Podcast notes: Episode 52
What’s in your Go Box?
Spontaneity is one of our hallmarks. And this day trip was just that.
It was a beautiful Saturday in October when Diane and I first went to our grandson Mason’s football game, and then came home to find Stacey, our 28 year old daughter, had gotten all the children ready, made sandwiches and some popcorn, and was ready to head out the door to an adventure.
And it turned out Remarkable.
Stacey had heard of Goblin Valley State Park, in Southern Utah, and heard it was quite cool. She’s been into hiking lately, after finding a hiking app (alltrails). And so, that’s what she thought we ought to do with our Saturday.
At first, she had identified a fairly easy hike nearby that would have taken us over a suspension bridge. She wanted to stay close to home because, for some reason, she thinks Covid-19 means you have to stay close to home. But then she realized it was a Saturday, and it’s fall break for everyone else, and the likelihood of having lots of people on the trail, and thus not be able to adequately social distance, was pretty high. And even the younger children were leery of getting that close to people.
And so, Goblin Valley it was!
The preparation was “Everybody go get in the car! Let’s go!” Besides the sandwiches, popcorn Stacey made, and a gallon water jug, that was it.
So we pull out of the driveway, and not two minutes down the road, Jacob decided he needed cereal. In fact, he insisted that we turn around and go home so he could eat cereal. Well, that wasn’t going to happen, but knowing if we didn’t do something right away, his insistence would turn into something major and prolonged. So we stopped at the local CVS Pharmacy (since we had a prescription we had to pick up anyway), and while they were in there, Diane and Stacey picked up some ice cream sandwiches and a self-contained bowl of cereal. The ice cream sandwiches were to distract the other children from the fact that Jacob was the only one getting a bowl of cereal.
It is so wonderful to be able to have an idea, and be willing to act on it right away, and go do it. We didn’t decide to go to Goblin Valley until we had already been in the car for four minutes. And that was when we determined that indeed we’d go there!
“Goblin Valley? How long does it take to get there?”
“About three and a half hours.”
“Okay. What time does it close?”
“I don’t know.”
“Look it up.”
“Closes at 10pm.”
“Perfect!”
Not everyone is spontaneous. And that’s just fine. But there is a lot of adventure to be had when you’e willing to decide on a whim to go someplace fun.
When Brian was just 3 months old, Diane and I decided on a whim to go see her folks in Hood River, Oregon. It’s right along the Columbia River, about an hour and a half east of Portland. We were in Utah, going to school. We looked up the train schedule, found that the only train to Portland leaves at 11:45pm from Salt Lake. We put a bag together with enough supplies for the weekend, and jumped on the train. We pulled into Portland the next afternoon, walked from the train station in Hood River to her dad’s JC Penney store where he was the manager, and put Brian in his tippy seat on her dad’s desk when he was in another part of the store. When he came back to his office he found his first grandson sitting there on his desk, kicking his feet and cooing. We had a great visit for about 24 hours, and then got on the train back home the next day. So we’ve been doing this kind of thing all our married lives together.
So without much preparation, we headed down to Goblin Valley. About an hour in, since we hadn’t fully charged any of our phones, Diane and Stacey’s phones were dying. And while the kids had brought their I-pads, they were dying too. It was at that point little Brock decided he wanted to watch a movie, and was adament about it. But everyone’s devices were either dead or almost dead. And he was becoming more and more agitated and upset.
So I called back to Brock and said, “Brock, why don’t you look out the window. The wind is blowing the trees. Can you see that?”
To which he yelled at the top of his four year old voice, “I!!!! DON’T!!!! CARE!!!!!”
We all laughed.
Right about then, Jacob, who had had the cereal, decided he was done riding in the car, and wanted us to turn around and go home because he was getting car sick.
I said to him, “But Jacob, what about everybody else in the car? They want to go to Goblin Valley.”
“I don’t care. They can all do something else when they get home!”
And then he said, “I’m going to throw up. I’m going to throw up.”
“You’re not going to throw up,” we all said in unison.
Stacey was sitting right next to him. Now he’s trying to make himself gag.
“Uuh, uuh,”
“Stop it, Jacob.”
Then somebody screamed, “The dog threw up!”
We don’t usually, but this time we had brought Bailey with us, and she had been kind of mopey, not getting to look out the window much. This is when she becomes the sole possession of Emmalee, who got Bailey for Christmas three years ago. But Stacey got to clean up that mess.
Then Brock began to yell “I need food!!! I need food bad!!!!”
So we stopped in Price at the McDonald’s there. And ordered 12 Hot ’n Spicey’s, 12 McDoubles, and eight ice waters. We marvel sometimes at the people who marvel at us coming through the drive-thru. Just because there are so many of us.
But we have a procedure for eating out. One person, usually the driver, is designated as the “dirty” person. And Diane is usually the “clean” person. Meaning she disinfects all the food containers as the driver hands them to her. Then she hands the unwrapped hamburgers and re-containered French fries back to whoever gets them.
It’s a bit chaotic, but it’s how we stay safe, so we’re plenty motivated.
