tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88317635547700462172011-04-09T19:19:50.526-07:00Traveling America One State at a TimeScattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-2800999815759418152010-03-11T18:50:00.001-08:002010-03-11T19:15:42.076-08:002010-03-11T19:15:42.076-08:00

This poor, poor, neglected little blog of mine is being buried under all the writing about food and everyday life. Well, I'm going to try to change that in the coming months.Did you know that we are gearing up for Road Trip 2010?!?The hotels are booked, the entertainment is reserved, and we are well on our way to have some all out fun!The trip is much like last year, since we enjoyed ourselves

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-82131407723972945672009-07-31T09:47:00.000-07:002010-05-29T11:40:59.481-07:002010-05-29T11:40:59.481-07:00

$109/night (2009) for a double queen room with a fridge, microwave, and breakfast included.Why you should stay here:This hotel appears to be one of the better ones in Omak, and is right on the highway. There are some stores like Wal Mart and Home Depot nearby, plus a Starbucks and some fast food places.What could be better:The front desk has had it's problems. In 2008 I was quoted 1 price at

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-36869285537055317952009-07-24T04:00:00.000-07:002009-11-17T09:36:43.432-08:002009-11-17T09:36:43.432-08:00

During the three weeks we were on the road, we ate at restaurants. LOTS of restaurants. These were our favorites:1. Greg's Grill Bend, OregonOne evening while Hubs relaxed in the hotel, Jake and I walked through the Old Mill District in Bend. We strolled along the river, watched the ducks and the people paddling down the Deschutes, and then we caught a whiff of something amazing.What did I

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-45227710725872591692009-07-21T11:59:00.002-07:002009-11-17T09:53:39.641-08:002009-11-17T09:53:39.641-08:00

Front entrance + (4+ cars)$129/ night (July 2009) for a deluxe double queen room with a fridge, microwave, and breakfast included.Why you should stay here:There are so many reasons that I'll have to do this in point form, so here goes.-Classier atmosphere. Everything is impeccable, from the classical music playing in the lobby, to how clean it is, and the really professional staff. The

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-18953703515800888902009-07-21T11:59:00.001-07:002010-05-29T12:03:08.045-07:002010-05-29T12:03:08.045-07:00

$152/night (senior rate 2009) for double queen suite, with a fridge, microwave, breakfast includedWhy You Should Stay Here:This hotel has lots of great qualities!-Location is the best in Moab. It's situated right downtown where you can walk to stores, restaurants, and the tourism center quite easily. When it's 104 F you don't want to have to drive.-Nice pool area..while you do have to watch

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-24774730147388365512009-06-20T04:00:00.000-07:002009-06-22T11:59:52.107-07:002009-06-22T11:59:52.107-07:00

There is something to be said about a good train ride. The wind in your hair, the scenery, the whistle, it's all very romantic.We've been on numerous train rides in our travels, but so far nothing compares to the 1880's Train in Hill City, South Dakota.We boarded in Hill City, ready for adventure."Mom, it's just like the train in Harry Potter!"We meandered through the hills, past grazing deer,

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-64949697478277700952009-06-13T04:00:00.000-07:002009-06-14T11:10:53.632-07:002009-06-14T11:10:53.632-07:00

"Mom, you mean there are actual ruins? Really?" Ten year old Jake was bouncing around in the car. "And we get to SEE them?"Cliff Palace"Yep. We're going on a tour, even."Mesa Verde National Park, located in southern Colorado, makes the top three in my personal list of best US National parks (that I've visited). When we researched, I wasn't sure what we'd find because they just make those

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-2241988409764507472009-06-07T21:07:00.001-07:002009-06-07T21:08:08.717-07:002009-06-07T21:08:08.717-07:00

Hell's Revenge, originally uploaded by Scatteredmom.A few years ago we got our first taste of crawling the slickrock and have been hooked ever since!

