they will look back on these trips with fond memories, and not just of mom singing car karaoke amidst swearing at all other drivers (That's been known to happen. Frequently.) 

And I cannot wait to see what happens next.

Final Song: "I Shall Be Released" - Nina Simone and Janis Joplin
I'm sneaking that one in for Hayden (I've heard it a few times on his playlist, and I'm so glad that song has rubbed off on him! This link will go to the entire playlist - from Day 1- Day 14. Yes, I am a dork.

I'd like to end with one final quote. Thanks for following us on our Tour de East Trainwreck, and we will return next summer for several mini-blogs and we hit our Random States.

"And then there is the most dangerous risk of all - the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later." - Randy Komisar

Adventure is out there! 🎈