ROAD TRIP! Some prepwork advice, and a few geneal trip tips!
08-10-10, 09:28 AM
#1
Dysfunctional Veteran
Thread Starter
ROAD TRIP! Some prepwork advice, and a few geneal trip tips!
So, here I am, just got home from my 2nd tour in Iraq, and I am ready for some good ol' fashioned time off...or as some of you older military men may call it, "Shore Leave" haha. At any rate, the purpose behind this post is to put out some information and pointers that you, as a traveler, may or may not know about driving long distances. My trip, starting end of august, will cross the entire eastern half of the country. My wife and I will embark here, at Fort Drum NY, and proceed on the following route:
-Wellsville, NY
-Indianapolis, IN
-Fort Worth, TX
-College Station, TX
-Houston, TX (then back up to Fort Worth for about 8 days)
-Wilmer, AL
-Theodore, AL
-Gatlinsburg, TN
-Milton WV
-Brightwood, VA
and back here to Fort Drum, NY. All total we will be looking to rack up about 6,500 miles in a 3 week span, spending a day or so at every stop along the way. You are probably wondering why we are driving so far instead of flying...and the answer is simple economics. I drive a Civic, and average 40mpg on the hwy, I can manage 45 if I "push it", but even at an average of 35 mpg, It will only cost me about $450 to make this trip. If I fly to each an every destination it would be prohibitively expensive. If you have the time and are traveling with more than one person, Driving can be infinitely cheaper. But there is a right and wrong way to go about this. Here are a few pointers that will help make sure your trip is as painless and safe as possible...
-Invest in a roadside Safety kit. They can be had at most sporting goods stores, or even wal-mart, for between $20-$40. They include road flares, a blanket, basic first aid kit, tow strap or rope, refelctive triangles and I have even seen some with Road Cones and foldable snow shovels. If you dont want to go that route, piece your own together. Safety is always important.
-Check your tires for proper wear and inflation. Having good tires, properly inflated is much safer, and can actually drastically improve fuel mileage. At higher speeds, those 6 year old (but not worn out yet) tires that have stress and dryrot cracks in the sidewall can actually blowout, causing heavy vehicle damage, or worse...personal injury to you or a loved one. Tires are ESSENTIAL to having a pleasant Road Trip.
-Check your Brake Pads. This stuff might seem like common sense, but people often forget about their brakes. They are important. If you cant stop, you might as well just drive into a wall at 70mph.
-Check ALL of the fluids you can check, up to and including your windscreen washer fluid. Carry extra with you if you know your vehicle has a small leak or burns a little oil. But better than that, fix the problem before disembarking.
-Check your belts and hoses. Anything rubber on a car degrages over time. Hoses and belts give little warning that they are going bad, they just go. If the operator of the car doesnt know what to look for, the hose going bad can be hard to spot. When rubber hoses go bad, they begin to swell and crack on the outside. If yours look like that, replace them. Belts will typically squeal before they go, but sings of wear on a serpentine belt are the same as for your tires. Check for dryrot and stress cracks, as well as fraying and discoloration. I change mine at 50k intervals.
-Change your oil before your trip (or after if you can make it back before your interval). I run AMSoil Full Synthetic 0w-20. I run between 5-7000 miles on one oil change doing 90% city driving. On this trip, I will be going halfway through my interval (I already have almost 3k on this change), so I will look at changing it as soon as I get back. Highway miles are ALWAYS better for your car than city miles, so it is ok to run your conventional oil to 5,000 if 2,000 of those were highway miles. Not a huge deal.
-CHECK THE WEATHER DAILY UP TO A WEEK FROM STARTING YOUR TRIP. Knowing exactly what is going to be in your path Weather-Wise will help alleviate any delays or hardships. Its all about Risk-Mitigation.
-Have a really nice car, or one that you really like? Protect your paint. Use Painters Tape to mask off the front end (leaving the lights exposed for obvious reasons) to protect your paint from bugs and dings. When you get home, just peel, wash and wax
. There are a few products that are temporary, spray-on applications, and they work well, but carry an extra can for touch ups. If you have the money or a higher end car, it might behoove you to invest in a 3m or equivalent ClearBra. However, even a clip on, black bra, removed when not on the highway is a better alternative than "driving naked".
-Invest in roadside assistance. Most insurance companies offer it...some cell phone carriers offer it, and AAA is a great alternative to both of those.
-Keep an eye on that fuel gauge. I never let mine drop below 1/4 tank at any time.
-CHECK THE AIR IN YOUR SPARE TIRE!!!! I cannot stress this enough, make sure you have all the tools you need to change it also, this includes a jack and a tire iron. A flat spare is as much use to you as a bail of hay if you get a flat.