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-20527707742135475532009-06-07T20:54:00.000-07:002009-06-07T21:03:51.157-07:002009-06-07T21:03:51.157-07:00

You may have noticed in my feed that I'm uploading pictures. That's correct! I got my scanner working and have been scanning and loading up all sorts of awesome photos to Flickr from past road trips, mainly Road Trip 2006.Lots more stuff to come!

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-10133239026164699762009-05-31T04:00:00.000-07:002009-05-31T04:00:00.774-07:002009-05-31T04:00:00.774-07:00

Got a kid who is into paleontology? Are you fans of the movie "Ice Age?" If so, then you can't miss the Mammoth Site in Hot Springs, South Dakota. When Hubs first suggested this place, I wasn't sure. For some reason I thought it would be lame, but when we arrived, I was captivated. A real dig site? With people actually...uh...digging? Wow! We paid and then poked around the gift shop while

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-28751050737998580092009-05-24T04:00:00.000-07:002009-05-24T11:47:23.260-07:002009-05-24T11:47:23.260-07:00

One of the stops along our road trip last year was to the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, and the Lava River Cave. If you have kids who are interested in geology and enjoy hiking, this is an interesting experience.Located just outside of Bend, Oregon, you can easily explore the tubes by a rough dirt path. It's really dark, so make sure to pick up a lantern for about $3. For kids, I'd

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-68806671174399120452009-05-17T22:21:00.000-07:002009-05-17T22:23:33.640-07:002009-05-17T22:23:33.640-07:00

Update for 2009: We are going back to Rapid City this summer and I made Hubs promise that there will be NO STORM CHASING on Road Trip 2009. I'm just sayin'."Hey you know, those clouds are looking a bit nasty," my brow was furrowed as I looked out the window at the gathering black clouds. We'd seen some thunderstorms while we've been on holidays, but this was different. The sky was a weird

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-44876808376934848852009-04-18T04:00:00.000-07:002009-04-18T04:00:00.949-07:002009-04-18T04:00:00.949-07:00

For the eight years we lived on Vancouver Island, we always intended to visit Qualicum Beach, but for some reason, it rarely happened. Oh sure, we drove there a few times and poked around the town, and when we had a plane we discovered that the airport has really amazing pie.With all our good intentions, we just never got around to actually visiting the beach; that is, until one day where I

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-87171499811628027292009-04-10T04:00:00.000-07:002009-04-10T19:56:06.869-07:002009-04-10T19:56:06.869-07:00

I'll never forget the day we discovered Miracle Beach. Having moved to Vancouver Island just months before with a one year old baby, I didn't realize that a piece of heaven was literally just 20 minutes away.One spring day, out for a drive, we followed a road off the highway, and came to a provincial park. We thought a nice walk might do us good, so we packed Jake down a short forest trail, not

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-88338756518294309332009-04-04T10:48:00.000-07:002009-04-04T12:58:11.328-07:002009-04-04T12:58:11.328-07:00

Ah, Road Trip 2008. Where we happily were "shaken, not stirred" as we bounced in a rented jeep through the trails near Moab, Utah.This 4x4 trail, named "Chicken's Corners", follows the Colorado River and ends with a great view of Thelma and Louise point. You know, in the end when the girls drive a car off the cliff? That's where it was filmed. At first we thought this part of the trail was

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-53890195723566256072009-03-19T09:05:00.000-07:002009-03-19T11:42:51.877-07:002009-03-19T11:42:51.877-07:00

Also posted at Notes from the Cookie JarOkay, so you've mapped out your destination, done your research, and now you're ready to roll. You just gotta start packing. I suppose there are different methods to packing; mine is to make a list.And then lose it.So I make another list, probably losing that one too.Seriously, I finally put the list on the computer so I could just print it out. What you

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-27812604625517697052009-03-18T20:49:00.001-07:002009-11-17T09:27:13.056-08:002009-11-17T09:27:13.056-08:00

