1) Always,
always bring water and/or other non-sugary drinks with you rather than rely on
stopping and buying them, at least for the first day or two. Unsweetened ice
tea works pretty good for me when I get tired of just plain water. Staying
hydrated when you’re sitting for hours is a good thing for many reasons. I have
to admit, though, I really enjoy the Coke with lots of ice at the first
McDonalds along the way.
2) Never
pass up the opportunity to stop at a rest area, because the next one might be
60 miles away. (And after drinking all that water/tea/whatever, you’ll need to
stop frequently!) Getting out and stretching avoids muscle cramps and road
fatigue and gives your eyes a rest. In some states (like Iowa), we’ve found
rest areas are not far apart. In others (South Dakota, I’m talking about you),
not so true.
3) Don’t
bypass the scenic lookouts you see along the way. Who knows if you’ll pass this
way again? You will learn a lot about a particular area if you just stop and
have a look at Points of Interest.
4) Have
a planned route in mind, but be willing to vary from it if you have the time. A
side jaunt we made while driving through Nebraska (another long state that can
rather bend your mind) was to go north to see the Scottsbluff area and Chimney
Rock. It only set us back a few hours
and turned out to be someplace very scenic that we’d never visited before. Plus,
they had lots of books at the visitor center.
5) Visitor
centers are a rich source for information, sites of interest, and did I mention
books? The folks who staff them are usually friendly and willing to talk about
their area and answer any questions you may have. They’ll tell you the best
places to eat, where to get pizza, and when places open and close.
6) Maps,
tour books, pamphlets and brochures will proliferate overnight, on their own,
and without your permission. They will soon take over your vehicle. I’ve tried
to limit myself on what I pick up, but they often just jump into my hand and
insist they go with me. Using my phone has helped reduce some of the paper, but
there truly is nothing like looking at a real honest-to-goodness map. I’ve
learned how to fold them so I only see what I need to for a few hours. By the
end of the trip, they’re often well-worn and have served their purpose.
7) Sometimes
you just need to get off the Interstate if you want to see America. In doing so,
you may give up the nicer motels and chain restaurants, but you’ll see how
other people really live, good or not.
8) Keep
a log or journal of what you saw, where you stayed, what you did. Even if it’s
just a few lines jotted down at the end of the day, it’s fun to look back later
and remember the trip with more than photos.
9) Speaking
of photos; take lots. Take more than one of the same thing. You can always go
back and delete. Post some on social media as you travel. It’s another way of
keeping track of where you’ve been.
10) Last,
but not least in any way, make sure the companion/spouse/friend/kids/pets you
are traveling with are people you can spend hours with, in close spaces, for
days at a time, without wanting to strangle them. Okay, I confess, the strangling
part does enter your mind about day three. I’ve traveled with all of the above,
and it’s hard to remain in a good mood all of the time when you just want to
get the heck someplace where you don’t have to leave for a couple of days.
Traveling with kids and pets deserves its own list of tips, and since our kids
are grown and we’ve opted to leave the pets at home, we didn’t have to worry
about that. But I do have a long memory for how we coped with them.
For myself, the destination has been very worth the
journey, but to stay sane you want to make the journey as pleasant as possible,
too. Meltdowns will occur, and the best way to overcome is to remember that we
all get tired and frustrated (especially when you realize you’ve driven 50
miles in the wrong direction), but some of the worst times become the ones we laugh about
even years later. The last place we stayed on the trip home, the motel
clerk said, laughingly, that he couldn’t count the number of couples who check
in, saying, “Just give us two beds. Doesn't matter what size. I’m not sleeping with him/her tonight.”
