Unplanned Road Trip
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (128835)
Gainesville, Florida
May 8, 2016 7:18pm CST
On Friday evening, I took my daughter and her best friend to a concert in Orlando, about an hour and half south of where we live in Gainesville. My son stayed home at my ex-wife's house, but would come back over to my place first thing Saturday morning.
It was nice to get to spend some time Friday night with my daughter, but I felt bad that my son didn't get to join in on the fun (he doesn't really like concerts anyway), so I wanted to think of something fun to do on Saturday with him. I was going to surprise him with a quick trip to St. Augustine on Saturday (one of his favorite places), but he decided that for his Mother's Day gift, he would do yard work for my ex-wife. As a result, he didn't get to my place until about 3pm Saturday, which worked out well since my daughter and I slept most of the day since we didn't get back home from Orlando until 3am the night before. In addition, my daughter told me she had so much homework to do that she really couldn't do anything this weekend except her homework.
On the spur of the moment, I asked my son if all our camping gear was still packed in our backpacks. He said everything was packed, except for food and clothes, so I told him to throw the packs in the back of the truck so we could take off and go camping for the night.
We headed off to a state park around 45 minutes away, one that we had surprisingly never been to (O'Leno State Park). When we arrived, I asked the ranger if there were any camping spots left, and he told us there was just one left. We quickly grabbed it, paid for the night, and set up our campsite. After setting everything up, we had just enough time to hike down to the Santa Fe River just in time for sunset, and we sat out on the big suspension walking bridge over the river and enjoyed a magnificent sunset.
Although we were there for only 1 night of camping, it was great bonding time with my son. We had three beautiful does (female deer) visit our campsite, which was another first for my son. We made s'mores by the campfire and had great conversations and told funny jokes. Later, as the fire died down, we laid in our hammocks for awhile admiring the billions of stars overhead, before finally turning in for the night in our tent.
Although I missed my daughter coming with us, it was a great time for my son and I, and glad we made the spur of the moment decision to go camping!
Have you ever decided on a spur of the moment road trip? If so, where'd you go and who was it with? Sometimes, the best trips are those that are completely unplanned!
15 people like this
14 responses
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
9 May 16
No one is close enough physically to do this. Plus, I am the only one who has the time and money to drop everything. This is one of the problems with getting older. If others you know or love did not plan ahead, your choices are limited by their irresponsible behavior. Sad.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 May 16
Even on a limited budget, people can still do fun things. For this trip, I spent less than $20 total (which paid for the campsite). We already had all our camping gear, and we loaded up food from the fridge at home. It was a nice "staycation" that didn't really cost us much.
4 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12069)
• United States
9 May 16
@moffittjc That may seem true, but their choices are limited by their need to work or their belief that they are too poor, sick, depressed, etc. to go out and have fun.
2 people like this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
10 May 16
You are right @ElizabethWallace. We retiree's are ready to go at the drop of a hat but would love others to go with us but they still have to work.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 May 16
It was nice in a way that I got to spend time individually with each of them. It's fun doing stuff with the two of them together, but it's also nice to be able to do things with them separately.
3 people like this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
10 May 16
@moffittjc We always need alone time as well as together time.
2 people like this
@MGjhaud (23228)
• Philippines
9 May 16
one spur-of-the-moment trips i cant forget was back in college. my friend and i decided to hang out in the mall but we got bored, out in the blue she said lets go for a swim. so we grab our bags, drove to our nearest favorite beach resort (well there was a 15min boat ride as well) and took off our mall outfits and had a good time swimming until late afternoon. we didnt spend the night cause we brought nothing.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 May 16
@MGjhaud Could you have just built a camp fire on the beach and slept on the beach overnight, or would that have been too dangerous? I've slept on the beach before, although I did have a tent with me. Not so sure it would be fun to sleep in the sand all night without any type of bedding or blankets.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 May 16
That sounds like it was a lot of fun! It's too bad you couldn't figure out a way to spend the night! I bet you would have had a great time that evening as well!
2 people like this
@cherriefic (10399)
• Philippines
10 May 16
@moffittjc Yes. That's the part of growing up that needs to be considered. But it's nice to be carefree sometimes.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 May 16
@cherriefic Maybe us adults would be happier if we still acted like young kids every now and then!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 May 16
I love unplanned trips, although as a responsible, mature adult I don't take them as often as I did in my younger wild days!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502491)
• Italy
10 May 16
@moffittjc We also did it about 10 years ago. We did not drive the entire route, we started the trip in St.Louis (MO), that was the closest spot coming from Europe. From St. Louis we drove all the way through Los Angeles. It has been our best road trip.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 May 16
@LadyDuck So you only missed the segment from Chicago to St. Louis. That's not too bad! You still got to see the majority of the scenic highway, and I think all the best parts of the trip are between St. Louis and LA anyway! I'm so jealous (but happy for you) that you got to experience that road trip! I just hope I'll get the chance someday!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 May 16
You got to travel on Route 66? Did you drive the entire route? That's something i've always wanted to do! My best friend did it about 10 years ago, and he said it was one of his best road trips ever!
