road trip

Travel – Packing for a Road Trip

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We start planning for a vacation months in advance, right up until the moment that we actually get in the car to leave. In the last twenty years or so, I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve traveled by plane or train. We drive everywhere. This gives us a road trip model that works about 90% of the time, and with three kids that’s pretty much works out to 100% more or less.

Some of the most important things for a successful road trip never even leave the car!

You needs will, of course, vary and change over time, but these are the things I really miss when I forget them:

  • Car air Freshener – I get mine at Bath and Body Works and only one kid complains about the smell.
  • Pop Socket Holder – I like the one that slides into the vent. It is great for following directions at a glance and not fumbling with your phone. Hands-free FTW!
  • Toll transponder suction cup holder – again, keeps it hands-free, and you’re not overcharged by the rental car company using theirs.
  • Car Charger Adapter – my new one has slots for both USB and USB-C.
  • Parking pass, if needed. I have a handicapped tag, but state parks and hotels have parking passes as well.
  • Umbrella – keep it within reach or else what’s the point of it?
  • Snacks – My family criticizes but I prefer resealable 20 oz. bottles rather than cans of soda. Favorite snack: Mini twist pretzels. Least favorite snack: Cheese puff and/or doodles – I think the reasons for  this one are obvious.
Air freshener, pop socket.
(c)2024
Points 1-5.
(c)2024

Eclipse Inspired

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In one week from today, North America will experience a total solar eclipse. The path will begin on the Pacific coast of Mexico at 11:07 a.m. PDT (2:07 EDT) and end at the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada at 5:16 p.m. NDT (3:46 EDT), crossing through several states and provinces of the United States and Canada. My husband has been very excited about this eclipse. I didn’t know how excited until a couple of weeks ago when he said he was going to drive two and a half hours to view it and would I like to come. We made plans and tried to get a hotel room in Syracuse. He always has a list of comic stores and places to visit all around the area, and so we made a plan for the weekend. Unfortunately, the hotels were way too expensive, so new plan. And a change of direction. Now, we’ll go to Plattsburgh. He checked out the comic stores (this is a thing for every trip we take, even visiting family) and I checked out the hotels. They were not too expensive. They were also not available. Not one hotel. They were all booked. What was the difference between Syracuse and Plattsburgh? Totality was my only guess. The amount of totality for Syracuse was 1 minute and 24 seconds while Plattsburgh’s amount of totality was 3 minutes and 33 seconds. Now what would we do?

Plot twist.

Montreal Canada is in the path of totality with a total viewing time of 1 minute and 51.8 seconds and it is only about an hour further north than Plattsburgh. And yes, there are hotels available, and they are significantly cheaper than Syracuse before factoring in the exchange rate.

For anyone considering this, just a reminder that you will need a passport to travel from the United States across the border into Canada, and according to the US Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol, the border will remain open although agents are expecting higher than normal traffic and delays should be expected.

The article also mentions that despite being legal in both Canada and New York state, marijuana may NOT be transported across the border. The municipality of Niagara on the Canadian side has already declared a state of emergency in preparation for the influx of what they believe will be one million visitors on top of their regular attendance in and around the Falls. Scrolling down to read the article, they offer a list of eight (useful) travel tips with their own links, so check that out.

Once you arrive at your eclipse viewing destination, remember the importance of eclipse glasses. They are special glasses that protect your eyes from the sun’s rays. Regular sunglasses are NOT safe during an eclipse. Do NOT look directly at the sun without special eclipse glasses. Many places are offering them for free, including libraries and (in New York) some Thruway rest areas. I bought mine for $2.49 at Staples.

Be aware of your surroundings. Act as though you would at any vacation destination. Keep your wallet in your front pocket, wear purses across your body, messenger bag style, don’t flash your cash, wear comfortable shoes, dress in layers, follow all laws and ordinances, and pay attention.

Here are some links to help plan your day for the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse:

Where & When (from NASA)

Great Information from National Eclipse

The Purkinje Effect

Total Solar Eclipse Safety

Observing the Sun Safely

Weather Forecast for the Eclipse

Best Places to See the Eclipse (from CBS)

Travel – Following in Susan B. Anthony’s Footsteps

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One year, on our way to Canada, we stopped in Rochester, New York. My boys wanted to visit a comic store (of course), and since we were in Rochester, I suggested we visit Susan B. Anthony’s gravesite (Section C, Plot 93). I wanted my daughter to see a symbol of one of the pioneers of suffrage and women’s right to vote. Especially because when I mentioned that she had been on the dollar coin, there was a little confusion and looking up the difference between the Anthony dollar and the Sacajawea one. Driving to Niagara Falls and the Canadian border, west on I-90, there are several signs for women’s history from Seneca Falls, NY (birthplace of women’s rights) to Auburn, NY (home of Harriet Tubman).

