Sorry if this is too personal for this site, but I would appreciate some help.
I am doing the whole “drop everything and cross the country to start a new life” routine, and I have a 2100 mile SOLO road trip to take starting tomorrow.
If any of you have done this, or something similar, can you tell me any important tips? What are the best parts? Worst parts? Annoying parts? Should I buy a butt- cushion? Just things like that.
Thanks ahead of time. This is a tough time, so I could use some “community” right now.
Traveling by yourself, or do you have any company? If by yourself, biggest thing is just spending 13-16 hours traveling with nothing but your own thoughts and whatever music/radio is available to you. Some people like that kind of solitude and time alone (my brother is like that), others not so much. For myself, I mostly just think driving is kind of boring, and particularly so on some of the flatter and straighter roads that grace the Midwest and “flyover” country.
You’re pretty young from what I gather so a butt cushion shouldn’t be necessary. I recommend stopping for at least one sit down meal a day - something tasty and where you can actually sit and enjoy it (different parts of the country have different sit down spots, which is also fun in its own way). When you sit down to eat, I’d suggest talking to and trying to get to know your waiter a bit - one of the fun parts of traveling is just meeting the people in any given part of the country/world. Most people are actually pretty willing to talk back Also, map out your route and see some of the sights if any of them catch your eye and you have time for them - there’s a lot to see in the States that you very possibly won’t get another chance to enjoy any time soon, so take advantage of it while you can.
Final thing is if you find yourself getting tired/sleepy, just pull over and take a nap. Mountain Dew will keep you awake in a pinch (it’s basically liquid sugar), but all in all it’s best to just get some sleep if you’re finding it hard to keep your eyes open.
PS - and if you make it out to some of the more rural and open parts of the country, take the time to stop your car, get out, and just enjoy the night sky for a little bit. It’s amazing what the stars look like when there isn’t much light pollution around
@STORM179 I forgot to mention it is a solo trip. I updated it.
Thanks for all the advice. I’ve wanted to see the stars in a rural area for a long time, and I didn’t even realize I will have a chance on this trip! I will definitely remember to do it now.
@MandrillManiac 2100 miles, which I will break into 5 “400 mile” days. That might change after I find out how much I can handle.
I took a 1000 mile trip consisting of 2 “500 mile” days, separated by 3 days, recently. I was good with the driving, but my butt HURT on the return trip.
A little preparation goes a long way when it comes to a long road trip.
A year ago, I drove my minivan from Round Rock, TX to Eugene, OR (around 2,058 miles). The van was jam packed with me, my wife, 4 kids, a medium-sized dog and as much crap as I could fit in it.
What I’d recommend is enjoy the locales that you’ll be traveling through as much as you can. You can pull over, take pictures, enjoy the scenery, find a local place to eat if you’re hungry (instead of regular fast food chains).
I had a near constant flow of coffee and great music to listen to (courtesy of Mick Gordon) if I felt sleepy. It re-energized me instantly.
Also, map out your route and see some of the sights if any of them catch your eye and you have time for them - there’s a lot to see in the States that you very possibly won’t get another chance to enjoy any time soon, so take advantage of it while you can.