We've talked about it for a few years, but finally pulled the trigger. In the spirit of Clark W. Griswold, my family of five just completed a near two-week road trip through the western United States, and I have ten observations that need to be shared.
1. A playlist of 200 songs is not enough.
The deal I foolishly made with my children before departing was that once my playlist concluded, I would hand over the auxiliary cord to them and allow them to DJ part of the journey. Just a tragic oversight in not doing the math before making the deal. Thankfully, none of my children like Taylor Swift.
2. Calling God a master artist is insultingly insufficient.
Go ahead, keep believing that something as bland as the Mona Lisa required a genius artist to compose but those picturesque coastlines of California, those flood-induced rock layers of the Grand Canyon, those stunning mountain waterfalls were all the product of random geologic chance. I know what Scripture teaches about prideful man suppressing truth in unrighteousness, but good grief.
3. The cost of visiting natural wonders isn't that much cheaper than theme park vacations.
I've heard it every time I've taken my family to a theme park: "Why spend so much money when you could drive out west and enjoy nature for free?!" You've got to be kidding me. A 90-minute horseback riding experience for the five of us in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, cost as much as a full day ticket to Disneyland for the five of us. Don't misunderstand, I'm so glad we took this trip, but just don't tell me it's cheap.
4. Those who fear overpopulation are clueless, probably due to a dangerous insularity.
I get that you are really persuaded by your college professor who is oh-so-smart, and I get that he's recommended plenty of reading that (surprise, surprise) validates what he thinks, but before you start advocating for population control measures out of fear that the world is dangerously overpopulated, please drive the state highways (not interstates) through the Dakotas, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Then we can chat.
5. People are so unique and yet fundamentally the same.
We started in Las Vegas. We walked the strip. We saw things I wish we hadn't seen. But there are so many people there that love the energy, excitement, and insomnia of the city. We spent time on a ranch in rural Wyoming. The people there love the isolation, anonymity, peace, and quiet of the country. Transplant either of those two groups into the environment of the other and it would be hilarious to watch. Yet, we all talked in the car about how that young showgirl in Vegas and that old ranch hand outside Casper have the same desperate need for Jesus. We all do.
6. It's 2024. I don't care if your hotel sits at 8,000 feet in elevation. Summers still get hot. You need air conditioning, and if you're not going to have it, advertise that and discount your rooms.
I don't think there's more explanation needed here. Charging a family $300 for the worst, most miserable, sweltering night's sleep (who am I kidding, we didn't sleep in our sweat) of their lives with the room temperature hitting its low at 90 degrees is just immoral.
7. Mount Rushmore needs a fifth.
Mount Rushmore in South Dakota is really an incredible monument and I'm sure gets decent traffic. But it should get more. There's a way to do that, and it's right there in the uncarved rock between Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. That spot is begging for Ronald Reagan's face. Sure, I think Coolidge, Polk, and Adams are more deserving, but they aren't well known these days. Reagan was the most recent, consensus "great" president. Put him up there.
8. It's really important not to snuff out the idealism and excitement of youth with adult cynicism.
The kids were all wide-eyed at so many things. My son felt so much patriotic fervor at Mount Rushmore. My middle daughter made a comment as we were driving through Idaho: "This really is an amazing country when you think about it." What a bad idea it would have been to have shared my opinions on the impending collapse of our republic, or to quash their optimism and hope. Kids need to learn from their parents, yes. But I was happy to let those moments persist without my wisdom ruining the day.
9. It's remarkable how much bad government has ruined the magnificence of California.
California is naturally incredible. Insanely beautiful ... but $100 every time you fill up your SUV with gas. Grocery and convenience stores have simple toiletries locked up behind glass, requiring assistance. Hotel managers warn you not to leave the room after 8 pm because of the burgeoning crime epidemic. Small bank loans are required to feed your family something other than fast food.
10. It's never a bad time to unplug.
The problems of the world will still be there tomorrow. The phone doesn't need to be checked right now. Take the time to look at what God has done in blessing you with the incredible creation in front of you, and with the precious family around you.