In fact, I wanted to record the sounds of all of this commotion so we could use it on the podcast, but Diane didn’t want me to. So….. I did anyway, but didn’t tell her until I was editing the podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-in-your-go-box/id1463003088?i=1000495697061, and played the portion for her. (She loved it!)
We finally arrived at Goblin Valley at about 5:00pm or 5:30pm, paid the $20.00 fee. In fact, Diane hesitated at first as to whether we should actually pay it, or turn around and just play in the non-fee area. It just wasn’t that impressive at that point.
But we paid the fee, and proceeded down the little winding road. And we we so glad we did!
What we saw when we came up into the parking area absolutely stunned us. Ancient rock formations called hoodoos, which look like giant mushrooms coming up out of the ground, only made from rock and sandstone. And there were acres and acres of them, rising up to high vistas, and meandering for at least a mile square, probably more. Emmalee said it was like being on Mars or the moon. In fact, we’ll have to go back again when we can leave home earlier, because we’re certain there a tons of other things that we didn’t get to see.
Anyway, you park your car, and walk down about 20 steps down to the floor of the valley, where you wander through these hoodoos of all different shapes and sizes. The children all just took off, running and climbing and jumping from hoodoo to hoodoo. (Yes, they not only allow you to do that, they encourage it!) All the children, from Brock to Joseph, climbed and explored in what seemed like this endless backyard playground. Just INCREDIBLE!!!!
Stacey posed the kids and took their pictures and lots of video. You can see that here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDHekfP6GFM, on The Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure. Diane and I walked through. I climbed up many of the formations with the children. Even little Brock was completely in heaven the entire time, and could not be contained. Climbing up those high formations, which were not slick, and had clear paths up and down. It was SO FUN!!!
The telling statement came from Joseph, who after about ten minutes of exploring turned to Diane and said, “This was worth the drive.”
So Diane took just a second to explain to him and the rest of the children how by sacrificing just a little bit of time, 3.5 hours, we were able to find someplace magical and wonderful that they had never seen before. And if we are willing to sacrifice just a little bit of time sometimes, we are able to find and do and see things we might never ever get to find, do, or see otherwise.
We got there late in the afternoon, and had a wonderful time in the short time we were there. But then the realities of the earth turning on its axis began to present themselves, and with 10 people and three dying cell phones and no flashlights, we realized that the beautiful silhouette pictures and video we were taking would be the last use of those devices we could muster, and that before the flashlight on my cell phone went dead, we’d better find our way back to the car. So reluctantly, we headed back to the parking lot, my light illuminating this remarkable landscape as we went.
Now, under normal circumstances, we would have been a little better prepared. We would have brought a flashlight, and the children would have been dressed in more bright colors so, with the exception of Jaxon’s bright orange gym shorts, they wouldn’t have blended in quite so well with the landscape.
But let’s take a second to talk about the Go Box, which is what we have waiting for us every time we head out the door on an adventure. And in our Go Box we’ve recently decided to put travel pillows. You know, the kind you use on an airplane. Also, we have light weight blankets the children can use to cover up under when they fall asleep. In the past, the children have hauled their quilts from their beds to the car, and have used them on our trips. But we’ve found that not only are they much more bulky than is practical, they get dirty, depending on the length of the trip, and there’s nothing clean for them when we get home.
(Also, remember to keep your little one’s car seats situated so when they fall asleep, their necks don’t get crimped and oxygen is cut off to their brain. Follow the directions on the car seat, and keep it facing backward until your child is old enough and big enough to face forward. In the meantime, make sure their neck and head are adequately supported.)
In our Go Box in Covid times, we keep a ziplock with paper bowls, cups, napkins, and plastic utensils so we can transfer whatever food we buy out into something that has been sanitized. Because we’ve had to live at the highest threat level, it’s just something we do to put one more layer of protection between us and the virus.
We also have lanyards with a small flashlight and a whistle, so when we go on an adventure, and the children are able to see in the dark, and able to blow the whistle if they feel unsafe or lost. Of course, we don’t hand these out until we’ve reached our destination, or the incessant whistle blowing would drive us nuts!
Also, we like to keep ponchos in our Go Box. You can buy them for a dollar, and they’re really handy for when you wind up in inclement weather. Those small, foldable umbrellas are very handy as well. They fit in your fanny pack, and are ready to use if you need them. Stacey and Emmalee took them to Epcot Center in Orlando, and when it started to rain, and everyone started leaving the park, they were able to stay longer and drier than they would have otherwise.
Fanny packs are perfect for keeping all kinds of things in. Such as granola bars, gum, cell phones, feminine products, small umbrellas, passports, money, hand sanitizer, sun screen, etc.
Lysol spray and Clorox Wipes are also good to keep in your Go Box.
When you have small children and you go on regular adventures, at some point you’re going to need a change of clothes. When Brian and Scott were little, they would always wind up in the water wherever we went. Whether it was a trip up the canyon and they started playing in the creek, or out to the Great Salt Lake, and they waded into the surf, they found the water and got in it. Not only that, but little ones aren’t always aware of when they should run to the bathroom. So a change of clothes is a must, especially for the younger ones. There’s nothing worse than having to sit for long periods in wet clothes in the car.
