A Holiday Trip By Car-a Nice Old Fashioned Vacation
Everybody loves a road trip. Footloose and fancy free, with a group of friends on the open road is the ultimate car experience in some people's minds. There are some precautions you should take, however, before you hit the road.
Plan well. Having proper maps and a good idea of the stops you will make along the way will help avoid problems and panic stops. Make sure you have alternate plans available in case something goes wrong. Road construction, bad weather and other factors could slow you down and force you to find a stopover sooner than expected.
Next, guesstimate your travel times from one stop to the next. Using one of the Internet sites such as Googleearth or Map quest will make this easy to do. This will help you plan for lunch or gas stops. Don't forget that many small towns may not have the facilities you need, and you may want to have a few large towns on the route so you can have a decent meal.
Get a thorough diagnosis and tuneup for your car. Make sure the fluid levels are correct, all belts and hoses are in good shape and there are no major mechanical issues that you may have to face on the road. Make sure you allow plenty of time for this chore, since we all know how long it can take to get an appointment with a good auto mechanic. Make sure the car is test driven before you start on your long trip. Top off your gas tank and make sure your tire pressure is correct before you leave.
Be prepared for local weather. If you are going into ski country, be sure to have snow chains and plenty of anti-freeze. If you are driving through a hot region, take along additional coolant and make sure the air conditioning system is in good working order.
If your car has a wheel lock system, rather than hubcaps, make sure you put the key someplace safe. Flat tires are common on long trips, so you don't want to be stranded on the side of the road without the key for hours.
Give your car a thorough cleaning. Even if you are not normally too conscientious about this, for a long trip with a number of people in the car, everyone will feel more comfortable if they are not surrounded by old coffee cups and papers.
Make sure you have an emergency kit in the car. An auto first aid kit will usually contain bandages, pain relievers, motion sickness pills and cold compresses. These will get you through a number of common road problems.
Think about entertainment. Sure, you like your trip mates and have lots to catch up on, but sooner or later you will want to listen to music or even watch a movie. If that is outside the budget, have a plan for story telling or games to play for the inevitable phases of boredom.
Check all the documentation for your car. Make sure your license, registration and insurance are current and you have all the paperwork for them in the glove compartment. A contact number for your insurance company is also a good idea in case of an accident.
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