As we prepared to take 3 teens, an eleven year old and ourselves to the beach, we had a thought a week out from the trip – where’s all the luggage going to go. We’re kinda slow in thought sometimes and it just hadn’t occurred to us that we can’t fit 6 people, luggage, food and incidentals inside our car.
What did we do?
Went to Amazon
I ordered a roof-top rack that came with a bag to protect the stuff you put up there. It came in 3 days and we were ready to go!
The night before I get the bag out a do a test run to make sure everything we want to fit…fits. It was a struggle but we got it done.
Next morning – an hour and a half before our desired departure time I think, “I wonder what the weight limit is for the crossbars?” Like I said, sometimes I’m slow in thought.
160 pounds or so.
Hmm…it should be ok but let me weigh the suitcases. We’re pushing the limit. So I have to adjust my packing. I’d hate to be traveling down I-20 and watch as everything flys off the top of our car creating a “Final Destination” moment for the cars behind us.
Now I start putting the stuff on top of the car. I’m estimating 20 minutes tops. An hour 20 later I’m done. I was very nervous about securing the load and. it being the first time using this thing, I wasn’t fully trusting the tie-down that came with it.
We start our trip and I keep hearing some thumps. At first I was concerned, “what could that be?” I quickly realize (not so slow in thought this time) that I just didn’t secure the loose strap-ends. I have to stop and pee anyway so I pull into a McDonald’s, pee and then fix the loose ends.
Traveling the next 5 hours was a breeze – at least for me. Everyone else had the snacks and other incidentals that didn’t fit on the roof all under their feet so the ride was a bit cramped, but we stopped a couple of times so they could stretch out.
The carrier performed perfectly on the way to the beach. Kept our stuff dry in the rain and made it easy to find our car in the Bucee’s parking lot.
The hard part for the return – loading it back up without my little ladder.
So, no real adventure so far. Fingers-crossed.
MattMunnell.com 