Hopefully, you’ve already made you plans and reservations for this summer’s trips. If you haven’t, what are you waiting for?
Over dinner the other night, my kids and I started talking about trips and places we would like to explore. Yes, these are the dinner conversations we have, especially when my wife is out of town for a few days. In the end, we dreamed up a couple of multi-day trips that we could do next summer. This summer has already been scheduled with other events and trips, but it’s never to late to dream of future trips. It sure is fun to talk through trip ideas, especially when your kids get excited about it too.
My oldest was all about bikepacking. Last you we did an overnighter on the Colorado Trail and now we want to do more. As a family, we keep talking about going to see Mt. Rushmore. What better way to get there than ride from Denver? Sure, it’s a bit ambitious, but it’s doable and there are towns spaced fairly evenly along the route.
My youngest is in hiker/backpacker mode rather than cycling mode. Hey, that’s ok because it still means we’re outdoors and camping. Knowing his brother did some Colorado Trail time last year, he is set on doing some miles of his own on the trail. We are already planning an overnighter for this year, but it would be nice to spend several nights on the trail and hike through multiple segments. There are a lot worse things than spending a few nights on the Colorado Trail.
Why Dream?
Why not dream? For some of us, that’s what keeps us going. If you don’t have some big dream, it’s easy to let time drift by. It’s not just me that dreams of camping trips with kids. Here are a few others doing some incredible trips of their own.
The Camping Project – 40+ Nights Baby! – Tanya has quite the plan this summer, but it’s a great plan. By using the RV Trailer, they can keep gear organized which makes it easier to go out weekend after weekend.
Week-Long Camping Trips with Kids Are Easier Than You Think! – It takes a lot more work and gear, but you can do long trips with kids, even toddlers.
Section 1: Border to Deming – Peter has recently begun his CDT solo hike. He’s just a regular guy that decided he wanted to change things in his life and he has made it happen. Great to see someone following their dreams.
These dreams are really more like desires. We want to be outside to enjoy the trails, the views, and the beautiful scenery. If you can share that with your kids then it becomes even more beautiful. Multi-day trips with kids will have their tough moments, but in the end it will all be worth it.
Plus, if your kids actually dream up this stuff with you, how can you not go through with it?
If my wife had made it to this point, I’m sure she’s thinking “here we go again!!”. But thanks for understanding or at least tolerating all of my crazy ideas. I could have gone for riding the Tour Divide with the kids or hiking the Appalachian Trail, but I held back a little and went with trips that are a week or less. On second thought, those longer trips sound like a great option for the following summer. I better go write those down and start planning! 🙂
Can we make these multi-day trips a reality? Yes, as long as we set aside the time and plan ahead. If you have any tips on multi-day adventures, especially with kids, please share them.
