Road trips can be a totally awesome way to take a vacation! I love how road trips allow for flexibility, comfort features, and immersion in an environment. Plus, road trips can be an affordable way to see some of nature’s wonders. Over the years, Brad and I have had some disasters strike while on road trips. Yet somehow, these experiences have created our favorite memories. In the process of overcoming unexpected road trip challenges, we have learned some valuable lessons. This week I will use those lessons on a week long drive to Arizona and Utah where we will see many National Parks and Monuments.
Let’s start with a couple of stories. Back in the day (before we had kids), we travelled to Mt. Baker to camp and hike. While attempting to get to the “perfect campsite”, we high centered our Honda Pilot in the mud. I had scoped out the muddy road, but Brad drove (mistake #1). We decided to hold off eating our hot take-out dinner until we got the car unstuck and set up camp (mistake #2). We spent hours digging the car out of the mud with our bare hands (mistake #3). We ended up spending the night near the car and were so thankful we had camping gear and plenty of water (smart ideas #1 and #2). In the morning, we had the bright idea to use the tire jack, which for the record is the perfect tool for a high centered vehicle. We systematically lifted each tire and put rocks underneath (smart idea #3). After that, one big push and some aggressive driving got the car out. This story has more layers, but the takeaway is- whoever scopes the road should do the driving, eat dinner while it’s hot, always pack a shovel, usethe tools you have, and when travelling to remote locations be prepared to spend the night.
In college, Brad and I took a spring break road trip to a remote part of Utah. The plan was to camp and hike, but it ended up snowing and the road to our proposed campsite closed. Luckily, our car broke down about an hour before we hit the road closure (we had no idea the road was closed until the next day). Our Subaru Outback lost power and started coasting down a pass. We had been driving for over an hour without seeing another person or building, so it was truly perfect timing to have a couple of houses within view. We coasted for miles and miles and successfully made it to the end of someone’s driveway. It was about 7pm on a Sunday night and it was cold. To make a long story short, the driveway we landed on led us to some incredible people who saved the day. We slept in their warm home, had our car miraculously repaired, and pushed our route further south to make camping possible. The lessons I learned on this trip include- people are amazing, trust the universe, stay flexible in your plans, and go ahead and throw in some extra warm gear (just in case you miss the perfect driveway).
Okay, now for some technical details of Organizing Awesome Road Trips:
Food and drinks- Soft sided tote coolers are easy to fit in multiple locations. At a minimum, I pack snacks and lunch for the road. Then if we find good food along the way it is a bonus vs. a necessity. I like to bring along- chips, popcorn, yogurt pretzels, crackers, bread, granola, muffins, PB&J, hummus, apples, oranges, carrots, bell peppers, bars, squeeze pouches, yogurt, chocolate, coffee creamer (I’m a freak about this), flavored drinks, tea, oatmeal, mixed nuts, and enough dishes to serve up a picnic.
Water- For some trips, simply stocking the car with reusable water bottles will work. These bottles can be refilled at gas stations along the way. But, if you are going to the desert or even a place with potential weather events, bring jugs of water. For our trip to the desert, I am bringing 15+ gallons of water, which will be enough to refill our hiking bags daily.
Personal Affects- My favorite method for packing clothes, shoes, and other gear is to give each member of the road crew their own bag. I prefer flexible bags with zippers, because I can really cram them into the car. I seriously dislike loose items floating around the car. I say, put it in your bag!
Necessities-An open crate with dividers is perfect for setting up all sorts of essential items like tissues, paper towels, sunscreen, diapers, wipes, picnic gear, and more.
Comfort Features-Having space for comfort stuff is one of the best parts of a road trip. I love to bring our bed pillows! I also like to bring neck pillows, eye masks, blankets, and camp chairs.
Toys- For adults and kids having toys is a great idea! Small games, books, or activities keep the fun going.
Maps- Even in the age of GPS, paper maps can be crucial. Our favorite places often have no cell phone service. I also like to print out trail maps before leaving home.
Maybe items- I seem to always have a pile of stuff that would be nice to have but isn’t necessary. I set it to one side until everything else is in the car. Then, if there is room, the best of the maybe pile gets to come along.
Finally, I want to talk about access. Loading the car starts like any good functional organization by considering access. What will be used most? What will, hopefully, not be needed at all (think emergency items)? What will only be needed out of the car?
The answer to these questions tells me how to pack the car. Then the game of car Tetris begins. I use the glove box, center console, and door pockets for frequent use items. Our emergency gear gets tucked away in the hardest to access spot. The stuff we don’t use while driving is all stowed together at the bottom of the pile, so we can gather day use items without moving everything. All our stuff finds its home and settles in for the duration of the trip. Once we are organized, we hit the road and let the good times roll.
Love Always,
Meg
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