What EVERY road trip needs:

These little ethnically diverse guys are going to eventually become mummies. (See the SwaggHunt for details.) They start out so cute & innocent...
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The Official SwaggHunt List

SwaggHunt!

A scavenger hunt for citizens of the Swaggon - a game of a game of logic, resourcefulness, and creativity

The object of the game: To obtain the highest number of points working together as a team Participants: Mac and Bella (participation is open to any other children interested in helping)

To the winner goes: the spoils of victory! Cash & prizes await the winners upon our return home. Also? A trophy. With your name on it. Seriously. So get busy!

Judging Panel: Your loving mothers, and any other adults they choose to conscript for judging purposes

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Swagghunt Rules:

1.) This scavenger hunt is not a contest between players; rather, it is a contest for the players to complete together. So remember: you are not playing AGAINST your cousin, but WITH him/her. YOU MUST WORK TOGETHER.

2.) Unless noted, the judging panel prefers that items be worked on and completed AS A TEAM. Exceptions to this rule will be considered on a case-by-case basis but is not guaranteed.

3.) You must complete one task/item before starting another, lest the Swaggon be filled with half-completed craft projects. If you don't feel like working on a certain project anymore, either hurry up and finish it (and risk point loss for shoddy work) or else take a break for a while.

4.) Each item is marked with a maximum number of points that can be awarded for its' completion. Complete each task to the best of your ability and your efforts (AS A TEAM!) will be judged (at a date and time TBD). Total points will be calculated and the prize(s) received will be based on these total points.

5.) If an argument takes place while a task is being completed, points will be taken away for that task. The shotgun occupant will keep track of this and points will be deducted at judging. Discussion is fine, arguing is not. Should a discussion occur that SOUNDS like an argument, you will be given the benefit of the doubt and one warning will be given. If, after that warning, the discussion continues to sound like an argument, point deduction will occur.

6.) Anything you make, unless noted otherwise, will need to be carefully saved for judging purposes (and possibly for other items on the hunt). A box will be supplied for this purpose.

7.) You may ask for assistance from an adult, but keep in mind that they have the right to refuse. This is YOUR game, after all, and YOU will be winning the prizes. If you do not fully understand a task, you may ask for and receive clarification, but help is entirely at the whim of the person you are asking.

8.) Some items just require being seen to be checked off and receive points. However, your sighting MUST be verified by an adult. Checking off 'dog in rear windshield' without having it verified by an adult will result in not only forfeiting the possible points, but also deduction of that amount of points from your total. Sighted items require the initials or signature of the adult who verified it. If the shotgun adult occupant is busy when you need verification, you may politely ask the driver to verify, but the driver retains right of refusal since they are so busy. If you cannot get an adult to verify your sighting, you must wait and hope you see the same item again. If you complain about this occurring, you will lose points.

9.) Props: all props must be mad props. (Shout out to UofC ScavHunt!)
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ITEMS TO SEE (requiring verification!):
______ License plate from a foreign country (Hawaii does NOT count) (1 point)
______ 8 motorcycles in a row (2 points)
______ someone wearing green flip flops (1 point)
______ Car with no hood (2 points)
______ Mini-Cooper (1 point)
______ Smart Car (2 points)
______ Car with a mattress tied to the roof (3 points)
______ School Bus (2 points)
______ Foam dice on a mirror (1 point)
______ Dog (alive) in rear windshield (2 points)
______ Bobble-head dog in rear windshield (1 point)
______ Duct-tape car repair (2 points)
______ Sign that says "Hot Coffee" (1 point)
______ Car with more than 8 bumper stickers (2 points)
______ Sign with bullet holes (2 points)
______ Cows, ALL cows lying down (3 points)
______ Cows, at least 20 cows (count quickly! 5 points)
______ Cows, ONLY ONE (2 points)
______ Explain what is wrong with the above item (3 points):
______ Sign that says something about "Falling Rocks" (2 points)
______ Horse and Buggy (2 points)
______ jet ski on trailer (1 point)
______ jet ski NOT on trailer (10 points)
______ person riding jet ski not on trailer (20 points, and hey, it could happen)
______ people taking picture of themselves by a road sign (1 point per person)
______ Skunk, dead or alive (2 points, 10 points if it's dead and smelly and you take deep breaths through your nose for the duration of the stench)
______ Horse (1 point)
______ Man riding horse (3 points)
______ Horse riding man (150 points)
______ The word "YEE-HAW!" on a sticker or sign (2 points)
______ Person sleeping in another car, mouth open (2 points)
______ Person sleeping in another car, head bobbing around (2 points)
______ Person in another car picking nose (2 points)
______ Person in OUR car picking nose (3 points)
______ VW bus painted with peace signs and such (3 points)

THINGS TO DO/SEE:

1) You are a team, so name your team. Make a sign proclaiming your team name and its incredible awesomeness. (2-4 points based on creativity)

2) Say the secret word. What is the secret word? We're not going to tell you, it's a secret. (15 points, no points if you ask, "Is the secret word _____?")

