Ottawa Citizen

The joys of a good road trip

- DAVE BROWN Dave Brown is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Ottawa Outdoors Magazine. He can be heard talking about the outdoors every Sunday at 12:30 p.m. on CFRA 580-AM.

We all have memories of family road trips filled with adventure … and danger. The dangerous parts were the habits and behaviours in the car itself. Habits like not wearing seatbelts, kids sliding around in the back seat and yes, even hanging out in the back of a station wagon.

As a child of the ’60s, I have clear memories of my father sliding a large piece of plywood over the back seat to create a flat, bed-like surface. I can still recall the excitement of sleeping bags, pillows and card games all strewn about as we made our annual pilgrimage to Saint John, N.B.

And here we are in 2013 and car trip adventures continue. The safety habits have improved immensely, there are electronic games played inside cars (or not) and everybody wants a successful adventure. Here are some tried and tested tips to actually enjoying the journey.

Pack the car the night before: There’s nothing worse than panic packing as it always leads to forgetting something. Instead, by starting the evening before, you’ll have time to pack strategica­lly. Items you won’t need until you reach your destinatio­n at the bottom of the pile, accessible ones at the top. For your sanity and the chance to awake, eat and hit the road, this is golden.

Be road-trip ready: Assuming your steed is sound and not in need of a trip to the mechanic, there are just the basics to check before your adventure. Simply, ensure your tires are properly inflated and your oil, gas and windshield washer fluid are all topped up. It’s also a good habit to remove garbage clutter and vacuum the inside of the car beforehand as it improves the psyche of the vacation.

Leave early, avoid traffic: Because you took the initiative to pack your car beforehand, you’ll be able to get out the door quickly. Every year my wife and her mother make a trip to Maine and they leave at 4 a.m. to beat the Montreal traffic. There are many options depending on where you’re headed. For example, some families with toddlers choose to leave at night, travelling while the children sleep. I can’t think how depressing it would be for the family to excitedly leave on their trip only to immediatel­y be in an hour-long traffic jam. Ugh.

Snack and beverages: If you’re heading on a long journey, a small cooler of sandwiches, carrot sticks, chips and cookies can go a long way to keeping everybody sane. By not having to regularly stop at restaurant­s, you will save both time and money. And if the snacks lean to the healthier type, you’ll feel less guilty when you’re devouring campfire s’mores and chips later that evening.

Good music, good times: Depending on your age and taste in music, the first song of the road trip will vary. For many, it’s Willie Nelson’s On the Road Again, others say must-have songs include Kenny Loggins’ Running on Empty, Tom Cochrane’s Life is a Highway or even Johnny Cash’s I’ve Been Everywhere. Either way, songs make the trip. There are songs mom and dad love and have earned the honour of beginning all road trips and there are children’s songs to which the youngsters will sing along. One thing you’ll notice is how changing the music can re-energize all the occupants. Become the auto DJ and add to the memories of getting there.

Longer trips equals more breaks: It’s all about finding the balance on long trips. The extra breaks every couple of hours or so allow for a stretch, a washroom visit, fresh air and some scenery. It makes jumping back in the car the beginning of a new trip and less psychologi­cally tiring. And if the driver is feeling tired, switch with the other adult or take a 15-minute break to recharge.

Games: In my past road trips, I’ve played games like finding licence plates or road signs that began with or include a specific letter in the alphabet. The first one to get to “Z” wins. With younger children, you can play I Spy forever. And just a couple of weeks ago my wife, son and I played a game counting live animals and dead animals (what can I say, Aidan’s six). The live animals won on the way to Picton, but lost to roadkill on the way home. But I digress. The point is that games can make the time pass in an enjoyable way. And yes, I didn’t focus on electronic­s in this case, but you can’t knock them really. Bring an iPad, portable DVD player or game console and let the children watch something they enjoy.

Get out the map/GPS: It’s true that with GPS or smartphone maps, the passenger (navigator) is no longer putting the driver in danger while unfolding those ginormous maps. And nobody is getting lost because somebody refuses to ask for directions ( just sayin’). Instead, we’re able to get where we want to go quickly … though, not always correctly. Yes, the GPS can be wonderful, but it can sometimes lead you into the middle of nowhere it seems. So choose your favourite navigation tool, be it printed pages of a map, a map booklet, a traditiona­l map or a GPS device, and navigate your way to your destinatio­n.

Serenity now: When out there dealing with other drivers, be calm; you’re on vacation after all. This means no honking or screaming, no chasing other cars and keep all fingers on the steering wheel. No speeding means no expensive tickets and, what’s more, you’ll notice you have time to notice the beautiful view as you drive along. Remember to breathe.

I couldn’t resist ending this column with a great quotation from the movie The Blues Brothers, which stars Ottawa’s Dan Aykroyd. “It’s 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark … and we’re wearing sunglasses. Hit it.”

 ?? FORD MOTOR COMPANY ?? The family road trip is still something to look forward to, although times have changed on the road and inside the car in the past 50 years.
FORD MOTOR COMPANY The family road trip is still something to look forward to, although times have changed on the road and inside the car in the past 50 years.
 ??  ?? OUTDOOR LIFE
OUTDOOR LIFE

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