As the
weather begins to warm we start thinking of all the possibilities of summer:
gardening, camping, lazy days at the lake, picnics in the park, and heading out
of town on a good ole’ road trip. Sometimes road trips are required just
because they are a more affordable way to travel, and sometimes they are a way
to enjoy the country side and create some wonderful family memories (though
they don’t often seem too wonderful at the time.) Travelling with others in a
vehicle for hours on end bonds people together like nothing else can. Whether
you are planning a week long cross country adventure or simply a quick day trip
here are some tips to help make your Journey a more comfortable one.
1.
Pick and plan your destination
First figure out where you want to go. Once you have a
destination, plan what kind of trip you want to have, are you planning to get
there as soon as possible and spend most of your time at your end point? Or is
the enjoyment meant to be the trip itself? Either way, you need to know how far
away you are going and how much time it takes to get there. There are a lot of
different tools that can help: Google maps is a great tool and can give you
directions, distance, and estimated driving time: https://maps.google.ca/ . You could also plot your trip
on a GPS for play by play directions. There are also a lot of apps that can be
downloaded to your smart phone to help you on your way. And last but not least,
you can get a good old fashioned map. I recommend that you have a map
regardless of any electronic devices you may have, just in case they fail. Take
the time to study the map before you leave and highlight the route you plan to
take. If there are any points of interest you want to stop at mark them on the
map too. It’s also a good idea to bring a spare map just in case it gets
wrecked or lost.
2.
Preparing
your vehicle
Take the time to get your wheels all spiffed up before you
go. You will want to make sure the interior is clean and tidy. If you are going
to spend hour upon hour sitting in your car you don’t want to be sitting in a
mess. Get rid of any garbage and give the interior a good vacuuming, also wipe
down the dash and clean the inside of the windows. It’s a good idea to give the
exterior a good wash too, make sure the windows and headlights/taillights are
clean.
Do a vehicle pre – trip check. Have your vehicle serviced
and checked over before you hit the road. There is nothing worse than being
stuck on the side of the road; making sure things are in tip top shape can help
you avoid this. Have an oil change done before you go if needed, make sure all
fluids are topped up, have tires checked, make sure lights are in working
order. As always, make sure you have a spare tire and jack on board and ensure
they are in good condition. 
3.
Think about who is travelling with you
Who are your travelling companions? Are you travelling with
buddies or loading up the family: kids, pets, mother-in-law and all? Planning
to suite your fellow passengers will help make the trip more comfortable for
everyone involved. Make sure to have
entertainment to keep people busy, if you are travelling with kids have books,
games, movies, and activities on hand. You shouldn’t have to worry about other
adults; they can take care of themselves but if you know of games or books
others might enjoy it will help make the trip that much better. Make sure you
have yourself prepared with your own form of entertainment. Music is always a
good idea for trips, I can’t tell you how many songs I hear that take me back
to family trips together. Create a play list for the road, again keep in mind
who is joining you, you may have to mindful of the fact that your mother-in-law
is not a fan of death metal.
4.
What to pack
There are several things to consider when packing things to
create an enjoyable road trip. You need to think about what is going to be
essential to our immediate needs while travelling. It’s a good idea to pack
each family member their own bag that can be placed close by them for easy reach.
Kids can have their favorite toys and activities at hand so they can keep
themselves occupied. Have a pillow and blanket for each person so they can keep
comfortable and nap if they choose. A bag filled with essentials is a good idea
to have ready with snacks, gum, hand sanitizer, wipes, tissue, paper towel and
anything else that might come in handy. Keep a garbage bag for wrappers to
clean as you go and keep things tidy, you can even give each person their own
small bag to keep beside them. A bucket
should be available in the event of car sickness. I like to use a bucket for a
garbage can, just line it with a plastic bag and in the event of car sickness
you just pull the bag out and hand over the bucket – double duty. In case of
unplanned bathroom breaks you might want to consider having a roll of toilet
paper.
5.
Money saving tips
Road trips can be expensive if you don’t keep expenses under
control. You can save money by doing a little prep work. Eating on the road
adds up fast, between gas station snacks and fast food meals you can easily
over spend. Save money by buying snacks ahead of time from a grocery store, stock
up on your favorite drinks, chips, and candy before you leave town. Plus,
grocery stores have healthy snack options that are not available in gas
stations; you can choose water, fruits and vegetables instead of pop, chips and
candy. You will all feel a lot better when you reach your destination if you eat healthy food along the way! You can also pre-make lunches for additional money saving. Packing
sandwiches, yogurts, salads and more can save not just money but also the
stress of finding somewhere to stop when hunger strikes. The best thing about
having meals on board is that you can either stop at a picnic spot or you can
keep driving as everyone eats. There are a number of options for coolers that
you can purchase to keep your food fresh, from inexpensive Styrofoam ones to
the more expensive plug in models.
If your journey has you travelling overnight at all you can
opt out of a hotel room and camp instead. This is a great way to save on
lodging. When travelling you don’t often stay long overnight anyway, why not
bring a tent and an air mattress to catch some winks. If you are travelling
with kids this might be more exciting for them, make it an adventure. 
Another way to save money on a road trip is to be conscious
of gas savings. We already know how expensive gas is these days, why not
stretch it out as much as possible? There are a few things you can do to help
conserve your gas consumption. First, if possible, turn off your air
conditioning. Your A/C uses a lot of gas, you can save a substantial amount by
turning it off and opening a window instead. Next, use your cruise control if
you have it. Going a consistent speed can cut down on your fuel costs as well.
When you accelerate you burn fuel quickly causing you to have to fill up more often.
And lastly, don’t speed. Speeding is not only dangerous it also uses up more
fuel. This is another great reason to use your cruise control, you can set it
for the speed limit to help you save money from fuel costs and speeding
tickets.
6.
Other things to consider
Here are a few more things to help make that road trip a
great one.
-
Every time you stop for gas or rest stop breaks,
have everyone get out and stretch their legs. Sitting for long periods of time
is not good for anyone, if possible let all vehicle passengers walk around and
get some fresh air. This is also a good time to empty the garbage from the
vehicle and rearrange everyone’s belongings so they are comfortable for the
road ahead.
-
Be flexible with your schedule. If you are
worried about getting to your destination by a specific time you end up
stressing yourself out.
-
Give extra time in case of road construction or
accidents that can cause unexpected delays.
-
Be prepared for travelling though cities, you
may be hitting a city during their rush hour which causes a lot of added wait
time and also frustration.
-
Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, be mind full of
how much gas is in the tank and how far the next available fill station is.
-
Plan to be comfortable, wear comfortable clothes
and shoes. Be aware of the weather as you travel, you may want to wear layers
if the weather changes as you drive.
-
Sign up for a roadside safety program, such as
BCAA, and keep a roadside emergency kit on board.
-
Make sure you tell someone where you are going
and when you expect to arrive at your destination. Check in with them throughout
your journey so they will be aware if anything happens.
Road trips can be an enjoyable
way to travel if you take the time to prepare for the journey ahead. Once you
are all prepared you can spend your time enjoying the company of your fellow
passengers and take in the scenery along the way.
