Spring has Sprung and now Sunny Summer days are here, and we are slowly coming out of quarantine. Some of us! By now you have binged watched as much as you care to watch in the comfort of your home. You have completed or ready to pause the projects you started in and outside of your home and car. There are no summer festivals, and entertainment is very scarce. Safety is our main priority and concern. If you are a Traveler, like yours truly, you are trying not to go insane from the constant daydreaming of your next adventure. Yes, you are probably like me, ready to gas up and go! No airline ticket required. Sadly, it appears that corona might have us back in, shutting down before too long. I am Praying that does not happen.
What if you could take a quick road trip?? Somewhere not too far away. A change of scenery, where you could still Safely practice social distancing. Yes, A Road Trip! It could be with your family, a friend, or even a Solo getaway.
I highlighted a few things from a post I read and added some of my own nuggets to help you in the event you get the urge to venture away for a day or two. Here’s some of my, Know Before You Go.
The article is from:
https://traveler.marriott.com/road-trips/your-ultimate-guide-stress-free-road-trip-planner/
A successful road trip is far more than simply cramming friends or family into your car. If you want to have a memorable road trip without going stir crazy, there are a few more how-tos, travel hacks, and general best practices for staying safe and healthy.
1. Plan your route…but leave wiggle room.
Save yourself (and whoever else is with you) a lot of time, headaches, and nightmare-ish arguments if you plan the route (and alternatives) beforehand.
The responsibility to plan the route more than likely falls on one person. If that’s you, make sure to clearly communicate your plans with everyone else so they know what to expect and can bring up concerns and/or input early on (preferably before you’re all stuck in a small space together).
More importantly, leave room for exploration, fun, relaxation and metaphorical bumps along the road.
Planning Sites: 🗓
TripAdvisor – A community-driven website that is chock full of information on places to eat, see, and stay, as well as things to do anywhere.
RoadTrippers – This helps you find the best spots to stop for sightseeing and rest along the way.
Road Trip Planner – An easy-to-use site that takes a lot of the extra work out of researching. You’ll get recommendations based on five categories: food, games, apps, music, and safety.
This is the one I use the most... TripIt —TripIt can organize your travel plans no matter where you book. Simply forward your confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and in a matter of seconds, TripIt will create a master itinerary for every trip.
2. Set a budget range. 💵
The expenses in a road trip can add up really quickly. The big elephant in the room is the cost of gas.⛽️ When you start setting up the budget, it should be built around the approximate cost of fuel across your entire trip. In fact, it’s better if you overestimate the cost per gallon a bit. An app like GasBuddy will be instrumental.
3. Consider a rental car. 🚘
A road trip can place a lot of stress and mileage on a car, which can depreciate its value. If you care about your personal vehicle, consider renting or car sharing.
Whether you choose a rental car or drive your own vehicle, always clean the inside of your car down regularly with the wipes, making sure to do the steering wheel, cup holders, seatbelts, door handles, and gear shifts. When you do stop to get gas, after touching pumps make sure to clean your hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer.
4. Pack smart. 🧳
Now that we don’t have any Packing limits, from flying or other transportation,
we tend to get overzealous with packing since we can just “shove it all in the car.” The smarter thing would be to avoid packing your car to the brim with things you probably don’t need.
In addition to must-have clothes, shoes and undergarments, bring essentials like snacks, bottled water, medications and products to keep hands and surfaces sanitized like disinfecting wipes, alcohol-based hand sanitizers, disposable gloves and plastic bags.
To save space, try stacking several plastic organizing drawers in the trunk for your clothes rather than suitcases; or stick to malleable duffel bags. Smaller suitcases or packing cubes. Combine Boys and Girls Toiletries Bag. Only one person will probably be able to go in the bathroom at a time, so only one cube with your necessities is necessary. Keeping in mind to Sanitize after each use.
5. Rest stop savvy.
At various points in the trip, you’ll find yourself in need of a rest stop, whether to get gas⛽️, buy food 🥘, or use the restroom🚽. Wear a mask in public spaces 😷, and remember that when using public restrooms, good hygiene is key. Wash you hands with hot water and soap after using the bathroom, and avoid touching any surfaces like the faucet or door handle once you’ve cleaned your hands (use a paper towel if necessary). If there’s no soap in the bathroom, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
If you need to pump gas, try to wear disposable gloves 🧤 rather than touch the pump ⛽️ and use hand sanitizer after you are finished. Finally, pay for anything you purchase with a credit card to insure a no-contact experience 💳 .
6. Healthier road-trip friendly foods.
Pre-pack meals, snacks and drinks so that you can minimize the number of stops you make at public rest stops. Bring high-protein snacks like nuts, energy bars and cheese sticks — they’ll keep you feeling full for longer.
Pro tip: It wouldn’t hurt to bring a cooler if you’ve got the room. There are even coolers/warmers that you can plug into the car.
7. Bring these road trip must-haves.
Do. Not. Forget:
Sanitation. Face masks, disinfecting wet wipes, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, disposable gloves and a roll of toilet paper and paper towels.
Chargers 🔌 The lifeblood of any (successful) trip. Have one for the car and a portable one to bring around with you.
Sunglasses and Eyeglasses. 😎 Have you ever tried staring into the sun while driving? Not good!
Ear candy. 🎶 Radio signals will go in and out, so have a variety of audiobooks, podcasts, and premade music playlists. Make sure that you have a phone adapter to plug into your car beforehand. Don’t forget your earphones. 🎧
Trash bag. A simple plastic bag will do, but you can cleverly MacGuyver a spill- and smell-proof trash container by lining a plastic cereal container with a plastic bag.
Emergency plans. Make sure you have resources you need for emergency roadside assistance, spare tires, and an emergency medical kit. What Roadside contact plan do you have? Contact number and membership info should be readily available. Just in case.
Please make sure you notify at least one person about your trip plans.
Planning and having these things will pay off in spades when you’re finally on the road. Once all is set, don’t forget to Click It, so no Ticket!! 💺
Have a Safe adventure!
Ms Trish
Remember: A change of latitude will help with your attitude.
