Car Travel

Travel Has Come A Long Way

/ jennced15 / 3 Comments

I am headed out on a road trip this weekend. Car travel has been part of my life ever since I can remember. The other day, a family member shared a picture of me as a 5-year-old standing next to our family car . . . a Volkswagon Super Beetle. That got me thinking about all the “luxuries” that I enjoy when I travel by car now. So here is a little Then vs. Now to remind me how grateful I am for what I have.

Then: No AC in the car just windows you could roll down

Now: AC that is controlled by every passenger in the car and cooling seats as well

Then: Only AM radio was consistent as you traveled through states and smaller towns and of course you had a hard time hearing it with the windows down so you wouldn’t get too hot

Now: Am/FM radio + Sirius Radio + USB drive full of songs + Pandora + Amazon Music + . . . honestly the list is too long but the good news is, we can hear the music as quietly or as loudly as we want and we can even control how much sound is coming from different areas of the car

Then: Car blinkers weren’t always a thing so you had to know hand signals. The other drivers knew those hand signals as well. You also had to know how to twist your body and look behind you but maintain alignment, so you could back up the car correctly

Now: Sensors surround the car so you don’t hit anything and nothing hits you plus cameras surround the car so you can see what is happening at all times. No more guessing games

Then: Understanding the noises and feel of your car so you knew if there was a potential issue

Now: Warning lights, tire pressure readings, oil life readings, plug-in diagnostics to tell you everything about your car . . . on your smartphone and give you recommendations of the best places to take your car in.

Then: Parking your car with all the windows cracked to try and avoid it being over hot inside when you got back to it.

Now: Smartphone starts the car remotely so it can be cooled and comfortable by the time you get to it

Lazy Drive From Seattle

/ jennced15 / 2 Comments

So I had another work conference and it took me to Seattle. It was nice to have it closer to me so I didn’t have to be at the mercy of the airlines and flight delays like my last trip. I also get the added benefit of taking my time coming home and doing a little “off-the-beaten-path” exploring. Here are 5 new finds.

  1. Lake Sacajawea Park in Longview, WA 
  2. Officers Row in Vancouver, WA 
  3. Museum of Glass including the Chihuly Bridge of Glass in Tacoma, WA 
  4. Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge in Nisqually, WA 
  5. Tumwater Falls Park in Tumwater, WA 

The Basics of Car Travel

/ jennced15 / 1 Comment

We have officially made it to summer and that includes summer road trips. I actually really like road trips because it gives me time to think through things if I am travelling alone or to have really good conversations when I am with people.  Aside from the conversations–there are certain things that you need in order to survive being in the car for an extended prior of time. Here are my top 5 items that I need  in order to make it from point A to point B.

  1. Sunglasses are ALWAYS a must in fact I have 3 in my car so that my passengers who fail to bring theirs, will still have a pair. This pair sounds like a good bet. 
  2. I am a huge believer in staying hydrated and soda isn’t the way to do it. Whenever I drink soda, I actually end up thirstier then before. So I always have water in my car. I have 1 bottle of water as a back up and my Contigo water bottled filled whenever I can. 
  3. I have Kleenex in my car at all times but I really hate having napkins in my car. I find them cluttery and an eyesore but I do recognize that they are needed on road trips especially when there are kids in the car. Wipes even do a better job. 
  4. Sometimes you really need to relieve the boredom by playing ridiculous car games. We usually play the alphabet game where you look for a word on a sign that starts with the letter you need and try to beat out the others in the car. There is also the license plate game where we not only try to see a license plate from every state but we always try to see one from all the states we have lived in. From there it is 20 questions, never have I ever, etc.
  5. Music can be the great equalizer and I make sure my car is filled with tons of music so there is no shortage of tunes to spin. Play a game with the songs but always remember to have fun. Here is a song to get you started.