<p>My son is off on his Road Trip. An adventure for an 18 year old recent high school grad. He and 4 male friends (hereafter known as DS, F1, F2, F3 and F4) drove F1’s parents BRAND NEW Toyota Scion from New England to Ohio yesterday (Sunday). A 14 hour drive, 630 miles - destination: Cedar Point Amusement Park, home of 17 rollercoasters. They’re spending 2 days at Cedar Point. Wednesday they’ll drive to Hershey Park. Thursday is a day for chocolate and a few more coasters, then Friday they’ll drive home. </p>
<p>Am I crazy for letting him go? All 5 boys are really good kids (2 are even Eagle Scouts.) The only thing that really scares me is the driving. There are much “wilder” places they could have asked to go. I figure 17 roller coasters will give them all the thrills they need. They didn’t bring any alcohol (they’re not drinkers) - just a large supply of pop-tarts and cheese-peanut-butter-crackers. DS is leaving for college in 2 months, I guess I have to let go some time…</p>
<p>We told DS to call us when they arrived in Ohio. The phone rang as we were eating dinner, I practically knocked the chair over to answer it! The boys had said they wanted to eat in “shady diners and truck stops” and stay in “shady motels.” Well, I think they got their wish with the motel. A Travelodge for $53 per night… DS confirmed it’s pretty shady.</p>
<p>DS just called again tonight, just as I started writing this post! He said the 14 hour drive was totally worth it. They had an amazing day today riding rollercoasters, and he wants us to go there as a family next year… but on second thought he said maybe we could fly to Cleveland and rent a car? I’m betting he’s willing to pass on the shady motel as well!</p>
<p>I’ll be so relieved when he’s safely home Friday night! CC parents, help me keep smiling and reminding myself he’s ready for this type of adventure!</p>
<p>I LOVE Cedar Point! My sister’s first job was cleaning the bathrooms there! The park workers lived in dorms nearby. It was always my intention to take my kids there one day, and we’ve never made it. Now that D is going to college in Ohio, maybe we’ll still get there. It is my oldest S, though, who is the roller coaster nut.</p>
<p>But as far as the road trip by 5 boys… My boys weren’t even allowed to drive into downtown Atlanta until they were well past 18. (My D will be 18 in a couple weeks, and doesn’t even have her license.) I’m sure your kids will be fine, and make a zillion memories. I’m just a worrier. I sent my kids far away to school, and I’m sure they never told me half of what they did, because they know I’d only worry. Which I would. And do.</p>
<p>At 18 I took a summer roadtrip from NJ to Chicago to visit a college friend and get away from the parents who were still trying to treat me like I was in HS. I left a note and called a few days later. Came home a month later when the $$$ ran out but it was the time of my life.</p>
<p>Last summer son(19 then) took a road trip from So CA to Cleveland with a fraternity brother. They took the scenic route both ways and saw lots of the country. They got a national pass and visited as many parks as possible. They had a great time. I was worried, said I would pay for trip if he would fly. Now I am so glad son had the experience. Son had to check in every day of travel but not while at the convention in OH. Son has a Scion, friend a Mini Cooper. Husband convinced them to take my Lexus SUV because it would be more comfortable and safer. They ran into some bad weather and my car did work out best.<br>
Years ago, I ditched a day of summer intern work to go to Cedar Point. I worked at Disneyland at the time but I had a nice time. I got in trouble at the internship (a major pharmaceutical company) but it was worth it.</p>
<p>Update - DS had a BLAST at Cedar Point for 2 days. Yesterday they drove from Ohio to Hershey, about a 7 hour trip. DS said while in the western PA mountains, they drove through 2 thunderstorms. DOWNPOURS, he was driving and could NOT see at all - then it turned to grape-sized hail. There was construction, with jersey barriers on the left, and in the hills the 18 wheel trucks were flying past him on the RIGHT on the downhill sections. Finally when the road widened, he was able to get over to the right and pull off the road (with a lot of other cars) to wait it out. Later his friend was driving and they had to pull over again during a 2nd storm. They got to Hershey fine, but I think it was a frightening experience.</p>
<p>Hotel in Hershey is “much less shady” than in Ohio, but the park was a let-down after Cedar Point. DS called this afternoon and said he’s having a great time but he’s about ready to come home. DH thinks he misses us (awww…)</p>
<p>He’s coming home tomorrow! Yay! And the weather should be good for driving.</p>
<p>I would have let them go, but yeah, the driving would have been the scary part. I might have even asked them to look into buses or trains. Are they all over 18? My daughter and her friends are taking a week cruise to Mexico. They are not all 18, and need chaperones just to get on the ship. Another mom, and her friend are going, treating it like a spa week. They are great!</p>
<p>Then again, my daughter has been taking the train with friends for warehouse shopping up to our large city, San Francisco, since she was 15. So I’m not particularly a worrier.</p>
<p>My 18 yr old son (just finished his freshman yr) informed us that he and 3 kids are going from CA to New York City for some concert…in a Mini Cooper! I didnt realize how small they were unteil he pointed one out the other day.Oh and they have no plans to “waste” money for a hotel…all 4 of them will sleep in the car.