2 people like this
@Dena91 (17039)
• United States
9 May 16
I believe that those are the best kind of trips because you aren't so stressed about everything. You just go and explore something new. I am sure that is a memory your kids will remember all their lives, especially your son. Have a blessed day
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
12 May 16
@ramapo17 That's the beautiful part of all this! I know I'll cherish the memories for years, but I'm willing to bet that long after I'm gone my kids will still have all of these memories in their hearts!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 May 16
I never thought about it that way, but you are right...there is very little stress involved when you just take off aimlessly on a trip with no expectations set whatsoever!
2 people like this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
11 May 16
@moffittjc And it will stay in yours and your sons memories for years to come.
2 people like this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
9 May 16
I have been to Orlando many years ago and have never forgotten my time there. I used to love to go camping and it does sound like you and your son had fun. I have had some spur of the moments unplanned trips like to the National Forest with a friend.
2 people like this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
10 May 16
@moffittjc
Both were fun for what each likes to do.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
10 May 16
The concert I took my daughter to on Friday night was in Orlando, but the camping trip I took my son on was in High Springs, about 45 minutes northwest of Gainesville!
2 people like this
@annierose (21977)
• United States
28 May 16
It is great time for both of you. I think unplanned trip is good too but I have never done that so far. Whenever I go somewhere else, I always need to have a plan on everything even not that detailed. Your son surely enjoys it and it will serve as a good memory.
1 person likes this
@Hate2Iron (15724)
• Canada
22 May 16
It was years ago, but I remember it well. It was a lot of kids from our high school class... this very weekend now come to think about it!! We had ton of fun!
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
9 May 16
What a great unplanned event that turned out to be for you and your son. I was wondering what the concert was.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 May 16
It was a country concert. The singer was Hunter Hayes. He's a young, up and coming artist.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 May 16
@ramapo17 Thanks! I've realized that I need many more fun weekends. I haven't taken time for myself in quite a long time, so I think I need to get back in the groove. It's very therapeutic!
1 person likes this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
11 May 16
@moffittjc Glad you had a fun weekend.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 May 16
Although my son and I like to do tent camping, hammock camping, and even backpacking, he told me this past weekend we should get an RV so we can just roam the country freely and camp wherever we feel like!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 May 16
@ramapo17 My brother and I were 2 years apart, and when we were little, we were inseparable. Then, as we got a little older, we would fight all the time over everything. Then, as teenagers, we became best friends again! Funny how that works!
My own kids are 3 years apart, and now that they are teenagers, they fight all the time! But it may be different, since one is a boy and one is a girl. My daughter is older, so my son is always aggravating her to know end. It drives her crazy. But I'm willing to bet in a few years she will take on a "motherly" role to him and help guide and take care of him (especially when he's in high school).
1 person likes this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
11 May 16
@moffittjc He is right. We enjoyed our grandsons so much when we took them away in the RV. We would try and take one at a time even though we did take both but that is when I went home with a headache. They are 4 years apart and at the time use to fight so much. Now they are 15 and 19 and are best friends.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (22245)
• United States
11 May 16
That's cool. Sounds like you have a great weekend.
2 people like this
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
13 Jul 16
@moffittjc That all sounded so amazing! I'm very sorry that you didn't get to spend time with your daughter and son at the same time but at least you got some one on one time with them.
And no doubt you guys will do something else soon anyway. Like I said before, you sound like such an awesome dad! I think it's really sweet how you 3 can hang out and do some many fun activities.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
14 Jul 16
I'm planning on buying a couple of kayaks for Christmas so my son and I can have some river adventures. I hope my daughter would be interested in trying it as well. I think she will, but I won't know until I drag her out to the river with us.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
15 Jul 16
@VivaLaDani13 You're always welcome to come! Actually, it would be really cool if you really could visit for real!
1 person likes this
@VivaLaDani13 (60812)
• Perth, Australia
14 Jul 16
@moffittjc That sounds awesome! Can I come? 
I'll buy you chocolate!
I'll buy you chocolate!1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
10 May 16
Wonderful idea, glad you took that little one nighter with your son. We are retired so we have done this a few times now. Our van is always ready to go so like you a few clothes and some food hook up the boat and we are on our way.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128835)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 May 16
I like the fact that we have our gear packed, stored and ready to go on a moment's notice. It comes in handy for those spur of the moment road trips!
2 people like this
@ramapo17 (30441)
• Melbourne, Florida
11 May 16
@moffittjc We use to have the RV ready in case of an emergency get a way.
2 people like this
