Tag: car-travel

Planning a Spring Road Trip? Cover These 5 Things First

 

After the involuntary confinement of the past year, you might be raring to hit the open road and enjoy some hard-earned adventure. That said, your first holiday in months can turn nightmarish if the unexpected strikes.

 

A little preparation can help any driving holiday go more smoothly. If you’re planning a spring road trip, cover these five things first.

 

Prepare for Towing

Where will you sleep? If the past year caused you economic hardship, you aren’t alone. As much as you want to help rebuild the tourism industry, you can find better rates at campgrounds than even the least-expensive motels.

 

As much as you might crave the great outdoors after spending so much time inside, tents leave much to be desired in terms of comfort. Plus, they take up all your trunk space. Most vehicles can tow a small pop-up camper if you maintain your tires and suspension.

 

Unless you are an experienced DIY auto expert, you should take your ride to the shop to get your tow-hitch fitted. They have specialized equipment like wheel-balancing machines that can protect your vehicle’s suspension from uneven wear and tear — a trailer can worsen existing imbalances.

 

Prime Your Vehicle

While you have your car in the shop, have your mechanic give her a thorough inspection. They should check all your belts, hoses and fluid levels. Good hoses feel firm and pliant — take your car for service if you detect squishy spots or signs of belt cracks and fraying.

 

Even if you take every precaution, car trouble can still strike. Before you depart, learn how to perform tasks like changing a tire and adding fluid to your radiator. It’s always wise to carry roadside assistance coverage, but it isn’t a failsafe. You don’t want to sit for hours at night on a dark desert highway when a little lug nut know-how could get you rolling again more quickly.

 

Pack the Right Supplies

Springtime is a tricky vixen. One day feels nearly tropical with temperatures in the 80s, then the next, a blizzard threatens. Some areas of the country are more volatile than others, but you can expect wide temperature fluctuations nearly anywhere. When packing your suitcase, bring mix-and-match separates for every season.

 

You should always carry basic first aid and safety supplies in your ride when planning a spring road trip. Include the following:

 

● A car safety kit: You should have flares, a spare tire and jumper cables at a minimum. You also need to check and change your car tires on a regular basis to maintain safety on the road. When choosing new car tires, it is important to deeply research reviews of car tire brands because it will help you to find the right type for your vehicle.You might also want to include a few hand tools and some motor oil, radiator and windshield wiper fluid.
● A first aid kit: Along with the basic bandages and ointments, please take any prescription medications. Talk to your doctor about getting a 2-week travel supply you can stash in your luggage.
● Water: A good rule is two liters per day, per person, in case you have to abandon your vehicle and walk — or wait a long time for help to arrive.
● Snacks: While these aren’t strictly essential, relying on road fare can lead to dubious nutritional choices. Consider packing something healthier, like nuts.
● Blankets: Few things are more miserable than freezing while you wait for help, and you might not be able to run the engine if you need to conserve gas.
● Extra batteries and chargers: The worst time to breakdown is when your phone runs out of juice.
● Copies of documentation: It’s a smart move to save copies of your driver’s license and any cards in a flash drive or secure cloud account. If someone steals your wallet, you’ll be grateful for the 411 at your fingertips.

Polish and Share Your Plans

If you plan on taking a solo road trip, choose your stops with an eye on security. Call hotels and ask about their safety measures and look elsewhere if they seem sketchy. Saving a few dollars isn’t worth putting yourself in danger.

 

Always leave a copy of your itinerary with a trusted individual at home — print your route off Google Maps so they know your course of travel. Schedule check-ins so that your folks at home know to contact authorities and where to point them if they don’t hear from you.

 

Provide Ample Drive-Time Entertainment

Are you taking your little ones with you? If so, carefully evaluate how many times you can hear, “Are we there yet,” before losing your patience.

 

Take along plenty of drive-time entertainment. Now isn’t when you should worry about screen restrictions — you can limit device use once you reach your destination. You can also pick up activity books inexpensively at any dollar store, and a brand-new set of markers and crayons can delight kids for hours.

 

Cover These 5 Things When Planning Your Spring Road Trip 

When planning your spring road trip, cover these five things. You’ll safeguard yourself and your loved ones while enjoying a more pleasant — and well-deserved — journey.

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About The Author

Oscar Collins is the managing editor at Modded. He writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors, and more. Follow @TModded on Twitter for more articles from the Modded team.

Top 5 Reasons Why Traveling with a Car is the Best Way to Travel

When your busy schedule exceeds your tolerance of humdrum dullness, it seems essential to pull the brakes of your daily life. Instead of getting bored at home, why not take the car, steering wheel in your hands, and get out on the open road!

Traveling chips away at the daily struggles of our monotonous lives. With new hope and experiences, the taste of refreshing scenery allows you to breathe more deeply. And as the thought of traveling hits your mind, you are sure to get excited about a change of scenery. But should you drive in your car or take other means of transportation? As a traveler, you would prefer to have a safe journey without missing any of the sites. And only a car journey can help you see all of the sites in a short period of time.

