September 3, 2013

10 Things I Learned Driving Cross-Country

Remember back when Steve and I made that 4000+ mile ultimate road trip from Alaska back to Ontario?  If you need a refresher, I don't blame you, it was a while ago.




Ok, memory refreshed? Good.

We learned a lot while taking that "little" trip - a lot about ourselves, about each other and what makes (or breaks) the perfect road trip experience. Here are my top 10:



1. Audio books will save your sanity, and relationship.  So will a fully loaded iPod.


2. Just because you are traveling, doesn't mean you have to talk to each other.  Hours of silence between you and your captain/copilot are not as awkward as they sound.  In fact, they become very welcomed.


3. Renewing your satellite radio subscription is pointless when most of your drive is through mountains and the middle of nowhere.



4. Mice surprisingly make good copilots.  Unlike humans, they don't complain when they're hungry or have to pee.  They just sleep all day.  (Yes, we drove over 4000 miles with our pet mouse.)


5. When copilot, yelling "STOP" at the top of your lungs, even if for a blatantly obvious black bear on the side of the road, is NEVER a good idea.


6. Likewise, even when you're driving, yelling (in excitement) because you finally spotted something is NEVER a good idea.



7. Don't assume there is an open liquor/beer store in every town you stop. Even if it is late Monday afternoon.  (What kind of liquor store is closed on a Monday?!)


8. An ice cold brew is the best medicine to wind you down after a long day of driving/copiloting.



9. Beef jerky is the best road trip snack EVER.



10. Alaska is intriguing, no matter who you talk to or where you are.


11. Road trippin' with your best friend makes the whole experience!


Have you ever taken a long road trip?  What did you learn from the experience?




(Linking up with A Compass Rose for Travel Tuesdays)

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7 comments

  1. These are great and definitely true. I have taken several long road trips (non quite as long as yours) and agree with all of these. Especially the silence one; sometimes it's nice to just think for a while

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  2. Does a five hour one home this weekend count as a road trip? I've done it enough times for it to count. But I love the silence one between you and your copilot. It is very much indeed welcomed haha.

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  3. My husband and I drove from NY to BC, Canada in separate cars. We learned that the roads can still be dangerous in April- I'm referring to white-out snow storms in Idaho. Yikes!

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  4. I agree - beef jerky is the best road trip food! I usually get about 75% through the bag, and then it dawns on me what I'm actually eating, the smell consumes me and I can't have anymore lol. My other favorite is trail mix with M&Ms! Teej and I go for like hours at a time not talking, and I love it :) Oiiii, not looking forward to that drive in a few weeks, and I can't believe you have us beat by another 2,000+! You guys are super troopers!!

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  5. What an awesome road trip! I would love to go to Alaska. My dad went backpacking there right before our wedding. How cute that your mouse got to experience the trip too! Thank you for linking up with me for Travel Tuesdays, hope to see you linking up tomorrow!

    Bonnie Rose | A Compass Rose an expat lifestyle blog

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  6. Just last summer we drove from San Diego to Maine and then 3 weeks later drove to Phoenix. I learned that Subway is everywhere.

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