This Year I'm Thankful For Not Traveling to the Grand Canyon

Let me begin with a word to my in-laws: I am not dissing the concept of The Grand Canyon Adventure.

Our Thanksgiving celebrations have been like those of most everyone else in America. We generally gather at my in-laws for a meal. We watch football. We play cards. We nap. Occassionally, we go to the movie. Normal Thanksgiving Day fare. I like it. I know what to expect.

Not this year.

About, I don't know, three weeks ago, my in-laws decided to put a new spin on the holiday. Given that my sisters-in-law and their families were going to be elsewhere, my in-laws decided to do something bordering on a little bit crazy. They thought it would be fun for The King, Princess and me to join them in the RV for a trip to the Grand Canyon.

In theory, not a bad idea. In theory, however, is not reality. The tricky part of this expedition was the fact that we would leave on Wednesday - the day before Thanksgiving - and we would return on Sunday.


Seeing as how we live in Arkansas, it would take us two full days of driving to get to the GC (Wednesay and Thursday) and two full days to return home from the GC (Saturday and Sunday). If my familiarity with the days of the week holds true...we would have one day at the Grand Canyon.

Now, I've never been to the Grand Canyon. Perhaps one day is sufficient. Nevertheless, if you have spent any time whatsoever in an RV with five people, you understand that four days of relentless travel with a moving port-a-pot and marine-like shower conditions must be endured only for the most incredible vacation situations. One day of freedom from the RV to look at a canyon--grand or otherwise--does not qualify.

(When I recover from it, I will post about our last RV trip. And the one before that. Suffice it to say, The King has been known to let some maintenance issues slide. Until we're 600 miles from home. At night. With flames.)


There is also the consideration of the Thanksgiving meal. I don't have to have the ultimate Thanksgiving feast every year. I can handle some variation (you know, mashed sweet potatoes instead of the marshmallow casserole kind). The fact that Thursday would be spent cruising down the highway is almost asking too much. I am not sure that microwave mac and cheese would meet my criteria of Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe we could warm up some beenie weenie or grab a sausage roll when we pull in the truck stop to dump our waste.

Toward the end of last week, The King and his mother came to their senses and decided that we might postpone The Grand Canyon Adventure. Really? Great idea!! I can wait.

So, we are now back to the burning question of what might we do to acknowledge our thankfulness.

I'm really quite fond of the idea of a meal, some football, cards, a nap and maybe a movie.

Just in case they are reading.

For which I would be thankful.