Issues: July 2008 Archives

It isn't every day you see fathers letting their toddlers play in the middle of turnpike lanes. Or strangers seated on a towel on the shoulder, tossing cards between them in an impromptu game to pass the time. Or friends playing Frisbee on the side of the road.

As I returned from a weekend of camping with two friends early Sunday evening, we screeched to a stop on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, just east of the Somerset interchange. For nearly three hours, that's where we stayed.

We had magazines, snacks and had just used the bathroom, so we managed OK. But I felt

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

But if your only option is a scuzzy cement-block room in the back of a gas station you might think twice about how long you can hold it. Especially if you're traveling with others and you've already used up your alloted number of bathroom breaks.

Here's a solution: www.thebathroomdiaries.com. Before you snap your seatbelt, check this site for safe, clean restrooms along your expected route -- just in case. Or, print them out and bring the list along.

If nature's call catches you off guard and you find yourself pleasantly surprised by the facilities, add it to the list and help out another traveler.

When you're about to go insane in the car with your kids, there isn't much you can do.

Savvy moms can plan ahead to ward off some of the chaos and unhappiness by visiting
www.momsminivan.com. There, you'll find a variety of games and activities to keep kids occupied in the car, using basic materials such as string, paper and aluminum foil.

I especially like the part about how to make a cootie catcher!

If you use any of these, shoot me an e-mail and let us know how the ideas worked out!

I was looking through some posts on our online forum, The Exchange and came across this plea for help with summer vacation plans.

Who has an idea for him? Post a comment here or add to the thread on The Exchange.

I wasn't too surprised to read this story about how hotels in and around Beijing aren't exactly booked for the upcoming summer Olympics.

For one thing, it's expensive to get there. A quick check on Expedia.com this afternoon showed that a roundtrip ticket from Baltimore to Beijing leaving Aug. 2 and returning Aug. 16 costs $2175. Not that all the Olympic visitors would come from Baltimore or even the US, but still....

Plus, every time I read about Beijing of late, it's something about the poor air quality or how athletes aren't going to mainland China until the last possible moment before their events to preserve their lung functions.

Then there's the whole Tibet thing. And the communism issue. And, well, the list goes on.

Still, it's THE OLYMPICS. It only happens once every four years. It's a worldwide showcase of athletic prowess and talent. An event where dreams are realized and dashed. It's drama at its best. You'd think more people might go.

What's your take on the hotel vacancies? Anyone from around here planning a trip?

The folks at the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association say that despite the gas-guzzling tendencies of RVs, recreational vehicle rentals and campground bookings are higher this summer than last.

They say it's because people have had their fill of long security lines, lost luggage and other hassles of flying.

Because the RV triples as transportation, lodging and restaurant for those who use them, the association says folks save money overall.

Do the statistics reflect what you're seeing? Do you have an RV? Are you using it more or less these days?

I was reading a post on the ProTraveller site and saw this list of the world's worst airlines.

I think they missed one: Aerolineas Argentinas. I spared you my horror stories in the posts I did from my February trip, but seriously, I was surprised it didn't make the list.

Tuesday's drowning in the Yellow Breeches Creek along the York-Cumberland county border really shook me up. I can't tell you how many times I tubed on that exact same stretch of water growing up.

Now that I spend most of my water time in a kayak rather than an inner tube, I've been itching to hit the Breeches, but haven't because I don't have a stream map (like I do for other area waterways) and I don't feel comfortable going without knowing where lowhead dams and other dangerous obstructions lie.

I thought this might be a good time to remind everyone of some tubing safety tips experts shared with me in July 2004 when I wrote a story about great spots for local tubing excursions. Here's what I wrote then: