{"id":1971,"date":"2013-10-14T21:30:24","date_gmt":"2013-10-15T01:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/~travelwriting\/?page_id=1971"},"modified":"2013-10-14T21:37:18","modified_gmt":"2013-10-15T01:37:18","slug":"on-a-road-trip-its-about-how-much-you-dont-plan","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/travelwriting\/?page_id=1971","title":{"rendered":"On any road trip, experienced travelers say it’s about how much you don’t plan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Posted October 14, 2013<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By<\/b> RIANNA HIDALGO<\/b><\/p>\n

In \u201cSong of the Open Road,\u201d Walt Whitman wrote, \u201cAfoot and light-hearted I take to the open road \u2014 Healthy, free, the world before me \u2014 The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.\u201d<\/p>\n

That is exactly what 27-year-old Katrina Hamilton did last summer, only the path was asphalt-grey, not brown, and she was not on foot. She was in her 2001 Volkswagen Jetta.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe idea of circling around the United States on a road trip has been something I thought of for many years,\u201d she said. \u201cIf I didn\u2019t do it soon, it was just going to get harder to do it until I retired.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Katrina<\/a>

Katrina Hamilton wanted to see the U.S., so she hit the road (Photo courtesy Katrina Hamilton).<\/p><\/div>\n

Whitman wrote his poem in 1856, but more than a century and one=half later, people like Hamilton are still feeling the call to the \u201copen road.\u201d There is a sense of adventure, freedom and excitement in losing \u201climits and imaginary lines.\u201d<\/p>\n

But a road trip can easily turn into an ordeal where family members bicker and passengers are hungry and exhausted, with full bladders and another 30 minutes to the nearest town.<\/p>\n

To avoid that kind of road trip, the common thread of advice from experienced road trippers is simple.<\/p>\n

Do not over-plan.<\/p>\n

Road trips can be scheduled down to Wednesday\u2019s lunch entr\u00e9e, but many say having flexibility \u2013 both mentally and logistically \u2013 is the best way to create a fulfilling experience.<\/p>\n

When University of Miami student Abigail Berkowitz went on a cross-country road trip with her family, strict time constraints, a rigid itinerary and months of planning to concoct the \u201cperfect\u201d trip ruined the fun.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe stopped at every touristy thing we could and we were trying to cram in too many things,\u201d she said. \u201cDon\u2019t get caught up in trying to make the most of everything. You\u2019ll get more out of the trip if you let what happens happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Andrew<\/a>

Andrew Van Winkle has been on at least 100 road trips (Photo courtesy Andrew Van Winkle).<\/p><\/div>\n

Andrew Van Winkle, founder of roadtripwise.com<\/a>, embodies the “go with the flow” approach. After at least 100 road trips, he has developed an almost mystical methodology and follows his instincts on the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would feel that I\u2019ve let myself down if I\u2019ve decided what my road trip will look like before I\u2019ve left the house,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen I research my route, I\u2019m careful not to get too attached to things along the way. I\u2019d rather allow the unexpected surprise me.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the pros to less planning is that when things go wrong, it\u2019s not the end of the world.<\/p>\n

One week into her solo road trip around the U.S., Hamilton thought her ride was unusually bumpy. A few minutes later, she was stranded in the middle of an Oregon road, tire flat and shredding like a coconut. Within a few minutes, a crowd of locals had gathered to help and it wasn’t long before she was back on the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything that happened was an experience \u2013 that was just an interesting story,\u201d Hamilton said. \u201cIt\u2019s one part of one great adventure, and you can\u2019t have everything go right on a big adventure. I gave myself the freedom to think, \u2018you know, some things are not going to work out.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Logistically, limiting hotel or activity reservations also allows the traveler to take advantage of opportunities as they show up. Hamilton said one of her favorite experiences was an unexpected river rafting trip with some other travelers. If she needed to get to a certain place by a certain time, she would have passed it by.<\/p>\n

Finding balance<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, leaving things to chance isn\u2019t for everyone, and how much you plan depends on a variety of logistical and personal factors. Are you traveling with family or children? Do you have limited time for your trip or have to be somewhere by a certain day? Will leaving things to chance make you more anxious than it\u2019s worth?<\/p>\n

