Bumbleride Adventures with Tessa Byars

"Our kids have more impressive travel logs than many adults. In just the first two years of her life our daughter had traveled by plane, train, car, bike, skis, ferry, raft, and canoe and had been to over a dozen states and Canada. We never intended to be on the go so much, but work trips, weddings, family reunions and vacations kept us heading to the airport or packing the car every few weeks. Each time we went somewhere, we became more comfortable and confident traveling with our kids. The first road trip we took was when my daughter was eight weeks old. We both were fortunate to have some time off work, so we set out on a winter road trip from our home in Ventura, California to our old stomping grounds in Jackson, Wyoming with our fingers crossed. As expected with an infant, there was plenty of screaming and many freezing cold, side of the road diaper changes and nursing, but we made it and we loved the experience. That was true with each subsequent adventure—there were always bumps in the road or turbulence in the air—but getting through them and figuring things out together was incredibly satisfying. One of the keys to success traveling with two kids was having the right gear. We have a tendency to bring everything including the kitchen sink, so this was (and still is) always a challenge for us. By the time we took our second big road trip, we were well-traveled and knew that we just needed the essentials. We have found that the best gear, especially with kids involved, is durable, lightweight, multi-functional, simple, eco-friendly and of course it has to look good too. With our daughter, we took our Bumbleride stroller with us everywhere we went, and when our son was born we upgraded to a double. It certainly served as a stroller, but just as importantly as a luggage carrier, beach cart and instrument caddy—when there weren’t any kids in it. I always imagined that with two children we would stay home more, invite family and friends to visit us and avoid flying at all costs, but when our son was eight weeks old, we set out on a 45-day road trip through California and Oregon. We had learned a few things from the first trip two years before, so we kept our travel plans simple, open-ended and planned to drive no more than about 200 miles every few days. We made more space in the minivan by adding cargo boxes to the roof, a bike rack on the hitch, and made sure the diaper bag, a change of clothes, food, and the stroller were easily accessible. Even though people told us we were crazy, and there were certainly times we wondered if that was true, overall it was such a fun adventure and the sweetest time bonding with the newest member of our family." - Tessa Read more about Tessa's family in her Adventurer profile Learn more about Indie Twin.