After road tripping more then 24,000 kms through 13 states and 2 provinces, we've learned a thing or two! 1. Research, research, researchSo you want to go on a road trip, but what's the best route? Before we decide, we do a little research. Websites such as Road Trip America and NSBP are great if you are going south of the Canadian border. We also visit the tourism site for each state/

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-68759159158817961492009-03-18T20:19:00.000-07:002009-03-18T20:20:08.140-07:002009-03-18T20:20:08.140-07:00

"Where are you going this summer?" This is probably the most asked question we get. Now that people know we road trip, they all want to know destinations."Um...let's see...Utah, Washington, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon....""And you're driving?""Yes.""Camping?""Oh good lord, no. I'm not a camping girl," It's true. I'm not. When it comes to the camping gene, that obviously skipped me.

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-11251508129693383012009-03-15T04:00:00.000-07:002010-05-29T12:05:03.489-07:002010-05-29T12:05:03.489-07:00

Fairfield Inn, Roswell New Mexico$139 a night (2008) for a 2 Queen, non smoking room, breakfast included.Amenities: pool, great laundry facilities, good breakfast, free coffee, fast guest computer.This hotel is located sort of in the middle of Roswell's main strip, between the old part of town and the newer developments. There is a Starbucks just a few doors over and two restaurants right

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-5228864518074290142009-03-06T16:41:00.000-08:002009-03-18T20:34:47.388-07:002009-03-18T20:34:47.388-07:00

Going to Sea World, San Diego? Buy your tickets online and get TWO days for the price of ONE!Go here for details.

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-91077618201976167842009-03-05T21:52:00.000-08:002009-03-18T20:43:46.492-07:002009-03-18T20:43:46.492-07:00

I've posted before about how we plan ahead; research, plan, and then reserve all those hotels and tour operators that we plan to visit long before the actual trip, just so that everything is good to go. Especially in places that may be somewhat busy, you know?Like Moab, Utah for instance.I would think that in small towns such as Moab, the hotels and the tour operators would be tripping over

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-34777988051959123312009-03-05T04:00:00.000-08:002009-07-27T10:32:57.259-07:002009-07-27T10:32:57.259-07:00

Hampton Inn Layton, Utah (4 cars)$119 a night (2008/2009) for a Double Queen, non smoking suite with a fridge and a microwave.Amenities: Nice indoor pool and spa, workout room, breakfast buffet included. Coffee always on, fresh cookies nightly. There's a manager's reception 3 days a week, and a Wii night for kids! There is also a laundry room and a business area, with two computers. The

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-89138044930057993532009-02-28T04:00:00.000-08:002009-03-18T20:45:52.963-07:002009-03-18T20:45:52.963-07:00

Last summer, while researching for Road Trip 2008 we came across rave reviews for the High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon. Our family can't resist a great museum, so we made sure to pay a visit!Like seeing outdoor exhibits? There was so much to see and do as we explored the native encampment, homestead ranch, old sawmill, and more. Jake was mostly fascinated with the tiny squirrels that were

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-76011352536462204812009-02-14T11:31:00.000-08:002009-02-15T12:06:06.399-08:002009-02-15T12:06:06.399-08:00

Road Trip 2009 continues to evolve, as we research and make reservations at various places throughout the USA. I'm a little surprised by some of the hotel rates, to be honest. We had thought that things would be a little less expensive considering the economy, but instead they are higher. In some destinations, we are considering not making a reservation and instead taking our chances on a

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8831763554770046217.post-47969242153259619372009-02-14T11:07:00.000-08:002009-02-14T11:28:27.518-08:002009-02-14T11:28:27.518-08:00

1. "Go see the Boeing tour in Everett, Washington. It will ruin you for any tour ever again." ~Alice2. "My best tip is about Disney's Fort Wilderness in Orlando, Florida...they show Disney movies outdoors for free...on a big screen with two campfires. Just drive out to Fort Wilderness, hop on a Disney bus, get off at the Campfire Program that evening...enjoy! Roast Marshmallows, eat S'mores,

Scattered Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07605640876979580340noreply@blogger.com0