Now that he travels with his wife and kids, Van Winkle has had to adjust and add more structure to his expeditions for his family’s sake.<\/p>\n

\u201cI book hotels in advance and I don\u2019t go as far off the beaten path,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

For many travelers, finding balance is key. The most successful trips seem to be a combination of planning ahead for a couple of key destinations and playing the rest by ear.<\/p>\n

\"Katrina<\/a>

Katrina Hamilton’s route for her solo road trip (Map courtesy Katrina Hamilton and Google Maps).<\/p><\/div>\n

Hamilton, for example, knew she wanted to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and needed a reservation to camp for the night.<\/p>\n

That goes for hotels as well. It is feasible to take an exit and find the nearest motel, but if you know you want to stay in a popular place during a busy time of year, it\u2019s best to call.<\/p>\n

\u201cThink ahead of time about what is really important to you and research those things,\u201d Hamilton said. \u201cLet everything else be \u2018if it works it works, if it doesn\u2019t it doesn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regardless of what you plan and don\u2019t plan, the most important thing is not to lose sight that on a road trip, it\u2019s about the journey, not the destination.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest mistake I see people make is not paying attention. It\u2019s like they get blinders on,\u201d Van Winkle\u00a0said. \u201cThe road becomes monotonous. They only see their road trip as a means to get somewhere and either they\u2019ll miss some kind of divine magic or get really uncomfortable \u2013 or both.\u201d<\/p>\n

Your wheels\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

While winging a road trip might sound liberating, a little bit of planning is unavoidable and of all the things to leave up to chance, vehicle safety is not one of them.<\/p>\n

Orestes Triana Jr., former president of the Automobile Service Association of Florida and owner of Green\u2019s Garage in Miami, said it\u2019s essential to take your car to a mechanic to get a fresh oil change and have it inspected before long-distance driving.<\/p>\n

\u201cNothing is going to guarantee 100 percent that a car is not going to break down,\u201d he said. \u201cBut you can do a lot of preventative maintenance for the future. If the car was checked out prior to leaving, then you should be good to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roadside assistance is also a good idea, and it is automatically included in many insurance plans. Some organizations, like AAA, even offer discounts on hotels and attractions.<\/p>\n

When something does go wrong on the road, Triana said never try to get to the nearest exit, because it could turn a minor repair into a major engine problem. Pull over, wait and call for a road ranger who can help you get to a service station, especially if you are on a busy highway.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt can be very dangerous on the side of the road,\u201d he said. \u201cYou really don\u2019t want to have anyone outside of the vehicle.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some other important tips: Make sure you have a flashlight in case you need to flag someone down at night and always keep your fuel at a minimum of a quarter tank.<\/p>\n

Weather the storm\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Maryse Smiley was driving with her husband to Texas, extreme winds in Arizona sent a tree flying into the middle of the freeway. Luckily, no one was hurt, but they were certainly caught off guard.<\/p>\n

Bruce Thomas, president of the National Weather Association, said it\u2019s best to check the forecast before leaving for the day on the federal government’s official weather website, weather.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n

There are also several cellphone weather applications. Thomas\u2019 favorites are MyWarn and RadarScope, which use your phone\u2019s GPS to track your location. To stay up to date on the road, he suggested purchasing a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio.<\/p>\n

If you know you will be driving in snow and ice, there are special precautions.<\/p>\n

\u201cDriving conditions during winter weather events can be extremely treacherous and should always be respected,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cHaving the right equipment is very important.\u201d<\/p>\n

That means driving a car with front-wheel or all-wheel drive, as well as snow and ice rated tires. Chains may be required by law in some mountain passes.<\/p>\n

For sanity’s sake\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Driving can be boring. It can also be uncomfortable and tiring.<\/p>\n

Extra water and lots of snacks are essential. Mark Sedenquist, managing editor of RoadTrip America, also suggested never driving more than 600 miles in a day \u2014 about 10 hours maximum.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t drive as many hours as you think you can,\u201d he said. \u201cGet out of the vehicle at least once every three to four hours and jog, do yoga, the chicken dance, something to get the blood moving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Travelers suggested audiobooks and music for entertainment. Of course, there\u2019s no better solution than traveling with someone whose company you enjoy.<\/p>\n

Going On A Road Trip?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Helpful websites \u2013<\/em><\/p>\n