How to Help a Necessary Road Trip Not Suck
Yesterday I took a road trip to nowhere and it took 13 hours round-trip. A little backstory: a long-time friend needed a hand picking up a car in Minneapolis, and he lives in Kansas City. Okay, Minneapolis isn’t nowhere — but this trip was more about purpose than place. James and I have been paddling and adventure buddies for more than 15 years, and James is in a wheelchair. He’s perfectly able to drive with some minor modifications to a vehicle; the challenge is that a newly bought vehicle doesn’t have those modifications yet, so a helpful friend comes in handy. I didn’t have anything going on that particular Saturday, so I was more than happy to be that friend.
I drove to KC on Friday evening and stayed with James and his wonderful wife, Sarah, so we could leave very early the next morning. From James’s house, driving to Minneapolis takes about 6.5 hours, so up-and-back in one day runs roughly 13 hours on the road. James and I have been on many, many road trips over the years, so this is old hat for us — and since it had been a couple of years since our last long drive, it was a great chance to catch up.
On a good road trip, a few important elements matter, and they don’t necessarily have to be the destination. For some people it’s scenery (always a bonus). For others, a drive requires a solid playlist to help pass the miles. James and I usually skip the playlist in favor of plenty of time for conversation. And of course there are the basics: coffee, snacks, water, and fuel.
Coffee. No, it’s not for everyone… but for me it’s essential. Big road trips and big meals don’t go hand in hand, so what do you fuel your mind with in the early hours? A good old cup of joe. Pro tip: choose quality over quantity and you’ll cut down on pit stops. Big meals take energy to digest, so don’t load up before or during the trip or you’ll get sleepy on the road. No bueno.
Snacks. Choose wisely and they’ll keep you going for hours without an energy crash — and with fewer pit stops (less sugar helps). Also, go easy on the beef jerky (I can hear the comments now); heavy, spicy, greasy food will have you guzzling liquid and hunting for a rest stop far more often than anyone should. I recommend trail mix with peanuts and M&M’s — it doesn’t melt as fast and balances out the carb load. If you can’t do peanuts, my second favorite road-trip food is dehydrated fruit. You can buy it or make your own, and it’s great if you have kids. Bring on the bananas!
Water. Carrying water seems like a no-brainer, but I’m often shocked by how many people don’t. Breakdowns happen, and usually when it’s blisteringly hot. Even when it’s not saving your life, water helps battle the drying effect of running your A/C — those systems dry you out, and dehydration makes you tired. Soda (and I do love a cold Coke once in a while) only dehydrates you faster and brings the dreaded sugar crash, so stick with water and you’ll be much happier.
Fuel. Obviously, fuel is necessary to run a vehicle, whether it’s electric, unleaded, or diesel. Don’t forget to top off the tank, and keep an eye on your gauge and mileage. Knowing roughly how far you can go on a tank makes you a veteran road warrior if your gauge suddenly decides it’s done working mid-drive. Many people carry a service like AAA for exactly this reason — and a lot of insurance companies include roadside assistance as a perk, so check with yours.
What are your must-haves for a good, long road trip? Is there a trip that stands out most for you? At the end of the day, we ended up right back in KC as planned (with a slick new ride for James), and with this simple preparation it was just a fun day in the car catching up with a friend and seeing a new city.