I’ve written before about Susan B. Anthony and suffrage. They can be found by searching my tags in the search bar to the left. Below find some places to visit related to Susan B. and women’s rights as well as the surrounding area.

There are no falls in Seneca Falls.

Susan B. Anthony’s gravesite can be found at the Mount Hope Cemetery. Frederick Douglass may also be found in his final resting place here.

National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House

Near her house is the Susan B. Anthony Park.

Women’s Rights National Historical Park

                Things to do there

National Women’s Hall of Fame – reopening in the spring

Spend 48 Hours in Seneca Falls (from the I Love NY site)

Also visit this online, virtual, “museum without walls”: National Women’s History Museum

And this online feature at the New York State Museum: Votes for Women: Celebrating New York’s Suffrage Centennial

Rochester Region Suffrage Timeline

Play Women’s Hall of Fame Solitaire

Finally, use the Freethought Trail to plan your journeys for the following (more available on the website):

                Women’s Rights Sites

                Women’s Suffrage Conventions Trail

     Susan B. Anthony Sites

                Seneca Lake Sites

Travel – Labor Day Weekend

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Labor Day weekend begins the day after tomorrow. Some people are returning home from their end of summer vacations, some are beginning their getaways. Our family is traditionally back by Labor Day weekend. This year we didn’t go away – car and house repairs made that cost prohibitive but we did manage to do an overnight trip that, to be honest, had its ups and downs. We’re spending this week of vacation getting together for dinner and mini-golfing at the end of the week, and then back to school and work for most of us. Middle child started college so he’s been attending classes while the rest of us have been sleeping late and eating potato chips for breakfast or something equally healthy!

New York has a vast amount of wonderful things to do and places to visit. I truly love living in New York. Even at the height of Covid, we were still able to travel within the state safely. Staying in a hotel and eating at restaurants, we felt very safe.

Here are a few of my recent recommendations:

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Travel – Scavenger Hunt

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​Last week, I shared Kids’ Travel Bags for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Today, I am offering some suggestions for one of those items in the bags: the scavenger hunt sheet. It is below the cut, and permission is granted to download and print it for your own use with your family.

One of the things the past seven years of Gishing has taught me is that there are many ways to interpret something. It’s allowed me to rethink my concept of the scavenger hunt for one thing. Rather than collect things only to get rid of them at the end, I’ve really incorporated the idea of re-purposing, finding and documenting, and being a force for good, whether that’s as a Good Samaritan, doing good deeds, or making the world better through my time, talent, and treasure, and of course through civic responsibility. All of those things will be different depending on the hunter’s perspective.

I planned a mini Scavenger hunt for my kids for our most recent vacation. This is not an easy task as they are somewhat spread out in age: 13, 14, and 22, as well as personality and tolerance for this sort of thing.

Some items were be for collection, although not many. Most were photos or videos and journaling. It was a lot of fun, and it kept them busy for our long drive. Hopefully, it will help in your Thanksgiving travels.

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November – Gratitude – Photo/Art

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Traveling to Vermont for Thanksgiving with family. (c)2018

Fireplace on a cold Thanksgiving night. (c)2018


Thanksgiving Dinner. (c)2018

50 – 12 – Air Horns

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My family drove everywhere. We’d load up the car the night before, get up and pile in the car to leave at 4am, still in our pajamas. After about four hours of driving, we’d stop for breakfast and put on real clothes, then continue on our way. We went to Canada, Pennsylvania, Florida, Virginia. There were three of us in the backseat, and going there was more room than coming back. Canada had the duty free shop and my parents smoked. Coming back from Florida, we were covered in cigarette cartons and oranges because the prices were so cheap down south.

We played car games, like keeping track of the states on the license plates, car colors, signs, some magnetic games, anything to keep us occupied and not touching each other or breathing on each other.

One thing that we always did when we were kids were to get the attention of the truck drivers. My Dad had a CB radio so we talked to them and when we got their attention in person, through the window, we’d pretend to pull the air-horn.

They copied us and returned the gesture only they blew their air-horns and the regular truck horn.

It was fantastic.

I don’t think they do that anymore. While we were driving to Niagara Falls a few weeks ago, we told our kids to do that. The one truck driver who saw them waved, which was pretty thrilling in itself.

We would also moo at any cows we passed by. I’m happy to saw our kids think we’re dorks, but it’s such a good memory, I wanted them to have it as well.