3) Riddle me this Batman: What occurs once every minute, twice every moment, but never in a thousand years? (5 points for correct answer) (ANSWER: the letter M)

4) Using the kit provided, make a balloon animal. Balloon animal must be recognizable (within 3 guesses) by a member of the judging panel. (10 points, 15 points if it is recognized on the first try)

5) In the style of the ministry of silly walks, create a silly walk. At the next stop, display your silly walk to the world. Must silly walk until adequate photos and video have been taken by the judges. (3 points)

6) Using the following chart, convert your parents' phone numbers into as many REAL words as possible. (1 point per word, 15 point bonus for a 7-letter word).
1=FREE LETTER - any letter you want 2=A, B, or C
3=D, E, or F 4=G, H, or I
5=J, K, or L 6=M, N, or O
7=P, Q, R, or S 8=T, U, or V
9=W, X, Y, or Z 0=FREE LETTER - any letter you want

7) Using construction paper, make the most realistic paper bacon strips EVER. Glue those to a sign that says "Honk if you love bacon" and display in the Swaggon window. (4 points, 2 bonus points if someone actually honks)

8) Using the book provided, make two different origami dinosaurs. Then each contestant must select a dinosaur and draw a three panel comic explaining why and how their dinosaur would win in a fight between the two. (8 points)

9) Flat Stanley is coming along! Small enough to be mailed is small enough to fit in a suitcase. Take legit, proper photos of Flat Stanley enjoying our adventure with us. (3 points for each photo, and keep it clean, it's going back to school)

10) Flat Stanley's country cousins will also be joining him. Flat Mac and Flatty B's escapades do not have to go back to school, so their escapades can be a bit more...dubious? Tasteless? Let's put it like this: You wouldn't put Flat Stanley IN a cannon. Flat Mac, however...anything goes. No journal entries needed, just document their escapades with photographs. (3 points for each photograph, bonus points available for making an adult LOL)

11) Riddle me this, Batman: What can be driven but has no wheels, and can be sliced but remain whole? (4 points for correct answer) (ANSWER: a golf ball)

12) Everyone needs a traveling companion, so you need to find yours. Keep an eye out for a nice rock that will fit through the opening of the provided jar. Once you've found your pet rock, give him or her a nice pair of googly eyes. Name your pet rock and take care of him for the rest of the trip. (4 points, 2 bonus points available if both eyes stay on for the duration of our trip)

13) Attack of the mummies! Using the provided paper dolls and masking tape, create a small army of small mummies. Stage them in attack position around the Swaggon and photograph. (6 points, 4 bonus points available for grossing up the mummies with blood, etc, 4 more bonus points available for a second photograph showing someone covered with attacking small mummies, person must look convincingly like they're being attacked by mummies)

14) Using the book provided, each contestant must draw a sea creature of their choosing. Draw, color, and cut out, then stage them with whatever props you might choose to make and add (seaweed, bubbles, etc). Photograph. (4 points, 2 bonus points available for creativity)

15) Over the course of the trip be aware of statues with hands/feet/paws that are within your reach. You need to take three (3) "Gimme five!" pics, each with a different statue. Pic 1: Give one statue an "up high." Pic 2: Give another statue a "down low." Pic 3: Give another statue a "too slow." (9 points for ALL THREE pics - no credit for 1 or 2 pics)

16) Each teammate must compose a Haiku about how they feel the trip is going so far. Must follow traditional Haiku form of 17 syllables (first line 5, second line 7, third line 5). (8 points, bonus points available for wit and/or humor)

17) Using your drawn sea creatures and your origami dinosaurs, stage an epic land versus sea battle. Photograph. (4 points)

