Planning a vacation...

When my husband and I plan a vacation, we really plan. He's got a list and I have a list. Usually we travel in places where multiple seasons of clothes are necessary. Since mountains are almost always on our list, sometimes we scrape frost off the windshield and sometimes the heat melts the tar on the road. So, we have to be prepared. Our favorite park, Yellowstone, has long stretches of road between cold drinks and snacks. And it's not just the length of the road, but the tourists who get in your way. The speed limit is 45 mph, but in fear of missing something, tourists (we don't consider ourselves tourists, btw) will drive 10 mph. And then there are the buffalo jams when you become one with the buffalo as they come down from the hills to drink at the river. Traffic comes to a complete stop as they mill around the cars. I once had one scratch himself on the nose mask of my brand new Eclipse. Nothing you can do but scream - and they don't react to screams. So, we need to pack a cooler and cold drinks which means ice every morning for the cooler. Then there is my husband's photographic equipment, cameras, tripods, wind screens (which come in handy for protecting scrapbooking paper), lenses, filters. Since he can't just walk into the house and get what he needs, it all goes with him. I used to pack a bag of books but since he got me a Kindle, we've reduced tonnage in the car. But, I have a snack bag and a "keep Cindy occupied" bag which holds the portable DVD player, my computer and DVDs. In Yellowstone there is no TV and no telephone. And, after dark, nothing to see. There are no street lights in Yellowstone.