This article discusses long road trips and gives some tips for planning one.
Road trip! The very words conjure images of freedom, the wind blowing through the hair, the open highway stretching out in front, curling into the distance. It all sounds great, but how does a traveler plan a long road trip? It's not difficult, but there are several details that can't be missed if the traveler wants to have a good trip.
A "long" road trip means different things to different people. Some may think a six-hour drive is "long." For others, it doesn't start getting "long" until it requires more than one night spent on the road. Regardless of how "long" is to an individual traveler, a road atlas is the first indispensable tool for the traveler. Computer maps are good, but a printed road atlas is usually more accurate and the driver can see all the roads at one time. Many have driving times and miles between points on the route. In any case, a good, up-to-date road atlas is a must.
If the drive is several hours, say between four and 10 hours, a good thing to do first is to plan the route and where any big cities are. The traveler should plan to leave at a time that will allow him to miss rush hour through the cities, if possible. If it means leaving at 4 a.m., it is worth the effort to miss rush hour traffic. The best times to drive through large cities are between midnight and 5 a.m., between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., and usually, between 8 p.m. and midnight, with the preference going to the late-night and mid-morning drives.
There are now books available that detail major Interstates, with every exit named and amenities at that exit. This is a great tool for those who are going into completely unfamiliar territory. Travelers can plan where to eat, where to stay, and equally, where NOT to stop. These books are great, but a traveler can live without them, if he prefers the "adventure" of the road.
There are some good sites on the Internet that will help a traveler plan a route, and will give him the shortest distance, fastest driving time, etc. He can even plot his stops, enter these into the plan and click on the town for lodging choices there. This is a great tool, but again, may not always have the best information.
Here's a good example: while making a trip to North Carolina in 2004, I had several options for making the trip. Without exception, the computer programs routed me east through Chattanooga and Knoxville, TN. This may have seemed to be the most logical route, but by fiddling with the options on one Web site, I routed myself up I-65, nearly to Nashville, then east on a road commonly called "The Murfreesboro Cutoff." The cutoff hooks up with I-40 well east of Nashville. This meant the only big city we drove through was Knoxville. We were also able to hit the bypass which goes north of Knoxville. Had we driven through Chattanooga, we would have had to deal with the horrendous I-24 traffic there, then come in through Knoxville from the south, right in the middle of construction, and no opportunity to take the bypass. The actual route was about 35 miles farther, but the driving time was much shorter, since we were not in heavy traffic for two hours.
It's good to know details like this when planning a road trip. Construction, of course, is on every traveler's mind, and there are Web sites that detail where construction is, as well. Sometimes a state's highway department will have a Web site with this information, too.
Bypasses are great inventions, but it all depends on the purpose of the trip as to whether a traveler wants to take one. If the traveler is trying to get to a destination as quickly as possible, then the bypass is the obvious choice. But, if time is not a factor, then the traveler can go ahead and drive downtown, see the skyline, stop for lunch at a park, etc. And this is equally true on rural Interstate, as well. If the kids want to see the second biggest ball of twine in the world, pull over, have a look and take pictures.
If the road trip is several days, do plan to visit attractions along the way. This will help break the monotony of the road, and will make some great memories, too.
When possible, it is always good to have reservations made at hotels along the way, before beginning the trip. But, different people have different driving tolerances. Some people can drive seven hours straight without tiring, but some have to change drivers every three hours or so. Don't reserve a hotel farther down the road than you can safely drive, just to motivate you to get more miles behind you. It isn't worth it. No one is going to want to drive more than about 10 or 12 hours in one day, if that much. Driving more gets dangerous, even with changing drivers, because everyone gets so tired. When you hit that exhaustion wall, pull over and get some rest. Take along some toll-free numbers for major hotel chains, in case something happens and you need to find a room fairly quickly.
Take along snacks and drinks. It will lessen the number of stops, and will help the driver stay alert and hydrated, which is very important for safety.
Also take a fully stocked car emergency box. Make sure it has jumper cables, at least three quarts of oil, a can of brake fluid, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, antifreeze, at least a gallon of water, some rags or shop towels and a wrench and screwdriver. A first-aid kit is also a good addition for the car.
Have the vehicle checked out with a mechanic before leaving, as well. Change the oil, have the hoses and battery checked, as well as the cooling system, brakes and tires. Fill up the windshield washer fluid reservoir, as well, and have the wiper blades checked and replaced, if necessary. It's even a good idea to wash the car, if for no other reason than to make sure the headlights and taillights are clean and the license plate is clearly visible. Also check to make sure the turn signals, backup lights, brake lights, emergency flashers and headlights are working properly.
Carry a cell phone and keep it charged. These are great for emergencies. Even someone who doesn't have a cell phone normally should buy a pre-paid one and take it along. That $30 could prove to be a lifesaving investment.
With a little advance planning, and a sensible attitude about how long to drive, a road trip can be a great experience. Just don't cram so much into one trip that you're more worn out when you get back than you were when you left!
