Although winter isn't officially here, it's beginning to feel like it. It's too cold to wear my flip flops, although I'm not quite ready to put them away. Cold weather makes me long for a trip to warmer weather. Oh…what I wouldn't give for a road trip to warmer places.
When I was living in Phoenix, road trips to San Diego were a regular occurrence…actually, they might even fall into the “necessity” category. At least one Friday afternoon (or Thursday afternoon if we could get off work) each month, we'd hop in the car and head for somewhere exciting. Most weekends it was a trip to San Diego. We would visit friends, hang out at the beach, relax, shop, and enjoy a concert or a weekend of concerts!
Although road trips were a regular part of life in my 20s, one sticks out far more than the others. My friend Sarah and I once did a road trip from Arizona to New Hampshire.
We spent days driving across the country, exploring various landmarks and stimulating the economy in a multitude of states.
We started off the trip with a dead battery which put us 9 hours behind schedule. The first night, we left Phoenix at 9:30 pm and drove til 7am…then we slept till noon and started again. Our 2nd day, we traveled from noon through 1am. As you can imagine, we were exhausted and slap happy and giggly.
At times, we were so tired that we had to roll down the windows and sing loudly to stay awake. Some days we talked endlessly….other days we spent listening to audio books and then discussing the plot and the characters. After days of driving, we finally reached our destination.
We spent a few days enjoying the east coast. We spent time in Boston. We ate seafood. We spent time with my family and attended a family reunion. We celebrated the 4th of July. Although our time in New Hampshire was wonderful…half the fun was in the journey.
On our way back to Arizona, we took a different route. We traveled the southern route when we headed east and did the northern route on our way home…including a stop to my parents house in Indiana (and a trip to the Coach outlet!) There's nothing like a road trip to brighten any weekend. It doesn't have to be a cross-country trip. You don't even have to have a destination in mind. Sometimes the fun of the journey is found in the journey itself!
Here's a few tips to make your road trip safer and more enjoyable!
1. Choose road trip company you enjoy! My family and my best friends are always my choice of road trip companions!
2. Pack plenty of snacks! It can be expensive if all of your food comes from restaurants or convenience stores.
3. Pack good music or better yet, find the perfect audio book to keep you on the edge of your seat!
4. Last, but not least, make sure you're car is ready for the road. Fill up your gas tank, get the oil changed and check your tires! If you're traveling during the winter, you may want to look into winter tires. They're designed to deliver safety and control in snow, ice, and cold weather conditions. {I always purchase my tires at Discount Tire. They're professional, helpful, and they have great prices!}
Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Discount Tire blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card and be entered for a chance to win a prize valued at $1,000. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
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