The first lab my Astronomy students do involves their 10,000th day. (I stole the idea from a chapter in Kary Mullis' book.) This teaches them about how the calendar is constructed. We talk about Julian and Gregorian calendars and synodic months and why we need leap years, and then they figure out how many days old they are.
The math isn't all that hard, but there's an easy way out: The Julian Day and Civil Day Calculator. I myself will be 10,000 days old on July 24. This seems like an occasion that should be marked.
When I first figured out the date (about a year ago), I had notions of heading west and visiting the desert, which I've never seen before. Given current responsibilities and fiscal realities, that's probably not going to happen. Now I can't decide what to do instead. Any ideas?
Hmm, how far can you feasibly go? You know, I had a big trip to New Mexico planned then I chickened out b/c I thought the boys were too young for such a car-intensive trip, and we wound up in FL instead, but it really would be a very doable trip with just adults. There are some fascinating missions around Sante Fe and Albuquerque as well as the Gala Cliff Dwellings down south. You could go through OK which would be convenient, and come back that way, or circle through Pecos, TX then through Dallas. (That was my plan anyhow. ;))
Closer options: Eureka Springs? Float the Spring River? Graceland? (har har).