Before hopping in the Expedition for a 1600+ mile jaunt, I thought it prudent to conduct a little test run. Getting John’s scout troop camp trailer to El Rancho Cima just west of San Marcos seemed a perfect fit. So, I signed up for duty–me and the girls and a couple scouts.
We arrived at 8:30 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. departure. Anyone who’s been to scout camp knows well that time is a relative thing. And it really should say 9-ish. It’s not a bad thing. Scouts are boy-led affairs. If boys were born with planning and coordinating skills, there’d be no need for 
scouting. So, we loaded. And, we loaded. And loaded. Then, loaded some more. I started getting nervous about pulling that trailer across
Texas.
Mickey’s big hand was swinging past 6 and the doors were still open, rides being assigned, and parents still saying their goodbyes. And this beta test delivered its first lesson: start on time, stay on time. There’s a traveling rule of thumb that every five minutes standing still is 15 minutes on the road. I had planned the day around getting there by Noon. A good time for deep breathing. Relax. Go with the flow; beta test 
lesson two.
At long last, it was time to saddle up and ride. This was one of those “close your eyes and jump” moments for me; a car load of kids pulling a trailer load of stuff on the open road. It may seem no big deal to most people. For me, it was a stretch. The last trailer I pulled had a chair in it going across town. And before that, it was behind a yellow Ryder truck pulling the old GTI to Houston in
1985. Somehow, with my babies on board, this seemed a bigger deal.
One of the joys in traveling is experiencing local life. So, it was we simply HAD to stop at the DQ. Sure, there were other burger joints. But, this was DQ. In many ways, stepping into a Dairy Queen is stepping back in time. It took me back to Grandma’s Kitchen, my family’s restaurant. That oh-so-familiar scent of fryer grease, grill sizzle and foodservice wax wrappings. It was a meal of memories.
The big slice of the drive was getting to the DQ in San Marcos. It was also the end of major roads. From there on, it was in-town driving and–gasp–hills! My poor Expedition thought a hill was what it climbed
to get on the freeway. The roads in San Marcos were more like the real thing. Through town, taking a tricky turn (tricky because it has only one sign and is easy to miss),
and out into the country we trekked. What a pleasant surprise to discover how much pull that Expedition has under the hood: some ninny was limping up a hill. Without giving it much thought, my right foot pressed down and those horses took flight pulling me, the kids and trailer up and around–all without breaking a sweat. At the next stop, one of the dads asked, “what do you have under the hood of that thing?” Shrugging my shoulders, I said, “pretty sure it’s an engine.” Honestly, I don’t know. Still don’t. And, I’m okay with that.
What a lovely sight: the Expedition free of the trailer. Hey, don’t get me wrong: it was a fun pull and the kids loved every mile of movies, snacks and changing views outside the windows. I just didn’t particularly enjoy the view on the dash showing 12.3 miles per gallon. I had started calculating how many gallons of gas it would take at that clip to get to Utah, Seattle, and home to Houston. Owwie. Fortunately, once the trailer was dropped, the Expedition returned to her normal 15.8 miles per gallon–practically a hybrid.
Our mission complete, it was time to drop our own scout and head east for another adventure. (Note the
trunk between truck and trailer; all he needed for a week and a science experiment in the making for our nanny.) The most rewarding feeling I get is seeing the kids really connecting. My little circle of five, a family complete. It doesn’t show everyday, but gives me a divine shoulder pat when it does–like in this picture. This is the last time they’d all be together till we meet up in Utah–a point not lost on them. Even though getting there was only half of the test, I judged it a success and can’t wait to head west on the 11th!