The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

Try taking a three-week vacation to Houston with four of your children in your car.

Actually, I can’t say enough what a positive experience it was.

I had determined where we would be each night and made reservations so the overnight stay wouldn’t be a problem. I made sure that there was something to do at the end of each day’s trip and made sure that every motel had a swimming pool.

A variety of tourist attractions included, in part, the Morman Temple in Salt Lake City; Bryce National Park; the Grand Canyon; Tombstone, Arizona; Carlsbad Cavern; Houston; Galveston; The Alamo; Tucson; Phoenix; Mexico; San Diego Zoo; Disneyland; Knottsberry Farm; Sea World; San Francisco; Hearst Castle. You can get the drift.

Meals ranged between the regrettable and the sublime.

The kids all had their favorites, and we were along to pay the tab.

The worst eating experience was in Texas at a restaurant that could have more accurately advertised its flies. Most of Texas was like that. Big talk and little offering.

It wasn’t intended as a humorous gesture, but everyone got a laugh at my expense in Carlsbad Cavern. We were walking along with our guide, who was telling us to be careful about running into things. Just then, I walked into one of those columns coming down from the ceiling of the cavern.

My knees buckled, and I had a large gash in my head with blood running over and onto my face. It was a great grin and laugh for them, but not funny to me.

The guide escorted me to the large open area where they worked on me.

The six of us were traveling in my 1975 Chevy Impala, which had wide seats, accommodating three in front and three in back. We rotated occasionally so that everyone had the opportunity to ride in the front.

Still doesn’t sound like fun? Actually, there wasn’t a bad scene in the entire trip.

The kids remember the trip well, and on occasion still talk about it.

The favorite place, among the many, was Hearst Castle. It prompted us to return there later.

Eating out was one of the eerie experiences. Costly too.

In a number of places, there was the breakfast at the motel, which eased the pain somewhat.

It was standard that every year we took a family vacation together.

The roaming spirit was inherited from my parents, who traveled a lot. I carried on this tradition over the years, being in some three states and one or two foreign countries.

What has been rewarding is that all four children have done a bit of traveling on their own. That is one thing handed down and followed.

Our standard operating procedure was to get up very early and get on the road so we could get to our next overnight stop before it got really hot. No air conditioning.

If it was one of our destination places, then we would be there early in the day and have time to enjoy it. Then time to swim, eat, relax and repeat this for the next day.

That seemed to keep everyone happy.

I guess if there is any moral to this, it is to travel as often as you can and don’t be afraid of getting lost.