Planning For Road Trip Travel by Sintilia Miecevole
Whether you are a seasoned pro or a novice newcomer to the world of interstate travel, planning a road trip can be more time-intensive than you think. If you are about to embark on a cross country adventure or a coastal tour of the Atlantic, there are a few important things to consider before you hit the road. With a little planning and forethought, your trip should go off without a hitch.
Preparation for a road trip should start weeks in advance. Beyond saving up your money for the trip, you must also make sure that all of your bills are paid and animals are taken care of while you are gone. You should begin contacting possible house-sitters well in advance, especially if you are planning to take your trip during vacation season. At the least, you will want to arrange for someone to pick up your mail, and to give the appearance that your house isnt just sitting empty for weeks at a time.
Another thing you should do in advance is to make sure that your car is in good working order. Most automobile service shops offer trip checks that include checking your brakes, tires, transmission, belts and hoses- all of the things that could leave you stranded if something were to go wrong. They will also change your oil and fill up all of your fluids to prepare your car for putting on a lot of mileage. Once your car is checked out and ready to go mechanically, you should then make sure it is legal. Make sure you have an up-to-date copy of your insurance card in the glove box, and make sure your registration sticker is current and properly placed on your windshield. Also, it is a good idea to bring an extra set of keys in your wallet or purse just in case you accidentally lock them in your car.
Planning where you are going is the next step in preparing for road trip travel. There is a lot of flexibility in this step, because it is all up to you. One of the beautiful things about a road trip is that you can go wherever you want whenever you want without being confined to other peoples schedules or destinations. If you are adventurous, you could just get in your car and start driving wherever the road takes you. Just be sure to bring a good map in case you want to find your way back. However, if you are a planner by nature, you might want to plot your route out on a map. Consider how long you’d like to be gone and what you would like to see, and you can use mileage charts to figure out how long it takes to get from one place to another.
Once you are finished with the preliminaries, it is time to start packing. If you are not sure where you are heading, it would be wise to bring a variety of clothing choices, both for hot and cold weather. That way, you wont end up in a snow storm with only Bermuda shorts to wear. However, if you know you are driving to the desert or the beach, be sure to plan accordingly. Pack sunscreen, cool clothes and several jugs of water for those long desolate stretches.
You should also remember to bring a camera and several rolls of film or memory sticks to document your journey. Once you are back in the real world, you will only have photographs and memories to remind you of your trip. Also, be sure to bring along a wide variety of music, as even your favorite tunes can start to get old after several hours of driving.
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Source: www.isnare.com
Road Trip by : Mike Stanton-Rich
Im growing older but not up, my metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck,
let those winds of time blow over my head, Id rather die while Im living than live while Im dead (Jimmy Buffett)
Buffett was playing as I headed down the road at seventy miles per hour. I was on my middle age road trip, somewhere between the North Carolina line and Nashville. The last time I had taken this route was in 2001, just before I went to live in Japan. Now its four years later, and I realize I have not grown up that much. My kid has. Hes nearly twice his age. Hes nearly twice the size. Me, I am a middle age guy who still likes cheap hotels, country music, and riding the road with my radio blasting. It may not be head-banger music, but it has rhythm, and soul, and a touch of southern twang.
The last time I took this trip, I called my old friend Brent in Nashville, and we met up for some bluegrass at The Station Inn like we always have. Brent is one of those guys who went to Nashville after college, and hasnt left. He has even managed to make a few bucks, and has continued to make his living off of the music business. When you think about the number of talented folks that come and go in Nashville every year, he is a living miracle. A middle-aged guy who makes his living in the music business. Dang.
This time, I didnt call Brent. I didnt have his number and I had a full schedule, and wasnt sure that he would have the time. Then, lo and behold, while buying some Elvis postcards at the Ryman Auditorium during intermission of the Bela Fleck concert, who comes up and pinches me on the butt, none other than my old friend Brent.
We have known each other so long (over 30 years now) that I was not the least bit surprised by a pinch on my rear (though saddened that it was not some hot Nashville singer with a penchant for middle-aged guys). We had not seen each other in nearly four years, then we were back to old times.
He is one of my only friends that I still keep in contact with that has been to Coffee County, Alabama. He is one of the few people I know that I can still speak of FFA string band contests and land judging competitions, and knows exactly of what I speak. He is one of those guys who has grown older with me, but not necessarily up.
Brent and I did what we normally do when we get together. We ate; we talked of old times, and new times, and even the future. Then we went our separate directions for another long spell. Note to self: keep in touch this time.
The other part of this road trip that was meaningful was my trip to Graceland. Every southerner ought to make the pilgrimage once in their lifetime just to get in touch with their roots. (Some of us have been a second time for good measure.)
Does not matter whether one likes Elvis or not, he is a part of us. If we grew listening to rock and roll, we have Elvis to thank. If we ever shed a tear at a gospel song, Elvis contributed to that. If we danced silly in public and did not feel self-conscious, Elvis went before us.
A few facts I learned from this road trip:
1) I am a southerner, and will always be different because of it.
2) Music goes to the core of my being, and my core is just a little bit more low-down than others are willing to admit.
3) There is nothing like the wide-open road to clear your head (and with $2.25 a gallon gas—clear your wallet too)
About the Author: Mike Stanton-Rich is "The Leisure Guy." Armed with a Ph.D. in Leisure Studies and years studying stress and burnout, he writes regular articles and features about enhancing work and leisure. Catch his latest at: http://www.theleisureguy.com
