When I was in my early teens when my family and I heard an extremely close lightning strike. I think we were sitting outside and saw the lightning but didn't see where it hit
I looked over and realized it had struck a tree a few houses up
"The tree is on fire!" Mom, Dad, and myself ran downstairs; mom drove us up the road with shovels in the back and Dad and I hopped out
A couple neighbors showed up just about the same time as us. One had a blanket and was trying to beat it out which was working on the grass but it was fanning the flames that were already starting up the trunk. I had to tell them to stop and encouraged people to throw dirt on the trunk which thankfully worked
Please don't ask why no one had a fire extinguisher, I was young and I didn't think about it. Or maybe someone brought one but didn't deploy it. I think the immediacy of the situation led people to grab the tools they knew where they were and maybe people didn't think about using an extinguisher on nature?
Just be careful of the material you get. There are some that degrade over time. That said, I loved playing with bags of rubber bands when I was a kid. I'd stick my hands all the way in the bag and just squish them around. It feels great!
I have been under the impression (for a very long time) that habbo was defunct and I guess never decided to revisit that thought. Apparently it's still very much alive! I might need to actually check it out as I don't think I've ever played it
I'm glad nothing went awry. I was always skeptical about it because no one figured it out. It's crazy what we do especially as kids with our innocent bliss
That reminds me of a "game" kids would (try) to play when I was young at school. The kids would say to do just that "bend over, take a deep breath" and the other one would try to lift them up really quickly. I never saw it work. I guess you were supposed to pass out. Idk
Yes I did get a lot of good advice! I'm still working through it all really because some things were things I wouldn't have thought of myself. I do appreciate the time people took for helpful comments
We've got plenty of stops to make and all of them are going to be new to the other parties. The kiddo likes the screens but is also equally satisfied staring out the window. I know they'll both have their minds blown at the sights we'll be experiencing
And +1 in wholesome snacks and hydrating beverages
Those rest breaks absolutely add up no matter how quick you try to make them. Fortunately our major stops are in places large enough to have a store to top up snacks and water. There's two adults so we're swapping driving duties to lessen the load
Lol I have had a horrible experience with caffeine pills so I've sworn those off. I'll stop and stretch to reinvigorate myself. I learned myself a lesson after consuming too many nodoz and having a self inflicted panic attack
Lastly that site is really cool, thank you for the suggestion! We've got a lot of major stops planned but also some leeway for those impromptu side-of-the-road stops
I've been wary of that since I was a kid. I don't remember the title but I read a book where there was a kid helping his family in the fields and got extremely hot and tired. Someone brought out some cold water and before anyone could stop the boy he drank deeply and passed out. Reading that has stuck around for a few decades lol
But thank you! We'll bring beverages that are hydrating. The trip will take us through a variety of environments. The drier climates are some of the most beautiful but daunting journeys
Yeah we'll bring some physical books but I've got a kobo I use regularly and the kiddo has a kindle. But yes physical books have a unique presence about them and I can definitely tie memories to physical books, like where I was reading a certain scene. Not so much with an ereader
Yeah I can change a tire but thinking about it all I have is a donut. I've been wanting to get a true spare tire; now might be the time to invest in that
Yes thank you for the liquids tip. Definitely will bring a lot, and then a lot more. AAA is great if you have signal but fuck getting stranded without water. We don't really do soda anyways so we'll be avoiding sugary drinks and sticking with actual hydration
I get the sentiment. It's to keep the kiddo busy, but we're all avid gamers and being forced to take a trip we don't really want to. So I'm trying to keep it palatable for everyone
We're going to have a few very long days not including any extra stops we make and a lot of the landscape is frankly boring
Yeah, probably going over the top and as we actually start packing we'll realize how ridiculous it is and pare it back. I'm a chronic over packer because I make sure every scenario is covered and then not end up needing half
Yeah AAA is fantastic. It absolutely has paid for itself many times over. I just re-enrolled for the trip but I'll keep it after as well. I've just been putting it off for a long time. And don't forget the discounts that come with the membership!
Yes I just did this last week. Amusingly I had something that I asked "hypothetically, if I'm driving to state in the near future, would you recommend I take care of that now?"
Yes, I got my serpentine belt replaced and an oil change. My brakes are still in good shape. But they also did check everything out and I have another appointment next week to make sure the transmission is ok and get the AC looked at (diagnosticians were booked out until then)
Since tech seems to be what people are focusing on and not actual advice, the point of the trip is to bury my grandfather. I am fearful to fly in the US currently. We have to make this trip so we're making it as enjoyable as possible. I didn't feel like including that in the post because I didn't feel it was actually relevant
And I know I already replied to you , but I wanted it to really sink in
Thank you. Yes, the point is to go bury my grandfather. I didn't want to include that but fuck me for trying to get advice for a long trip. I did not think I'd be torn apart for "not being one with nature" for 50 hours
But sincerely, thank you for actually thinking for yourself ♥️
Edit: ok, torn apart is a bit of a stretch but I wish that wasn't what people focused on
Since tech seems to be what people are focusing on and not actual advice, the point of the trip is to bury my grandfather. I am fearful to fly in the US currently. We have to make this trip so we're making it as enjoyable as possible. I didn't feel like including that in the post because I didn't feel it was actually relevant
When I was in my early teens when my family and I heard an extremely close lightning strike. I think we were sitting outside and saw the lightning but didn't see where it hit
I looked over and realized it had struck a tree a few houses up
"The tree is on fire!" Mom, Dad, and myself ran downstairs; mom drove us up the road with shovels in the back and Dad and I hopped out
A couple neighbors showed up just about the same time as us. One had a blanket and was trying to beat it out which was working on the grass but it was fanning the flames that were already starting up the trunk. I had to tell them to stop and encouraged people to throw dirt on the trunk which thankfully worked
Please don't ask why no one had a fire extinguisher, I was young and I didn't think about it. Or maybe someone brought one but didn't deploy it. I think the immediacy of the situation led people to grab the tools they knew where they were and maybe people didn't think about using an extinguisher on nature?