18) Create a large - and I mean LARGE - Mario Kart banana peel. Place this in front of the Swaggon at a stop. Adults must be convinced to sit in the Swaggon and display the proper "OHMYGODIT'SABANANAPEELNOOOOOOOO!!!" face while utilizing proper arm gestures. You have 1 (ONE) chance to take this picture...make it fabulous the first time. (10 points)

19) Riddle me this, Batman: Your mother's brother's brother-in-law is also: a)your uncle, b)your father, or c)your cousin. (5 points) (ANSWER: your father)

20) Using whatever items you have at your disposal, create props and characters from a Super Mario Brothers game. Pipes, 1UP mushrooms, brick blocks, question mark blocks, turtle shells and any other items from the games are acceptable. Stage the scene, photograph and remove. (6 points, 2 bonus points available for creativity)

21) Daddoo and Nanno (Ms. Phyllis) like to travel, so we're bringing them along! Photograph them on our vacation (they are to be the only people in the photograph). Be creative and use camera angles well. (2 points for every GOOD picture)

22) You're going to get a 3rd eyeball! The doctors can put it anywhere you want on your body, and you'll be able to see out of it! Where would you put it? Where would it be most useful? Why? Draw your new eye and cut it out. Take a picture of yourself with your new eyeball where you want it, looking thoughtfully at something interesting. Picture can be taken outside of the Swaggon for an additional 3 points. (5 points, 3 points for a pic in public)

23) Each contestant must decorate and then fold a paper airplane. At the next rest stop, in a coordinated, organized effort with adult permission, throw them as far as you can. (1 point for each foot traveled, 2 bonus points available for style and/or witty name)

24) Using materials at your disposal, use your previously made Mario characters to create a MarioKart scene. Track and karts or bikes are required. Any other items (banana peels, zappy touch cloud) will provide extra points for creativity. (4 points, 2 bonus points available for creativity)

25) Avast, me hearties, it's time to get pirate up in here. The Swaggon is now the seagoing pirate vessel the S.S. Foul Wind. Make up your own pirate names and create your own pirate flag. (6 points, 10 point bonus if all children present talk like pirates for a full 5 minutes)

26) Arr, maties, with the provided instructions and materials, build pirate popsicle stick catapults. Use your new weapon to catapult marshmallows into your teammates mouth. (4 points for working catapults, 1 point for each marshmallow that finds its' target up to 20 points)

27) You need...to act like the A-Team. Once a photographer and/or videographer is properly positioned, leap out of the Swaggon in A-Team style while loudly humming the theme song. (5 points, +3 points if you both land on your feet)

28) Pick a book, any book. Randomly pick a page from that book (page must not have pictures ) and write down the last word in every line on that page. Using those words, compose a poem that one contestant will read aloud while his/her teammate claps by snapping his/her fingers. (8 points, possible 10 bonus points available if you compose a song instead and sing it.)

29) Create "The Swaggon Daily News": a newspaper announcing the goings-on in the van for the day before. One page, can't be all comics. (6 points)

30) Riddle me this, Batman: "What force and strength cannot get through, I with a gentle touch can do, and many in the streets would stand, were I not as a friend in hand". What am I? (5 points) (Answer: a key)

31) Welcome to Bigfoot country! But we don't think Bigfoot just hangs out in the woods, we're pretty sure he goes other places, too. Make a Bigfoot head and set of hands. Strategically place them in the places Bigfoot has never been seen (rest stop bathroom stalls, in the Swaggon, etc) in the appearance on peering around a corner, and photograph. (2 points per GOOD photograph, +2 points available for making an adult LOL with your arrangement)

32) Each contestant much draw a fish (large scale, please) they think should be available on Animal Crossing. Draw your fish, name it and note how much it would sell for. (6 points)

33) Create amazing facial hair from construction paper. Construction paper facial hair can be in any shape or fashion, but no adhesive can be used except to *temporarily* attach it to your face. Find a creative name for your hairpiece. (3 points, 5 bonus points for an especially creative name, additional 5 for finding a way to wear this without adhesive at all)

34) It's the Zappy Touch game! Object of the game: to pass the zappy touch to an ADULT in the Swaggon. You must get a Swaggon adult to look directly at your Zappy touch cloud. If they do, you gleefully pass the Zappy Touch cloud to them, and receive 1 point. The adult's job is to then attempt to pass the Zappy Touch back to you in the same manner. If you or your teammate look at the Zappy Touch cloud, it is passed back to you and 1 point is deducted. ADULTS HAVE THE FINAL SAY over what constitutes as 'looking' and whether or not someone 'looked'. (+1 point for passing to an adult, -1 point for it being passed back to the team - game ends when the trip ends)

