Colorado Sparkler

[nixxy311]

We got DD's summer schedule and it includes Sparkler this year. Very new to this. Every tournament she's played in that's not in our state is just one state over.

Any tips for this - I know it's a long way off but I'm a planner.
I was thinking of driving as that would do away with 4 plane tickets (as DD#2 would also want to go), and renting a car. It's about 20 hrs for us to get there. We could make a stop along the way. I don't foresee us making it to Sunday so we could probably get away with leaving early Sunday morning.

Pros/cons to driving/flying?

 

[bmakj]

We got DD's summer schedule and it includes Sparkler this year. Very new to this. Every tournament she's played in that's not in our state is just one state over.

Any tips for this - I know it's a long way off but I'm a planner.
I was thinking of driving as that would do away with 4 plane tickets (as DD#2 would also want to go), and renting a car. It's about 20 hrs for us to get there. We could make a stop along the way. I don't foresee us making it to Sunday so we could probably get away with leaving early Sunday morning.

Pros/cons to driving/flying?

20 hours equals two days of driving, with two DDs in backseat (arguing, fighting, music, etc.), no thanks. but thats me and my DDs. hell, we split drive from NJ to Myrtle into two days (had to get a stop in at Chapel hill for another go around at the museum and franklin street).

 

[uncdrew]

20 hours equals two days of driving, with two DDs in backseat (arguing, fighting, music, etc.), no thanks. but thats me and my DDs. hell, we split drive from NJ to Myrtle into two days (had to get a stop in at Chapel hill for another go around at the museum and franklin street).

Go Heels!

 

[Eric F]

On our Sparkler trip (14U), we flew and rented a car. I missed having my Explorer, and all the stuff that always rolls with us, especially my chair. However, that part of the world, at that time of year, is prone to hail storms. We saw hail the size of a nickel. Apparently, this is pretty common. Cars got pretty dinged up pretty bad, including my rental. We saw more than a couple of cracked windshields. For that reason alone, I'm glad I didn't have my own vehicle.

 

[nixxy311]

20 hours equals two days of driving, with two DDs in backseat (arguing, fighting, music, etc.), no thanks. but thats me and my DDs. hell, we split drive from NJ to Myrtle into two days (had to get a stop in at Chapel hill for another go around at the museum and franklin street).

Luckily my girls will be 17 and 19 next summer and they can drive some of the way. And they pretty much just have their headphones in the entire time anyway.

 

[CMMom1740]

We had same experience as Eric F. Hail damage to the rental car. If you do decide to fly, rent your car EARLY. The CO tournaments are huge and they do run into shortages.

Personally, the drive out there might be kind of fun. But the slog home IMHO would suck. Bigtime. I hear that the drive across Kansas feels endless with nothing to see. But I feel you on the cost of four plane tickets. We took the red-eye home on Sunday night. NEVER. AGAIN. Absolutely horrible experience.

 

[newnin]

I drove 19 hours to the Sparkler this year. On the way there, we split it into two days, but did it in one shot on the way back. We are headed back there again next year and I will absolutely drive again, especially after seeing all of the canceled/delayed flights and canceled car rentals. More families said they will be driving too after their experiences at the airport.

 

[_MIA_]

We saw hail the size of a nickel.

Amateur..

Baseball-sized hail hits Norman, causing damage worth millions of dollars, Oklahoma

A severe storm moved through Norman City in Oklahoma at around 01:00 UTC on Thursday, April 29, 2021 (20:00 LT on Wednesday, April 28), bringing winds of up to 115 km/h (70 mph) and hail the size of a…

watchers.news

 

[_MIA_]

We are supposedly going this year..about 10 hours from us so we will drive and I will threaten the kids that I am leaving them by the side of
the road to walk there at least 10 times...

 

[bmakj]

We are supposedly going this year..about 10 hours from us so we will drive and I will threaten the kids that I am leaving them by the side of
the road to walk there at least 10 times...

local radio morning show DJ here a few years back told of a summer vacation when he was young, where his father deliberately left a day early, and threatened once to turn the car around when they got unruly, then the next time did it!

probably need to keep that one in my back pocket. dont make a threat you are not prepared to carry out!