The Coin-Flip Road Trip

Good Morning from Burlington, Colorado. 

For those of you reading this and not wholly familiar with the Centennial State this lovely hamlet is the last stop if you are going east on I-70.  For the Brennan-Conti family it was the first stop as we return home from the Coin-Flip Road Trip and an opportunity to extend our vacation one more night.

Now some of you may be asking, “What is a coin-flip road trip?” simply put it has been just about the best five days I have spent with my family in years. Even though we were in Kansas.  Actually, I am being unfair to Kansas.  It may be because of Kansas this trip was just plain fun.  I’ll get to Kansas in a minute, First, an explanation of the:

Coin-Flip Road Trip.

This is not a road trip for the faint of heart.  Do not attempt this if you are:

• ·      A control freak or type A personality.
• ·      Unable to be spontaneous.
• ·      Lacking the ability to appreciate the oddities in this world.

For clarification this was not my idea. This idea flowed from the mind of my lovely wife, Meg, and I was lucky enough to be allowed to enjoy the fruits of her brilliance. Here are the general rules for the Coin-Flip Road Trip.. (We say general rules because there are times when the decision of the coin just cannot be tolerated.  Like when it wants to send you to Nowheresville Colorado. The occasional veto is acceptable.)

1.       The Coin is flipped as you approach US and Interstate Highways. Do not flip the coin at by-passes or highways that have the potential of making you back track or dead ends.
2.        The Coin is first flipped to determine if you will be turning. (ie. Heads you turn, tails continue on highway.)
3.        If The Coin tells you to turn then you flip The Coin again to determine direction. (ie. Heads you go South, Tails you go North.)
4.        Travelers are allowed to call for detours to towns or points of interest or to investigate historical markers.
5.        Do not drive for more than four or five hour per day.
6.        Coin flipping concludes when you decide to turn for home. But don’t keep this from giving you freedom to be spontaneous.
7.        Have fun

Our trip began Sunday morning with The Coin sending south on I-25. The next flip was Highway 24 and heading East to Limon. Continuing on I-70 into Kansas.  (We did veto one flip that would have sent us south of Burlington, and that was just not acceptable.) Sunday night in Colby, Kansas and then the coin sent us south to Hutchinson, Kansas and the Cosmo sphere and underground salt mining museum. We put the coin away to head North to Concordia, Kansas and a visit with a an old friend of Meg's. We also saw the Orphan Train Museum, World Largest ball of Twine and Nicodemus, KS.   

We did cheat a little, but the spirit of the coin was followed and we went on a grand adventure that would not otherwise been achieved with preplanning etc.

We are headed home now with great memories and already talking about our next road trip.

“We’re not in Kansas anymore”, Reese as we crossed the state line.

PS – I wrote the above in Burlington and posted once I got home. 

Total miles driven 1,033.  Of those Amelia drove at least half, maybe more. Super proud.