LOCATION SPECIFIC ITEMS:

HOTELS:

35) Using the book provided, make towel animals. Stage these towel animals and photograph (i.e, a towel puppy standing outside the hotel room door waiting to come in, etc). (2 points for every good photograph)

AUNTIE'S HOUSE

36) Take a photograph of Mei and Bubba sitting together and sucking on their toes (their OWN toes, not each other's, ew). You're going to have to be quick! (10 points)

VIRGINIA AQUARIUM

37) Turtle daps: At the sea turtle tank, take a photograph of either (or both) participant(s) pretending to offer daps (fist bump) to a sea turtle. Must be as realistic as possible, in the photo your fist must appear to be bumping the turtle's fin. (4 points)

38) In the reptile area, each contestant must find something that scares them and take a photograph demonstrating how scared they really are. (4 points, 2 bonus points available for awesome faces)

GETTYSBURG, PA

39) Welcome to the gun show! Show off your guns next to some Civil War-era weapons. Pose in body builder poses as close to Civil War weapons as allowed. Points awarded on a sliding scale based on the size of the antique artillery in the picture. You may pose for as many pictures as you like, but must choose the best two shots to submit for judging. (1-5 points per photo)

40) What was Abraham Lincoln's most famous speech? The Gettysburg Address! Many historians believe that he wrote this speech on a napkin on his way to Gettysburg! Could this possibly be true?! Only one way to find out: write the Gettysburg address on a napkin. The entire speech must fit on one side of a single napkin and be completely legible. (5 points, 5 additional points for reading the speech from the napkin, ANOTHER 5 points for wearing amazing Abe Lincoln construction paper facial hair while reading the speech from a napkin...on video!)

HERSHEY PARK, PA

41) Fanny pack count! WITHOUT POINTING, EXCLAIMING ALOUD OR BEING RUDE, note how many fanny packs you see. Maintain a running tally throughout the day. (.5 points per fanny pack, 1 point for a patterned fanny pack, 2 points for a wildly patterned fanny pack, group of 5 or more ALL wearing fanny packs and traveling together gets 3 points per group member, 4 if the fanny packs match)

42) Have your picture taken with at least 3 of the Hershey characters strolling around the park. 5 (5 points, 1 point bonus for each additional character picture beyond the original 3)

CHEROKEE MUSEUM (en route to)

43) Using the syllabary page in the book about the Cherokee indians, write everyone in the Swaggon's name in Cherokee syllables. Get as close as possible; there aren't going to be exact syllables for all of our names. (10 points)

ROCK CITY, GA

44) Are you ready to rock? Find the biggest rock possible and have a photo taken of both teammates putting on their best rock faces and fingers. (4 points)

PERSON SPECIFIC ITEMS:

MAC:

45) Use pipe cleaners to make Harry Potter glasses and a wizard wand. Have a photograph taken while you demonstrate the "swish and flick" technique. (2 points)

46) Top hats rule. Make a top hat and wear it at the next stop. (4 points, 2 bonus points if you wear your facial hair)

47) Using twisted together pipe cleaners, spell out the word of your choice. Using another pipe cleaner, turn it into a necklace and wear it at a rest stop. Take a photo. (4 points, total point loss PLUS extra deduction if it is a bad word or a word your mother doesn't like)

BELLA:

48) If you were a superhero, what would your powers be? And what would your costume look like? Draw your superhero and explain your superpowers, then at the next stop wear your blanket like a superhero cape and have your photograph taken in a super pose. (4 points, 4 point deduction if your blanket is dropped in a toilet)

49) For the duration of one stop, whether it be gas, restroom or a meal, you must sing everything you say. From the moment you step out of the van to the moment you step back into it, everything you have to say, whether "I'll be right back" or "Can I get some skittles?" MUST BE IN SONG FORM. (4 points, 1 point deduction for every time you forget)

We're getting so close!

Val and I are putting the final touches to the scavenger hunt. Ending it is harder than I thought it would be...we've been working on it and adding to it for many weeks now - how do you know when it's finished? Anyway...we're going to cut ourselves off, format the pages, and then post all or parts for your enjoyment.