-If you can change them, carry tools and spare parts, like belts and light bulbs. It'll help if you need them.
-Carry plenty of cash. Yes this is the 21st century and most places take plastic. But there are still a few towns in the midwest and south that have never heard of a credit card, and wont take out of state checks.
-Stop and take rest breaks, every 2 hrs or more if nessecary. Your destination will be there when you get there, so there's no reason to endanger yourself or others. Get plenty of sleep before starting and enjoy your trip!
If anyone has anything to add please dont hesitate, as I am sure I forgot some things. Life will be good if you follow these easy steps. Unfortunately accidents and break-downs can and do happen. 95% of them are preventable, and the other 5% can be handled using roadside assistance or just basic common sense.
Have fun on your road trip everyone!
-Wellsville, NY
-Indianapolis, IN
-Fort Worth, TX
-College Station, TX
-Houston, TX (then back up to Fort Worth for about 8 days)
-Wilmer, AL
-Theodore, AL
-Gatlinsburg, TN
-Milton WV
-Brightwood, VA
and back here to Fort Drum, NY. All total we will be looking to rack up about 6,500 miles in a 3 week span, spending a day or so at every stop along the way. You are probably wondering why we are driving so far instead of flying...and the answer is simple economics. I drive a Civic, and average 40mpg on the hwy, I can manage 45 if I "push it", but even at an average of 35 mpg, It will only cost me about $450 to make this trip. If I fly to each an every destination it would be prohibitively expensive. If you have the time and are traveling with more than one person, Driving can be infinitely cheaper. But there is a right and wrong way to go about this. Here are a few pointers that will help make sure your trip is as painless and safe as possible...
-Invest in a roadside Safety kit. They can be had at most sporting goods stores, or even wal-mart, for between $20-$40. They include road flares, a blanket, basic first aid kit, tow strap or rope, refelctive triangles and I have even seen some with Road Cones and foldable snow shovels. If you dont want to go that route, piece your own together. Safety is always important.
-Check your tires for proper wear and inflation. Having good tires, properly inflated is much safer, and can actually drastically improve fuel mileage. At higher speeds, those 6 year old (but not worn out yet) tires that have stress and dryrot cracks in the sidewall can actually blowout, causing heavy vehicle damage, or worse...personal injury to you or a loved one. Tires are ESSENTIAL to having a pleasant Road Trip.
-Check your Brake Pads. This stuff might seem like common sense, but people often forget about their brakes. They are important. If you cant stop, you might as well just drive into a wall at 70mph.
-Check ALL of the fluids you can check, up to and including your windscreen washer fluid. Carry extra with you if you know your vehicle has a small leak or burns a little oil. But better than that, fix the problem before disembarking.
-Check your belts and hoses. Anything rubber on a car degrages over time. Hoses and belts give little warning that they are going bad, they just go. If the operator of the car doesnt know what to look for, the hose going bad can be hard to spot. When rubber hoses go bad, they begin to swell and crack on the outside. If yours look like that, replace them. Belts will typically squeal before they go, but sings of wear on a serpentine belt are the same as for your tires. Check for dryrot and stress cracks, as well as fraying and discoloration. I change mine at 50k intervals.
-Change your oil before your trip (or after if you can make it back before your interval). I run AMSoil Full Synthetic 0w-20. I run between 5-7000 miles on one oil change doing 90% city driving. On this trip, I will be going halfway through my interval (I already have almost 3k on this change), so I will look at changing it as soon as I get back. Highway miles are ALWAYS better for your car than city miles, so it is ok to run your conventional oil to 5,000 if 2,000 of those were highway miles. Not a huge deal.
-CHECK THE WEATHER DAILY UP TO A WEEK FROM STARTING YOUR TRIP. Knowing exactly what is going to be in your path Weather-Wise will help alleviate any delays or hardships. Its all about Risk-Mitigation.
-Have a really nice car, or one that you really like? Protect your paint. Use Painters Tape to mask off the front end (leaving the lights exposed for obvious reasons) to protect your paint from bugs and dings. When you get home, just peel, wash and wax
. There are a few products that are temporary, spray-on applications, and they work well, but carry an extra can for touch ups. If you have the money or a higher end car, it might behoove you to invest in a 3m or equivalent ClearBra. However, even a clip on, black bra, removed when not on the highway is a better alternative than "driving naked".-Invest in roadside assistance. Most insurance companies offer it...some cell phone carriers offer it, and AAA is a great alternative to both of those.
-Keep an eye on that fuel gauge. I never let mine drop below 1/4 tank at any time.
