Road Trip! Family of 7 - It's Only 1600 Miles - June 2016 TR (completed)

[2Pirates2Princesses]

I've enjoyed reading your TR. I read your 2014 TR a couple years ago when my family was new to being a family of 7 and your TR inspired us to try two rooms at Pop for our upcoming trip. You have a beautiful family; your youngest two daughters have gotten so big! I am so sorry for the loss of your father and my thoughts are with your family.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Dippy Dawg!

So does GG stand for Goofy is Grounded since he stormed the barn. Hyuck Hyuck. Gawrsh!

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

The Astounding Snake Charmer

So is Donaldo charming Sir Hiss or Kaa...or is it my kids? You want to go on It's a Small World 10 times

 

[Jenny Sanders]

I have LOVED reading your TR!!!

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Miss Fortune

Let's keep this Meet & Greet binge going! Some good fortune with Miss Daisy Duck.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Magnifique

We all know who really runs the place here.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Chapter 14: So Long, Farewell​

Final Walk

The time has come where we have to go home. It has been a long week and everyone is tired. We wrap up MK, take the bus to our resort where we pack up and get ready for tomorrows departure. I load may of the items in the burb with just a few items for each of us to take in the morning.

Final walk to the resort:

 

[ceeceegee]

Loving the updates, neighbor! I might need your help figuring out how to work the disboards

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Loving the updates, neighbor! I might need your help figuring out how to work the disboards

Read these 3 boards:

1. Pre-Trip and Trip Reports
2. Find your Resort and read about it if staying on-site
3. Family board about taking trip with others and how not to go insane

Then of course other websites for other info (allears and wdwinfo and of course wdw site itself)

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Auf Wiedersehen

It's bright and early Monday morning and it is time to drive home. My goal is to drive straight home, non-stop, 23 hours, but know that probably won't happen, so if we can make it 75% of the way, that would be great. Everyone is tired, so I expect them to sleep 1/2 of the trip.

Eeyore is the happiest looking face in the car.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

OMG!!! That was so incredibly cute!

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

What's that Smell

Anyone smell popcorn? If you're not sure what that means, you'll have to ask. In the mean time...

Yeah, not just popcorn...BACON...and to top it off, coat it with Maple Syrup! Lookie lookie what Mamaduck hid for the trip home!

 

[Jenny Sanders]

AWESOME!

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

XO has the Conn

I'm running on E and need a nap. I had the command over to my XO, Mamaduck, and my 14yo jumps in front and I take a quick nap. Remember, goal is to get home or very close to home. I believe I wake up when we hit the IL boarder and resume driving.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Batten Down the Hatches

We are keeping an eye on the horizon as some nasty storm clouds are a brew'n. It's getting darker...

It is pouring...we are going 30 mph, wipers on high...TICK, TICK...uh oh, HAIL...I pull off under a bridge and wait it out for 10 minutes. The road was one-lane from road construction. The water is building up under the bridge pretty good and there is a river on the shoulder. No one is on the road except a few trucks.

The hail stops and we continue. A minute later, THUNK! That one left a dent! But on the top and that was the last of the hail.

The lightning is crazy! It's non-stop and all around us. A very cool sight. My daughter catches this:

If you were travelling on the southbound side, this is probably what it looked like:

The story caused a pretty good delay in our travels and Mamaduck and the ducklings are tired. I know where the Holiday Inn is at in Rockford/Loves Park, so she books a room from her phone. We get in just after midnight.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Rise and Shine!

It's 7:39am - time to get up and back on the road...well, lets give them a few more minutes:

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Pit Stop

A trip through Wisconsin would not be complete w/o getting some beverages from New Glarus.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Sweet Home Minnesota

Sweet home Minnesota
Where the lakes are so blue
Sweet home Minnesota
Lord, I'm coming home to you

Yeah, that sounds pretty good. Cross over the St Croix and <40 minutes to go! What a lovely sight to see this sign.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Welcome to the Jungle

We made it home! Time to unpack, get the dogs....oh, and mow the lawn. It's not that bad. Didn't rain, so didn't grow much.

Someone is happy to see me.

 

[DH-2-mamaduck]

Tally

Before I left, I reset the MPG, Trip, and Hours. Let's see what the damage is!

• 3,345.1 Miles
• 56 hours, 14 minutes, 04 seconds
• 18.2 mpg