Entropy: see also chaos, disorganization, randomness.

S = -k_b Σ (over subscript i) p_i ln p_i

S in the above equation represents entropy, the chaotic state of disorder to which my household has evolved over the short course of the summer break.  The k sub b sigma p little i?  That’s my kids and chaos they seem so adept at creating.  They have become the rough equivalent of a feral pack of coyotes, pitting their base desires against each other in a daily and constant battle that would make a prison riot seem more like an innocent game of freeze tag. see more »

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Summer is officially full on!  June is quickly becoming a memory (it’s been two whole days now) and it’s time to turn focus to July.  July is a special month for us as a nation for in this month we celebrate one of the most significant events in our short history.  My birthday!

Some like to think that the parades and fireworks displays, backyard barbecues, cookouts and community gatherings centered around the July 4th weekend are in celebration of our nation’s independence.  Whatever helps you sleep at night, friends.  That stuff is for me!

Actually, it’s not.  My special day isn’t until the 10th.  Fact is, see more »

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Sebago Lake is the second-largest lake in Maine (the largest is Moosehead Lake). It is located in the south-western area of the state, about 20 miles away from Portland and the airport. “Sebago” is the Penobscot Indian word meaning “beautiful water,” and it truly is one of the most picturesque bodies of water in New England.

When I was little, summer vacation in Maine meant spending as many weeks as I could wheedle, at my Aunt and Uncle’s “camp”, or cabin, on Sebago. My Uncle had a boat, naturally, and we begged on a daily basis for him to pull us (”us” being me and my cousins) behind the boat on the “torpedo” float. We’d line up on the thing, hang on for dear life, and scream our fool heads off as he dragged us along, playing crack the whip or occasionally swerving into his own wake so we could “jump” the torpedo over the waves. Inevitably, one (or all) of us would fall off, and we’d sit there, floating and waiting for him to come back around to us, wondering what could be eyeing our toes from a depth of 300 feet.

Them snapping turtles are vicious, after all.

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I’ve written four entries over the past couple of weeks that detailed the experience I had planning our Epic Summer Road Trip. During the course of my planning I learned some things that I’d like to pass on to you, gentle readers.

1. Plan your route. That may seem a bit obvious, but while a favorite saying of my home state of Maine is, “You can’t get there from here,” there are actually a LOT of ways to get EVERYWHERE. So know which way you want to go. And consider taking a different route coming home than you took getting to your destination.
2. Buy an actual physical map, or a road atlas, so you can see both ends of your route at once. GPS is all well and good, MapQuest and Google Maps will get you there (usually), but it’s always best to have an actual map of the state you’re travelling through. Especially for taking scenic detours.
3. When on-line reservations fail you, try picking up an actual phone and talking to a real, live person. As was the case for my Old Faithful Inn reservations, even if the on-line system says the place is fully booked, often times you can still reserve rooms directly with the reservations representative.
4. Consider renting a car instead of driving your own. If your vacation budget allows for it, renting a car can save a road-tripper a lot of anxiety. If a rental car breaks down, the rental company obliges with a Brand! New! Vehicle! And you can continue on your merry way, with the merest inconvenience to your plans. If your own car breaks down on you, well, you’re stuck with trying to get a tow, get a repair, and/or get an alternate means of transportation SMACK in the middle of your much-anticipated vacation. Said vacation may be derailed entirely, even. Another thing to consider is gas mileage and gas prices. My personal vehicle requires premium gasoline and gets MAYBE eighteen miles to the gallon (no Green lectures, please!). The one we’re renting for our road trip gets 25 miles to the gallon and takes regular unleaded. I’m thinking the expense will be a wash, in the end.

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(Continued from Part One, Part Two, and Part Three.)

Back when my husband was about ten years old, his family took a road trip from Arizona to Wyoming to visit some family. Picture, if you will, the family packed in the old woody station wagon - Mom, Dad, my husband, and his two younger sisters. Picture, if you will, all of the luggage and gear that said family would require, also packed into the aforementioned station wagon. And, picture (again, if you will) two 150+ pound German Shepherds gleefully sprawled among the children in the back seat, tongues lolling, drool a-spraying. All crammed into this one station wagon. For fifteen hours straight (his dad didn’t believe in pit stops), and nearly a thousand miles. One way.

It’s a wonder my husband didn’t need therapy for this childhood experience. But, not only did he come out the other side of it (basically) normal, he’s willing to repeat the experience. Sans the station wagon. And the other family members. And the dogs.

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(Continued from Part One and Part Two.)

“Babe?” I said to my husband one weekend morning. Laptop at hand, I had the road atlas by my side, a Word document going that I was using to record our plans, and MapQuest queued up in my web browser.

“Yep?” He replied, absently reading the paper.

“We’re stuck in Cody, WY.”

“Hmm…” he mumbled.

“No, really, hon. We’re stuck in Cody and I don’t know where to go from there.” I rustled the edge of his paper to get his attention. Clearly, he wasn’t understanding my sense of urgency.

“Sorry, what?” He looked up from his paper and blinked at me. Because, obviously, we were sitting quite happily in our living room, and not stranded at the side of the road in some random corner of the mid-west.

