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The secret to any good Road Trip is a
lot of coffee and to pack light. Everyone should wear cargo shorts with 30
pockets in them, so you can stuff them with snacks, sunglasses and your car keys
– because you do not want to lose your car keys during your trip. You might
search 29 places for your keys, but at least they will be in one of your
pockets. A fun and successful road trip includes historic landmarks, national
parks, beautiful scenery, short hikes and an occasional camp.
Highways
Make good use of your time. Road trips
are like math equations – miles and hours are a way of life on the highway.
This includes no bathroom stops and you have to pass a lot of cars.
Pay close attention to gas prices. You
may not save a lot of money watching every penny, cent or .01 price per gallon
difference – it is not worth going 20 miles out of your way to save a penny on a
gallon of gas. You will just realize your poorer than you realize after you
fill up your gas tank. When you get gas, get some coffee or something with some
caffeine, like a soda or pop. Swipe some sugar packs too, sugar prices are
going up. Even the fast food places make you pay extra for some condiments and
ration them out.
You can save money by slowing down to
around 60 or 65 mph on the highway, but who are we kidding – it is a road trip –
and time is precious when it is possible to go faster to make good time.
Road Construction – Argh
You drive thousands of miles on a road
trip. Probably more than half of your time will be spent on the road and in the
car, followed by road construction. Watch for these signs and yield
appropriately –
-
Be Prepared to Stop = be prepared to sit in
your car for a sweet long time
-
Pavement Ends = be prepared to hit a bump,
brace for shock and see a chiropractor when you get back home
-
Road Ends = we ran out of money to finish the
road
-
Blasting Ahead = old army testing grounds or
could be more road building, or you may be in Baghdad
When you sit and wait, do not ask the
people in the orange vest how long you have to wait, it is just a lie. Remember
all that good time you were making because you drove fast, now all those people
you passed miles back are now right behind you. Look at those smug looks.
Get the Kids Involved
Like any road trip, games for the car
are essential. It distracts the kids from all the driving and sitting. Besides
playing – What Is That Smell – geeze, roll down that window – you can see how
many out of state driver tags you see or take the time to get to know the family
a little better.
But after being on the road for the
first hour or sooner, you will soon realize you want to go back to your normal
life and take the kids back home so they can play their video games. Though,
they can always bring portable games to play.
No Sleep for the Wicked
Even though you want to make good time
to see everything you planned for the road trip, you must eventually get some
sleep. A lot of people plan overnight camps along the route to help save on
money. But after you do it once, you may decide to stay in a cheap motel to get
some good rest in a decent bed, rather than the hard ground after driving all
day and night. Or you can alternate nights between hotels and camping –
remember your on a road trip and good hygiene is still crucial – otherwise you
will know what that smell is.
Good Food
Always pack snacks, as much as possible,
you will save in the long run. You can even make some sandwiches and pack them
in a cooler. But do not use lunch meat for unless you plan to eat those
sandwiches within the day, otherwise, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches workout
pretty good.
Other than snack packs, be prepared to
eat food from gas stations, take out and fast food restaurants along the way.
Colon busters.
Scenic Views
Our country has some historic landmarks
and beautiful scenic attractions. Old Faithful, Mount Rushmore, Giant Ball of
Twine and the Grand Canyon are must see places. If you decide to buy souvenirs,
think twice, because you will pay twice as much as you would pay for it on eBay
as you would in the souvenirs shop.
Have a safe trip and enjoy. Enjoy
the memories that will last a lifetime.
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