Wadsworthian Michael Scott usually spends a year planning a hitchhiking adventure with one or two of his six kids each summer. He had originally planned a #3Squared trip, a dad and his two sons, this summer to hit the four corners of the U.S. They were going to hitchhike to Seattle, Washington and then to San Diego, California. From there, they had planned to hitchhike all the way to Cocoa Beach, Florida, then to Maine, and possibly into Canada, before exiting into Sandusky via the ferry.
Then, COVID-19 happened.
Just as the virus changed the world, it canceled this planned adventure, too. So, Scott got creative and decided to bring an idea to life that their family has talked about for years — as a joke: #1Dad6KidsRoadTrip.
“Fifty days ago, we started discussing options for this summer’s adventure: how do we have an adventure and be able to maintain a good social distance, stay safe and sane?” Scott wrote.
Out came the biggest road trip ever imagined! “Ideas being thrown around, kids discovering things in each state they want to visit and lots of back-up plans for things closed or restricted due to COVID-19.”
Along with normal supplies, the Scott family has masks, hand sanitizer, wipes and whistles. “I bought each of us nice whistles and made necklaces so when we hike trails and camp, everyone has one for safety. The kids are going to experience so much in the next six weeks. It’s an entirely new adventure.”
Quarantined out, the family decided to take off on their road trip adventure a week earlier than planned. They hit the road in their passenger van on May 20 and will hit all 48 states and D.C. on a more than 12,000 mile adventure!
Just the way they planned their sleeping arrangements is pure genius! The plan is to sleep and shower at camp grounds, and the Scotts’ have money budgeted for four hotels, if needed.
“We have a 12-person passenger van. The boys and I took out the last row and laid wrestling mats in the back for two kids to sleep. There are two more rows for one kid each, and if we take three skateboards and lay them across the driver and passenger seats, it makes another bed. Then, we have a wrestling mat on the top of the seats and boards. Two people will be sleeping outside in a tent or under the stars.”
The adventurous and inspiring family has it all mapped out, hitting so many National Parks and coming up with many other free things to do across the U.S.
“Each state we chose to OnStar to and discover things along the way with what we have listed…Everyone has at least one definite ‘let’s visit here’ on our list. One son wants to see the Space Needle, another must see the Rocky statue in Philadelphia. One daughter wants to visit animal sanctuaries, another daughter wants to surf and skateboard, doing a skateboard trick in every state. One kid wants to visit Thomas Land and the last just wants to go along for the adventure!”
As you can imagine, the kids and their dad are beyond excited and have packed the new essentials in their bags, something during hitchhiking adventures had to be kept to a minimum.
“We have extra masks for everyone, several hand sanitizers and Clorox wipe containers,” Scott said. “We have been going over all the social distance rules and safety precautions. Everything from how we will do the shopping, which includes where to park, what kids will do while I get supplies.”
The family has already traveled through Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. They are in Illinois now; Wisconsin is up next! Follow along on Facebook by searching #1Dad6KidsRoadTrip.
