Day 14: From Boston to Denver PA

After we recovered from the tragedy of losing our garbage (!!), we finished loading the car and hit the road. JaxMom and I had discovered a happy coincidence: we were well matched in terms of preferences for long drives. She prefers to ride, and I prefer to drive. So I drove.

We had to make two stops in order to knock out all 13 English colonies. First up, Rhode Island. We had each purchased the Drive 95 book to prepare for the trip, and selected the Modern Diner for lunch. The food was good, but what stands out in my mind was that the other customers were all pretty impressed with how we were disciplining our kids. We weren't making them march in a line or answer to whistles like the von Trapp kids, but just trying to keep them from annoying the other patrons.

Our next stop was Aleia's Bakery, which happened to be in Connecticut! JaxMom had promised C something from an Italian Bakery in Boston, but we ended up passing them at a sprint, running to the USS Constitution. When we invaded the bakery, the very nice lady behind the counter offered all 7 of us a sample chocolate chip cookie. We then picked out what we wanted (and some of us opted for more cookies) and hit the road once more. JaxMom was very glad to have been able to fulfill this promise, as for most of the trip, we'd gone by two Dunkin Donuts for every other single eatery. (No kidding. One McDonalds, two Dunkin Donuts. A Subway, two Dunkin Donuts.)

Finally, we got off of the main roads and were on track to hit our campgrounds, when J spoke up from the back seat.

"I have to go to the potty."

Unfortunately, there were no potties within reasonable distance. We were about 20 minutes from a PA rest area, but who wants to trust the bladder of a 3 year old for that long? Not I. After we searched our second exit for a restroom, JaxMom said that she thought we'd save time by letting him pee by the side of the road.

I was skeptical. J tends to be a bit fastidious in his personal habits, so I didn't think that would work, and said as much. But since she was so convincing, we pulled over. And J scrambled over the middle row of seats, followed by C. (C got out to be a cheerleader, and perhaps lead by example.)

There was no peeing by the side of the road.

Did I mention that we were in the entrance to a subdivision?

And that cars were pulling around us to leave? As other residents came home?

I was beginning to be worried that one of those residents would wonder at the minivan, mistaking J & C for miniature thieves. (Actually, that's not too big of a stretch, but they probably aren't ready for a life of crime.) I kept waiting for a patrol car to come and ask us what we were doing. Finally, they gave up, and J said that he could wait the 20 minutes for the rest area.

As we drove, JaxMom turned to me and said, "Your husband needs to teach him how to pee outside."

I turned to her, confused, and asked, "Have you met my husband?"