Books, toys, blankets, and various other detritus are strewn across James Wade’s Toyota Sequoia as he and his family crisscross Texas on long road trips, at his wife’s insistence that “exploration and adventure are key to a happy childhood.” Sometimes it is chaos—and Wade is honest about that, with a wry humor. But sometimes, it is just lovely. You’ll want to jump in for this ride.
Jonah throws his milk and it explodes against the window. Jordan unbuckles and corkscrews around in the passenger seat, reaching for the milk before it leaks over the books, toys, and blankets that cover the floorboard. A shrill and repetitive ding is added to the clamor of sound as the car chastises Jordan for not being buckled in. And even amid the chaos, as we pass a herd of mule deer, I can’t stop myself from saying, “Look, mule deer!”
“K-pop!”
Ding!
“Get me out!”
“They’re different from whitetail.”
Ding!
“Shhh! It’s OK, buddy.”
“You can tell by their ears.”
“I have to pee!”
“Out!”
“Daddy, it’s an emergency!”
“Did y’all see the deer?”
Buckle up, even more picks on road trips
The Real Life Mermaids of Florida’s Weeki Wachee Springs
“The fragility and fantasy of old America.”
Route 66 Is Turning 100 This Year. It Still Has Stories to Tell About America.
“The country’s legendary main street celebrates its centennial against the backdrop of the nation’s 250th birthday. Could there be a better time for a road trip?”
Middle of Somewhere
“One remote highway in Nevada links far-flung communities that attracted settlers for generations. Why are some still drawn there today?”
Will Dad and I Ever See Texas the Same Way?
“A noted Texas historian and his adult child get behind the wheel to see if they can finally view their home state the same way.”
I Tried to Toughen Up My Son. Things Didn’t Go as Planned.
“A trip to the Badlands with my 8-year old offered lessons in boyhood — and manhood.”
Highway 89 Revisited
“A 1,400-mile trip through several national parks takes a writer deep into his past.”