I'm keeping it a secret from Mac - he's at that age where he can talk himself into our out of something given enough time, so I hope that surprising him with it will make it acceptable, and also keep him occupied. This is gonna be a long-ass trip. Val has shared bits with Bella, who is SUPREMELY excited about the whole thing.

I spent all day Wednesday working on stuff for the trip. We have a list on Google Docs that is actually titled "THINGS WE NEED TO DO BEFORE WE LEAVE" (caps and all) and when I started it there were about 6 items. As I did things for the trip that weren't orignally on the list, I added them so I could strike them off. I feel zero guilt for this. It was for the trip! Some of the things I did can't be mentioned here yet as they are a surprise...and oh, what a surprise they will be!! I can tell you about finishing all the maps (the older kids have copies of the AAA turn-by-turn directions & maps) and both the kids' daily sheets. The rest? I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

The maps and daily sheets will be given out the day they are to be used, and will go in the kids' Trapper Keepers (henceforth called "TK" because who wants to type that every time?!). Did I mention the TKs? I don't remember. If not, someone comment and I'll clarify. Anyway, the kids' TKs currently have a copy of the Swaggon Constitution, the Houseguests' Bill of Responsibilities, the 1st set of maps (P'cola to VA) and their first daily sheets, tailor-made for each of them. I'll post parts of the kids' daily sheets later, as well.

Val and I also have a binder, in which resides OUR copies of the maps, confirmation & reservation info, and other important things:

It's very official. :) We also have all the kids' future maps and daily sheets, and let me just say, that mofo weighs a TON. As the trip progresses our binder will get thinner as their TKs get thicker, so it works for me.

Don't tell the kids....

Jen and I had a hard time coming up with prize ideas for the Swagghunt (that is the scavenger hunt we created for our kids to do while on the road). They won't get their prize(s) until we come home from our trip, at which point they will be spoiled rotten, having been eating, playing and purchasing things (or having things purchased for them) up and down the east coast. They won't need anything. So what do you get the kids who have everything (or at least, don't need anything)? A bad trophy.

Oh yes, we'll promise them prizes. And prizes there will be! I just ordered this trophy....

....that will be engraved with their name. Fancy! Other items we're thinking would make good prizes are generic, dollar store candies, something utterly practical like toothpaste or deodarent, and, for the cash prize part, pennies - NOT in roll form.

Nothing says "congratulations for spending hours working on odd projects" like a resin trophy. But shhhh! It's a secret!

It's what we do

We complicate things. It's not always a bad thing. When we decided a year ago that we wanted to do this trip, we knew - we knew - that we must be a little touched in the head to volunteer for such a road trip with 3 kids. We decided immediately that rules were in order, and that they must be written down.

The first incarnation of the rules was in commandment form. Lots of "thou shalt"s and "thou shalt not"s. Somehow...I don't remember exactly how now that I'm writing about it...this morphed into Constitution form. Val?

So we have a Constitution of the Swaggon (including a preamble!), which consists of rules for the kids while on the road. Val knew that we needed rules for OUTSIDE the Swaggon, as well, as our children have inherited enough of our smartass DNA to point out that "we're not IN the Swaggon right now." To stay with the theme, she created the Houseguests' Bill of Rights. That particular document details how we expect them to behave while in someone else's home.

I've created a page-a-day worksheet that they'll get each morning of the trip. It has a little synopsis of what's planned for the day, then a fill-in-the-blank section about the day. Mac and Bella have different pages, and I tried to gear their stuff to them directly. I want them to have a record of what we did that would be less painful than a "what I did this summer" report.

To help keep them busy, we also created our own personalized Scavenger Hunt. Most of the "road trip scavenger hunts" out there are extraordinarily lame. Seriously. Google it. Or don't - just trust us...lame. Val discovered the University of Chigago's annual ScavHunt and we were inspired. Read some of the archived lists. Things of BEAUTY! So we created our own version of the ScavHunt (scaled down for an 8 & 10 year-old) and call it, of course, the SwaggHunt.

To keep track of all this we have provided the two older kids with Trapper Keepers. They'll have a copy of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, SwaggHunt lists, worksheet pages, and copies of the AAA TripTiks of their own. On top of the portable DVD player, the netbook, DSs, and whatever else they bring to keep them entertained.

We're going to post copies of everything. The ScavHunt will come last, as it it constantly evolving and growing. We welcome questions or comments - and especially suggestions. This is going to be a ridiculously long car trip, and the happier the kids are the more sanity Val and I will retain.