Stop #16: HOME - Amarillo, TX

Approximately 100 masks and 20 gallons of hand sanitizer later, we made it home, safe and healthy! Burrowing Owl Books in Amarillo was the official last stop on the ol' Struggle Bus Tour to receive a few books. If you're local and don't yet have a copy of Struggle Bus, head on over to Burrowing Owl and grab a copy. If you've already read my book, head over to Burrowing Owl and buy a bunch of different books or gift cards. They are a delightful local business that could use some support.

Quick note: if you haven't yet subscribed for a chance to win a Struggle Bus Prize Pack (including some AirPods Pro), do so before Monday 8/10 at the bottom of this page or here: https://kingsumo.com/g/ku1npn/struggle-bus-prize-pack-giveaway If you're already subscribed to my email updates, no need to do so again. You're already entered.

Tour Recap

It was the middle of May, and we had a plan: take off on the ol’ Struggle Bus Tour as soon as the COVID numbers dropped and states began to enter their latter re-opening phases.

Numbers dropped. States reopened. It looked like our 2020-long nightmare might just be drawing to a close.

We masked-up and began our trip. Two days after we arrived in Philadelphia, virus numbers began to reverse course. Ugh. The Struggle Bus Tour was off to a fitting start. Thanks, Corona.

Fortunately for me, my family is amazing at adapting to the curve balls that life throws at it. Of course, I'd be lying if I said we didn't have a few "I'll pull this van over right now!" moments. Also, this was a constant battle:

Me: "Do you need to go potty while we're stopped at this gas station?"
4-year-old: "No."
Me: "Are you sure?"
Him: "Yep."
Me: "Are you absolutely sure? Because we won't be near a bathroom for another hour or so..."
Him: "Yes. I don't need to go potty."
Me: "Ok." [starts driving]
[5 minutes later]
Him: "I need to go potty!"
Me: ...

Worth noting: when my 4-year-old says, “I need to go potty,” he doesn’t mean “Excuse me, Mom and Dad. I am feeling the need to use a restroom. If it doesn’t inconvenience you, please stop at the next available establishment that houses an adequately maintained restroom.” He means that he needs to go potty right at that very moment. Worse, he sometimes means that he’s already going a little bit.

The struggle is real. I think our 4-year-old marked his territory on the side of the road in every state from PA to TX.

But, I digress.

Overall, our masked-up, heavily sanitized Struggle Bus adventure was truly wonderful. We laughed. A lot. We sang. We danced. We swam. We played. We prayed. We had a ton of great conversations about riots and race and religion. We had fun giving away a ton of Struggle Bus books in the most ridiculous way possible. I'm sure that some of those books will at most be utilized to even out the leg of a wobbly table or something; but I hope that at least a few people will be blessed by them.

Oh, and a very special thank you to Fast Signs Amarillo for donating a couple magnets to grace the side of our van.

And now, a few previously unshared trip highlights:

*|END:WEB_VIDEO|*

Inside Struggle Bus 2.0

*|END:WEB_VIDEO|*

Patrolin' Gettysburg.

*|END:WEB_VIDEO|*

Carnegie Science Center

*|END:WEB_VIDEO|*

Feeding wabbits.

*|END:WEB_VIDEO|*

We played lots of Uno at the hotel. Smack talk was involved.

*|END:WEB_VIDEO|*

Inside Struggle Bus 2.0

*|END:WEB_VIDEO|*

Our son's favorite store.

Thanks for following along on this adventure. I'll be selecting a winner for the Official Struggle Bus Prize Pack in the next week. So, subscribe at the bottom of this page before Monday 8/10 for a chance to win!

Follow along on social media

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Grab a copy of Struggle Bus

Testimonials

"This is a quick read that you won't regret if you're a parent. Picture a family with 4 kids in diapers and 6 kids in car seats. I laughed out loud when I read "50 percent of the day was spent changing diapers, 50% preparing meals, 50% preparing the unholy mess of carnage that was created at mealtime, 50% bathing children, and the rest of our time searching for missing shoes, coats, toothbrushes, and more. Seriously, though, WHERE DO MY KIDS KEEP PUTTING THEIR SHOES?" Give this a quick read on the beach and you won't regret it!"

— Customer Review

"What a fun read! Every parent in America will be able to relate to many of the stories contained in these pages--even those with only 2 kiddos. If you are looking for a quick, easy read that is laugh-out-loud funny, this is the book! In a day and age where everything coming at us has a negative spin, this book will leave you with a sense of happiness by the end. Thanks, Josh, for telling your story. Thanks, also, for writing it in my primary language of sarcasm."

— Customer Review

“I'd heard the story of the Struggle Bus, but only the outside, viral story.

This well-written, quick-reading, approachable, fascinating tale talks about the family dynamics, the funny anecdotes, the life lessons. I'm a bit reminded, perhaps, of the Grateful Dead tour bus history by Wavy Gravy, "Living With The Dead". I think this is going to be a classic of modern folklore and a reminder that the trials, tribulations, and excitement of family, internet celebrity, and living in close quarters are all enduring subjects. I'm going to read this book pretty often; I really enjoyed it.”

— Customer Review

Josh Wood, Author