Master Packer Junior

We packed it all up again are headed north to Amarillo.  Speaking of packing, it is time to discuss my packing strategies and techniques for this trip.  Many have asked, “how in the world do you pack for two months?”  I, normally not a light packer, have done so with room to spare! How you ask?  Well let me tell you.

There were several key components:  milk crates, plastic bins, and packing cubes.  Now someone in our household was pretty skeptical of these packing cubes, but you better believe that someone is now a believer.  I packed clothes for 14 days, including warm weather and cold weather items, bathing suits, exercise clothes, and shoes.  I packed all these items for each family member for 14 days in (get ready for this) ONE suitcase each!!! I love packing cubes.  I also discovered rolling clothes to save space.  Another beauty of the packing cubes is for longer stays, you simply take the whole pack and throw it in a drawer for the week.  It makes it so much easier to find what you need.

 

In the car we have six milk crates stacked behind the girls' seats with things that we may need for the trip but not for every stop.  For the short stops, we each take in our suitcase and a bag each.

Mimi and Papa bought a new prized possession for James: a Yeti cooler.  I’m still not sure I get what is so great about a Yeti (I’m thinking they should actually make beer for how much they cost), but it has been wonderful taking some perishables along with us and, most importantly, ice cold diet coke!

The girls have a complete entertainment center between their seats.  I used stackable bins to store their things.  I have two large ones on the bottom and smaller ones on the top that slide back at forth.  I also made them trays that I saw on Etsy.  I wasn’t about to spend $50.00 for one, so I made my own.  Plus it gave me a great excuse to modge-podge for the first time! 

I must say I am pretty impressed with my packing abilities for this trip!

Back to today.  We intended to leave San Antonio early, but did not end up rolling out until about 9:00.  We made it through a very slow Chick-Fil-A line for breakfast.  We were all set to get trucking only to come to a halting stop in traffic.  We crept for about an hour and finally got moving.  And when I say moving, I mean moving!  80 MPH speed limit!!

A little traffic doesn't bother us - we are on sabbatical!

We soon were driving through beautiful hills above San Antonio.  I knew we would see some amazing landscapes this trip, but wasn’t expecting them so soon.  The drive through Texas today was beautiful.  For hours we were on a two-way highway surrounded by miles and miles of fields, trees, and pastures.  Parts were truly breathtaking.  We have seen mesas, plateaus, fields of sunflowers, fields of enormous windmills, oil rigs, small towns, and so much more.

Fields with bales of hay for miles and miles

This picture doesn't do these windmills justice.  They were huge and oddly beautiful.

Check out this gravel highway.  No lines, no shoulders.  Speed limit: 75mph!!!

The girls were once again great riders.  Today they watched the first of the three Star Wars prequels (thank you, Jon Frye).  Lily is making bracelets on the soft side of her "Taryn-made" Etsy tray, and SE is crafting on the hard side.  

We rolled into Amarillo around 6:00.  Trey Hamilton recommended that we eat at Hoffbrau Steaks while in Amarillo.  A perfect suggestion - it was within walking distance from our hotel, and it was delicious!  We were all stuffed, but felt we really did deserve a chocolate brownie and banana pudding for dessert after so much riding all day.

My favorite quotes of the day came from my husband:

“Anyone who worries about overpopulation needs to drive from San Antonio to Amarillo.”

When discussing the Gulf of Mexico not having tide swings: "It's kind of like a fake ocean."

While sitting in gridlocked traffic and after having two motorcycles pass us on the shoulder:  "It's times like these when you wish we had all driven motorcycles this summer."