BY C STONE | STONE NEWS NETWORK ||| ADVENTURE
Planning road trips have never been easier. There are many websites that can assist with your route. You can use artificial intelligence like ChatGPT to provide sample itineraries. What seemed impossible 20 years ago is now replacing old-school research.
But before you take off for the highway, be sure you have some essential things in order.
1. Travel insurance. Necessary for health, in case something happens to you or your family, the last thing you want is to be stuck with a massive emergency room medical bill. AMA can offer you medical insurance, in addition to providing road side assistance - something we also strongly suggest. Travelling without both is very risky and can open you up to unnecessary risk.
2. Be sure to have your vehicle checked out and perform any last-minute maintenance items like oil changes before you leave for that epic trip. The worst thing to happen is a vehicle breakdown in the middle of a lonely, barely-used highway. Check your tires, fluids, and have a mechanic go through your car if you feel it's been a while since your last road trip. Open the hood. Sometimes all it takes is a set of eyes to diagnose an oil or coolant leak. This little step can save you thousands of dollars - because who knows what mechanics will charge you?
3. Share the driving if you are going with a friend or significant other. It makes no sense to have one person drive, unless you only have a single licensed driver. Keep driving to no more than 8 hours a day, you want to enjoy the drive, not live like a trucker.
4. Pack an emergency container with essential items:
- A car jack and lug wrench that fits your car. Don’t forget to brush up on exactly how to use it to replace your tire.
- Jumper cables
- A heavy duty flashlight. Better yet get a headlamp as well so you can keep your hands free. Also – extra batteries!
- A general first aid kit.
- Duct Tape
- Reflective clothing or a warning triangle so drivers can see you in darker conditions.
- Paper towels.
- Work gloves
5. Make a reasonable plan. Don't try to pack in 32 visits during a 10-day road trip. You'll feel rushed, impatient, and if any one of those destinations go wrong, that's all you'll remember. Some sound advice is to look for tourist traps and avoid them: Places like Banff, Alberta, is notoriously busy during long weekend holidays in the summertime. You likely won't find parking, and certainly won't find anywhere to sleep.
6. Bring snacks, but avoid road food: It's tempting to survive on candy bars, burgers, and potato chips. A cheap Coleman cooler, some ice, and water/refreshments can save you quite a bit of money.
A good tip is to make sandwiches for the first day, and store them in the cooler. Keep a record of how much money you're spending. Make a budget.
7. Keep an emergency fund available. The last and most important tip: No vehicle is immune from breaking down, and when you are stranded on a remote highway, it's good to know that you will have money to repair whatever comes to light. We suggest at least $1,000 to $5,000. Do NOT bring this money with you. Ever.
We'll have more tips and tricks for staying in camping areas and other exciting travel ideas.
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