ack</p>
<p>Bec - I have a Mini Cooper. My D rode in the back seat for a 5 hour trip, and hated it. It was her decision to take the Mini, because it really is a fun car to have. But she won’t do another long trip in the back seat. She is small, and had the whole seat to herself, too. </p>
<p>Do these kids realize there will be very little luggage room (you can fit two carryons in the rear portion with the seat up)? </p>
<p>It is a safe car to drive, because it handles very well. But 4 adults are NOT going to be happy after the first 30 minutes or so. Unless they are all very short and skinny.</p>
<p>Lafalum - Glad to hear they have made it so far! PA is known for it’s road work. Lots of jokes. The four seasons in PA are: Almost winter, winter, still winter, and construction. The constuction “horse” is the state animal. “Men at Work” is the state joke. “Fines double in construction areas” is the state slogan. And so on.</p>
<p>Cedar Point is the holy grail for coaster lovers like my D.Road trips while agonizing for parents,are a right of passage.Summer after D graduated from college and before moving to a new city for grad school, she took off for 5 weeks in a tent with boyfriend visiting national and state parks from Az up through the Northwest,down through Montana,etc back to Arizona.Put over 5,000 miles on her 2001 Hyundai,then rented a UHaul trailer ,packed up her apt and drove from Az to St Louis.Nerve wracking for the parents,liberating for the D.
Hershey Park is a major letdown after Cedar Point.They should have reversed the order of the visit!!</p>
<p>This thread made me smile–remembering my feelings when we let my son drive “my” van and five other youth group friends from SF to Ft. Worth, Texas and back 2 years ago. This board helped me (and the other parents) through that one. They were a great group of kids and had earned the privilege of the trip (which was to a denominational annual gathering that made the perfect excuse for a road trip for high school grads)–but it didn’t mean we didn’t imagine a hundred things that could go wrong or they could get up to… They had an extraordinary time. Managed to negotiate some incredible room rates (Hi, I’m traveling with my church group and we are looking for a place to stay…), were welcomed (even in “red-neck” country where their liberal bumper stickers and co-ed traveling group might make them suspect) whereever they went, and were stunned with the collective joy of seeing places like the Grand Canyon as a group on this "rite of passage. When they see each other now, they still joke and reminisce about the experience.</p>
<p>UCDAlum, yes, they are all 18. (At least I think they are… they all just graduated HS, my son is 18.)</p>
<p>DS had been to Hershey before, it’s a nice park but he knew it would be a letdown after Cedar Point. It was basically just a way to break up the 14 hour drive! And get some chocolate, of course…</p>
<p>binx, I’ll have to tell him your PA construction jokes. He told me last night he thought there was a law that at least 50% of PA highways must be under construction at all times. They also miss the Ohio drivers, who drove about 70 and never passed on the right. Of course, they’re used to Boston drivers, the worst in the world, so I don’t know why he’s complaining about PA!</p>
<p>He called at 11:30 am today, they were just leaving Hershey. I managed to convince them to ignore the AAA TripTik that wanted them to take Rte 78 through NJ, to 95 through NYC, then up the coast. They’re taking I-81 to I-84 to the Mass Pike. Only 25 miles further, and MUCH less traffic. Also fewer turns, less chance to get lost.</p>
<p>He sounds tired, but I think he’s had a great time and made some great memories he’ll have forever. It seems like it was indeed a “rite of passage” and he’ll be more mature for it. I can’t wait until they pull into our driveway, though…</p>
<p>Q: What is big, yellow, and sleeps 8?
A: A PennDOT truck. </p>
<p>My S used to have a PA shirt with all the construction jokes on it. I Googled it, but can’t find it anywhere online. Here are a couple other sites. Along the way, I learned that PA is no longer #1 in road construction - Louisiana has it beat now (I assume that is after Katrina?) However, being #2 now means they’ll try harder!</p>
<p>I think it sounds like a great trip! Cedar Point is on the list of places DD would love to go … there’s not a roller coaster out there that’s fast enough, high enough or scary enough for her. She’s been doing quite a bit of traveling lately, and the way my DH and I feel about it is that she should travel as much as she can while she can. She and her best friend (both 18 at the time) flew to California for spring break, rented a car and tooled around L.A. and surrounding areas. She just returned from a three-week trip to Europe with her grandparents. When they didn’t feel like getting out and doing certain things, she went on her own. She’s currently hanging out with 80K+ people at Bonnaroo. My sister, who has three sons (ages 21, 19 and 14), thinks we’re nuts, but IMO she is too overprotective, so in the end, only we parents can determine what we each feel is right or wrong for our own children. Some 18-year-olds are very responsible … some are not. I’m sure your son is having a fabulous time. As for the “shady” places they may visit, didn’t we all do that when we were younger? Some of the places I stayed in the past would be places I would never visit again, but I have no regrets! I’m sure he’ll have fond memories of this road trip for many years to come!</p>
<p>They arrived home yesterday, safe and sound with great stories and memories. </p>
<p>My only problem… now my daughter, who is 15, is talking about where SHE’s going on HER road trip when SHE graduates. Call me sexist, but I worry a lot more about a car full of girls driving halfway across the country than a car full of boys!</p>
<p>My S did a road trip from college to a family reunion (although he was 21 at the time - different from just out of hs). We still have fun remembering his adventures…lost in the fog at a campground in CA, waking to sunrise and 45 little Girl Scouts surrounding his tent. Now that cell phones and GPS make it so much safer, I think all kids should do it. (just don’t tell D2 quite yet!)</p>
come on over to SA, pull up a stool and throw back one with a reallay big umbrella.</p>