Having said all this, it’s good to be a minimalist when it comes to a day pack. You don’t need to bring lots of things. Well-selected items that give you options should suffice. Otherwise, you wind up hauling too much stuff.
The Go Box should also have a front pack for the baby. In fact, we used one all the time whenever we flew. That way you’re not holding the baby in your arms the whole time. It allowes them and you to sleep on the plane.
Both Stacey and Lisa would get car sick at the drop of a hat, and many times we were glad we brought not only extra clothes, but an extra blanket. Little ones are far less discriminant when they get the throw-ups in the car. So it’s good to bring garbage bags you can put soiled clothes, blankets, etc. in.
When you’re traveling with the littlest angels try to anticipate everything and anything. Whether it’s multiple changes of clothes, or snacks, or bottles, diapers, diaper wipes, medications, remember that unplanned things can happen. Brian and his wife were traveling with their oldest daughter Kyrie when they got stranded at an airport because of bad weather. They were prepared for a regular flight, but when they had to spend the night unexpectedly, they realized they had no formula for the baby. Luckily, they were able to find some at the airport, but it was a little tense for a bit.
In your Go Box you might also want a disposable tablecloth you can buy for a dollar at Wal-mart. That way, when you’re done with whatever meal you eat while you’re out you can just grab the corners and throw all of it away.
Also, if you have a choice, non-crumbly food is easier to clean up after. As the one who cleans out the car after each trip, I can say without hesitation that the less crumbly food consumed in the car during any given outing… the less time, effort, and frustration is expended in the aftermath.
Having garbage bags are key to keeping the car clean during the trip. That way the children can just pick up the garbage in their areas and have somewhere to put it until you stop for gas and get rid of the filled garbage bags.
Baby powder is another good thing to have with you. When you go to the beach and there is sand everywhere, baby powder helps to get the sand off wet, sandy legs.
Keeping your electronic devices charged is always wise. Charging them overnight makes the most sense. But when you’re on a day trip, your phone and other devices can become depleted pretty quickly. It’s always a good idea to have a portable charger or chargers with you that are fully charged. When you’re in unfamiliar areas and you’re depending on GPS, the last thing you need is to lose power in your devices. Portable charges are relatively inexpensive. Getting two or three of them and keeping them fully charged will ensure that you don’t run out of power when you need it most.
Even with fully charged devices, it’s still a good idea to keep a paper map of the area with you. When you’re out of service on your devices, many times GPS won’t work. Having a map, especially at night, is a very good idea.
When we headed home from Goblin Valley, we actually went a different route than the one we came down on. As it turned out, there were no gas stations near Goblin Valley that we were aware of, and besides, “we’ll find one along the way.” Right? Not so much.
We decided to take the route that was supposedly two minutes faster going home. What we didn’t realize was that route took us up into the mountains, and at the 80 mile an hour speed limit up the mountain, the gasoline began to deplete pretty quickly. Because we were on I-70, we had GPS service, which was great. It told us we were about 47 miles from Salina. The only concern was there was 53 miles left in the gas tank, as we headed up the mountain at 80 miles an hour. And we were losing about three miles in the gas tank for every mile we traveled on the road. So we cut way back on the speed.
Realizing our predicament, Joseph, in the way back, was assigned to pray that we’d make it to a gas station without getting stranded in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night. We’d already had our taste of that when the car broke down in the California mountains south of Las Vegas. And we were not anxious to repeat it necessarily. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/misadventure-or-remarkable-adventure/id1463003088?i=1000489795784
Gratefully, we reached the summit just as the miles to Salina and the miles in the gas tank matched. So I put the van in neutral, and we started to coast. We coasted and coasted and coasted, sometimes getting down to about 35 miles an hour, but mostly staying between 45 and 55 miles an hour. With our hazard lights flashing, we glided down the road, passed by other vehicles whose drivers knew there were no gas stations between Goblin Valley State Park and Salina, Utah and were far better prepared.
Diane called out the numbers as the miles passed on the road, and each time a mile disappeared from the gas tank I read the number out loud. With coasting and prayer we were able to increase the miles in the gas tank to beyond the miles left to Salina.
Finally, we coasted to the bottom of the exit ramp in Salina, with just seven miles left in the gas tank, breathing a lot easier as our prayers were answered.
The moral of the story is to keep a printed map with you that has indications of where the gas stations are.
But as we got gas, bought some dinner for the kids, and counted our blessings we realized that we had been on a Remarkable Adventure. What an incredible way to spend a Saturday.
We started out at 1:30 in the afternoon, and wound up back at home at about 1:30am. And in those 12 hours we traveled hundreds of miles, saw incredible things, and had a Remarkable Adventure that would not have had if we hadn’t had a mindset that allowed us to just pick up and go, and being prepared enough to make it happen. Sure there were things we’d do a little differently along the way, but maybe not. Maybe doing just what we did gave us the Remarkable Adventure we might not have had otherwise.
Now, put your Go Box together, and go out and make your life a Remarkable Adventure!