-CHECK THE AIR IN YOUR SPARE TIRE!!!! I cannot stress this enough, make sure you have all the tools you need to change it also, this includes a jack and a tire iron. A flat spare is as much use to you as a bail of hay if you get a flat.
-If you can change them, carry tools and spare parts, like belts and light bulbs. It'll help if you need them.
-Carry plenty of cash. Yes this is the 21st century and most places take plastic. But there are still a few towns in the midwest and south that have never heard of a credit card, and wont take out of state checks.
-Stop and take rest breaks, every 2 hrs or more if nessecary. Your destination will be there when you get there, so there's no reason to endanger yourself or others. Get plenty of sleep before starting and enjoy your trip!
If anyone has anything to add please dont hesitate, as I am sure I forgot some things. Life will be good if you follow these easy steps. Unfortunately accidents and break-downs can and do happen. 95% of them are preventable, and the other 5% can be handled using roadside assistance or just basic common sense.
Have fun on your road trip everyone!
08-10-10, 10:44 AM
#2
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I try to carry one of the portable jump-starter things that has a built in light and air compressor.
Also doesn't hurt to carry cellphone chargers as well as cell-phones from different carriers. Even if your cellphone is no longer active, you can still call 9-1-1. If you have AT&T, try to carry a Verizon phone and vice-versa.
Also doesn't hurt to carry cellphone chargers as well as cell-phones from different carriers. Even if your cellphone is no longer active, you can still call 9-1-1. If you have AT&T, try to carry a Verizon phone and vice-versa.
08-10-10, 11:14 AM
#3
Don't forget to make sure you have your current registration, insurance, AAA, and roadside assistance information with you. Most people carry expired information by mistake. And it's been my experience that coppers tend to give out-of-towners more scrutiny.
A simple portable GPS unit (some good ones are less than $100 now) helps when roads lack sufficient signs, inevitable detours or road closures, and the occasional emergency "find nearest gas station" for fuel and toilets.
A mini-cooler is great for taking water, sodas, and to-go foods that you pick up along the way. You find the best local regional foods, sauces, jerkies, jellies/jams, etc while traveling the open highways.
A simple camera is always welcome when you find the most unexpected place, view, fair, or local folk. You may need it too if you get into a fender bender.
Medications are your friend. Take some Excedrin for headaches, Aleve for muscle aches, and Pepto for upset stomachs. Bug repellent is also highly recommended when going to more rural areas.
A loaded iPod is better than scanning local stations every two hours on the road.
And finally, a sleeping bag and/or pillows+blanket are good just in case you need to rest during your trip. You never know when Mr. Sandman hits you in the middle of nowhere.
A simple portable GPS unit (some good ones are less than $100 now) helps when roads lack sufficient signs, inevitable detours or road closures, and the occasional emergency "find nearest gas station" for fuel and toilets.
A mini-cooler is great for taking water, sodas, and to-go foods that you pick up along the way. You find the best local regional foods, sauces, jerkies, jellies/jams, etc while traveling the open highways.
A simple camera is always welcome when you find the most unexpected place, view, fair, or local folk. You may need it too if you get into a fender bender.
Medications are your friend. Take some Excedrin for headaches, Aleve for muscle aches, and Pepto for upset stomachs. Bug repellent is also highly recommended when going to more rural areas.
A loaded iPod is better than scanning local stations every two hours on the road.
And finally, a sleeping bag and/or pillows+blanket are good just in case you need to rest during your trip. You never know when Mr. Sandman hits you in the middle of nowhere.
08-10-10, 03:29 PM
#4
^^^All good suggestions .
I got one of this for Christmas and love it. I take it on every road trip
I would also throw in the Flat Tire repair can.
somehow, I always carry a lot of water. some bottles I would freeze to use as ice/insulation and when they thaw, you can drink them
now traveling with kids is another level
Have a fun and safe trip
I would also throw in the Flat Tire repair can.
somehow, I always carry a lot of water. some bottles I would freeze to use as ice/insulation and when they thaw, you can drink them
now traveling with kids is another level
Have a fun and safe trip
08-10-10, 06:47 PM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
All good suggestions, Josh.
If you and your wife have some extra time, when you get to Gatlinburg, TN, instead of coming back north the usual way, consider taking U.S. 441 through the Smoky Mountains National park and then coming back north on the long and beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway and VA's Skyline Drive. It is stunning........and arguably the most scenic long drive in the Eastern U.S.
If you and your wife have some extra time, when you get to Gatlinburg, TN, instead of coming back north the usual way, consider taking U.S. 441 through the Smoky Mountains National park and then coming back north on the long and beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway and VA's Skyline Drive. It is stunning........and arguably the most scenic long drive in the Eastern U.S.
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