“Okay,” I explained patiently, “Here’s the plan so far. Phoenix to Salt Lake City, spend the night there, then three nights in Jackson Hole. I’m going to try to get us lodging in Yellowstone itself for two nights, and from there we’re going to Cody to spend one night. After Cody… well, I don’t know which way to go to get us home.”

After I finished this little speech, my husband replied with, “Oh, I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” and went back to peacefully reading his paper. Which you might think is inconsiderate, but my husband knows I LOVE this stuff. So really I wasn’t expressing an issue so much as looking for validation of all of my hard work.

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(Continued from Part One.)

Once my husband and I finally decided on Yellowstone National Park as our destination, we began to try to figure out how long of a road trip - in distance and in days - we wanted to commit ourselves to. One week seemed too short, and two weeks was too long due to limited vacation time. Finally we decided on ten days total for our entire vacation, encompassing two full weekends so that we only had to use seven total days of available vacation time. That would be enough time to get there, see the area fully, and mosey on back home via a different route than we took to get there.

That last part - the whole different route thing - spurred ANOTHER round of debate. Do we go clockwise - Arizona/Utah/Wyoming/Colorado/New Mexico/Arizona? Or do we go counter-clockwise - Arizona/Utah/Wyoming/Idaho/Nevada/Arizona? Since we’re going to be so far north into Wyoming, do we want to check out any of Southern Montana? Since we’re going to be so far west into Wyoming, do we want to check out any of Eastern Idaho?

The whole vacation planning thing, fun as it all is to me, was by this point starting to drive me a little crazy.

Keep going, click here to see more »

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It’s no secret that the economy has people tightening their belts and cutting out extra expenses.  Many families are getting rid of luxuries like summer vacations in an effort to save money.

But after long months of school, homework, and extracurricular activities, a summer vacation can be a welcome (and much needed) respite from the day to day grind of real life.  Family vacations are about seeing new things and enjoying time with the people you love.  A rocky economy doesn’t make that quality time any less important.

With a little creative thinking and some small sacrifices, you may be able to save your summer vacation.

6 Summer Vacations You Can Afford

1.  Visit Friends and Family

Do you have friends and family that live in another city or state?  Now might be the perfect time for a reunion!  Offer to pitch in for groceries in exchange for a guest bed or couch and you’ll likely find that your loved ones will gladly open their homes to you for your summer vacation.  At the very least, they’ll probably say yes to be nice.

When asking to stay with friends or family for your vacation, assure them that you don’t expect them to take time off work or play tour guide for you.  Rent a car if you’re flying to your destination and make it clear you don’t need a chauffeur.  Don’t make yourself a nuisance, but do get the inside scoop on local tourist traps to avoid.

2.  Take a Long Weekend

If your budget or work schedule won’t allow for a week long vacation, consider taking a long weekend instead.  Of course we’d all prefer to be able to spend weeks globe trotting, but there’s no reason you can’t work within your own limitations.

There’s plenty of fun to be had from Friday afternoon to Sunday night.  My family rarely gets to enjoy a week of vacation at a time, but we make up for it with a handful of weekend getaways spread out over June, July and August.  Taking weekend vacations might also allow you to visit more than one place.  If weekend getaways are good enough for girlfriends and romance, they’re good enough for your family!

3.  Investigate Vacation Destinations Within Driving Distance

Often times I hear people lament the fact that they can’t afford to fly to a glamorous location across the country.  But every state in the United States offers something for tourists.  Take out your map and discover the hidden vacation destinations within driving distance that you’ve overlooked.

You can easily cover hundreds of miles in a few hours by car - much less expensive than air fare for an entire family.  Many times you can also save money by visiting lesser known tourist attractions or taking advantage of a state resident discount.

4.  Consider a House Swap

Do you live some place that other people might consider a vacation destination?  Offer up your house to other budget conscious travelers in exchange for the right to stay in their house.  In some cases, you’ll even be able to use the other family’s vehicle (if you’re willing to offer up yours), saving you the cost of a rental car.

HomeExchange.com is a web site that helps people interested in house swapping connect with each other.  It’s only $99.95 for a year membership and that includes unlimited exchanges.  Worried that your home isn’t exotic enough?  Remember that one person’s “everyday home” is another person’s brand new place to see!  Check out the Travel the Home Exchange Way blog for even more tips on house swapping.

Go Camping

Camping is an excellent low cost option for a family vacation.  Most state parks have camping areas with reasonable rates and plenty of activities available for the family.  You can swim, tube, hike, fish, or just hang out around a campfire.  Our biggest expense when we camp is usually food - hot dogs and marshmallows as far as the eye can see!

Play Tourist At Home

Last summer, the travel buzzword of the season was “staycation”.  Families took advantage of their paid time off and school breaks - and stayed at home.  A staycation is still a viable option for a family vacation if you commit to doing more than catching up on your laundry.  Make a concerted effort to live like you’re on vacation and play tourist in your own city.

If you’re stumped for ideas, head to a local hotel.  You’ll find dozens of pamphlets for nearby attractions, some of which might offer discounts for locals and state residents.

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