Lessons from the road...

If you've ever read my online journal or know anythng about it, you know that I spend a lot of time on the road. I've never had the freedom to travel and now that I do, it is such a heady experience for me. To load up my car, pack up my dog, select some tunes and hit the highway is one of my favorite things in life.

In the past year I've probably put about 25k miles on my car and in that time, I have learned a great many tidbits of wisdom that I am about to pass onto you.

Bathrooms - Being the water drinker that I am, I seem to need a bathroom every 2 - 3 hours while on the road. I've developed a strategy to save both time and energy. First, avoid the roadside rests unless it is an emergency. I have had the strangest experiences at various roadside rests and the only time I ever use them is if I have to take a nap.

Also note that I travel with my dog and she won't let anyone get within 10 feet of the car without causing a rucus.

The best and safest way to deal with potty breaks is to find a travel plaza such as Pilot, Flying J, Travel America or something like that. You can combine filling your tank with stretching your legs and taking the much needed break. Failing to find a travel plaza, I personally recommend a BP station - they have the cleanest bathrooms.

Krispy Kreme - If you should pass a KK, just give in gracefully and stop for a snack. If not you will dream about them for the next five hundred miles until you break down and purchase a substandard donut product. Nothing is worse than a substandard donut at 2am.

Food on the road - I usually pack snacks such as nuts, crackers, cheese, bottled water and granola bars. Yes, I try to be healthy on the road so that I can justify buying those fabulous Hostess Ding Dongs in Podunk, Iowa.

That said - I do eat fast food on the road, I'm just picky about it. No Wendy's, McDonalds or Burger King for me - I have those at home so I look for fast food that I don't have easy access to. I love Sonic, Hardees, Whataburger (OH YES, the ultimate burger) Quizno's and of course - Popeye's Chicken. Just thinking about it makes me hungry. The closest Popeye's to me is about 30 miles away - I just might have to make that drive after all. :)