If your hands have your car keys in them, then you don’t need to look much further. Because a roaring adventure combined with freedom, awaits you. 

So clear your entangled mind. And read our 5 top reasons why traveling by car is the best way to travel!

1. A hassle-free, safer road trip

Seeing traffic along the way hurt your eyes? Ugh! That’s the thought that can ruin the idea of traveling by car. But within the creature comforts of your car, you are at full liberty to adapt, taking shortcuts along the way.

Switch gears and take the shortest route, free of traffic instead of long, hassling highways. Something which is only possible when you’re traveling by car. No traffic routes can also provide you with safer ways too!

To be frank about traveling, it’s no longer the same. Because standing in long queues and getting yourself amidst a number of people bears the risk of contamination. So when it comes to car journeys, you can safely put on your mask, and get your temperature-check at any junction.

A road trip provides a safer and quicker journey with easy ways to avoid unwanted large crowds.

2. A relaxed trip with flexible planning

Trips are planned in order to relax your worries. But as soon as the term “planning” arrives on your thought list, you seem to worry more and relax less. You start thinking. When do I start? And where do I stop? What limit of time shall I place on the trip and at what speed?

Wait, wait!  A car journey can treat all of these headaches in a snap. Because it offers you with flexibility from the beginning until your trip ends. And you ae welcome to stop wherever your heart desires. Allowing you to shift your driving to any street with shortcuts that support your timetable.

In no time, you can speed up and reach your destination. If you are one of those travelers who think about creating new bonds, you can zoom through random roads to make new friends.

The most significant advantage a car trip brings you is less planning with maximum freedom. You drive at your pace, with friends and essentials and with fewer limits than other forms of travel.

3. Plenty of space available to stuff all your essentials

We are all aware of the luggage that is crammed below your toes that plagues any long trip. Because of this you always make sure that you bring no item other than the bare essentials. Moreover, traveling using public transportation takes away access to bigger spaces.

Now, suppose you have excess luggage. Traveling by plane, or boat or public tranportation may  mean an extra cost or a limit to what you pack. But here is where a car trip is perfect. Road journeys will mean no problem with extra luggage. And you won’t have to sacrifice any of your favorite classic pieces while traveling by car. 

Consider your car trunk to fit all you need from necessities to luxuries like a mini portable refrigerator or three shirts instead of one. But always remember that a longer trip can create more luggage to manage.

Make sure your car matches the beauty you see on your trip with a good clean. A frequent car wash is a crucial must for when you travel. So make sure you carry some washing tools with you to clean up vehicles while enjoying your trip.

4. A wide variety of visits with photos to remember

If you’re in a hurry to reach your destination, you’re sure to miss a lot. Undoubtedly, flying in the sky seems like a faster route. But does it offer you incredible roadside views? 

Well, it’s only the car that can overwhelm you with fantastic views. You might even think public transports like buses or trains can suffice. But it’s not the same. Car trips allow you to enjoy every site without any complaints about hustle or bustle.

You get ample scenes to view and adore incredible sites of architecture, hillsides, and greeneries, while humming to your playlist of your fav songs. Whether it be an isolated village, small town or a glorious big city. You can pace your direction and where you visit, all in no time.

Moreover, you can stop at the site that catches your eye and take photos too. They will be picture perfect instead of being a blurred memory. So explore all the nooks and crannies with the flexibility of your car.

5. A better scope for accommodation

Before starting your trip, you will need to be one-step ahead, planning for the most crucial aspect, accommodations. When traveling in public cars or other vehicles, you always tend to find hotels surrounding your visiting spot. You can just find a neighborhood you like, grab your phone, and find hotels near your location.

This type of accommodation not only hikes your budget but also restrains you from visiting all places. And thus, your journey deviates from its motive of relaxation. A car trip offers you the ability to find a hotel at a budget and in a more picturesque area away from the tourist destination.

So with distance no longer a problem, you can choose your hotel in the centre of the town or destination, or off the beaten path.

Do you find yourself exhausted while traveling and walking excessively?  Take a time out in your car or include more rest stops. A car gives you the freedom to decide on the fly where to go and when.

Conclusion

It is natural to want to take a break from your daily and routine and explore.  Public means of transportation can restrain your expectations and opens the door to potential pandemic health risks. A road trip can be the safest way to travel right now, without missing a destination or an opportunity to travel at a time table that works for you. And if you are planning a long stay somewhere, consider the option to ship a car ahead of your trip. You can save on car rental fees and have your favorite ride for the open road that awaits you.

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About The Author

Ashton Max is a fitness freak and has high knowledge about nutritional value of different foods. He is highly observant about how individual edible elements of nature effect the human body. And as a health conscious man, his findings about the benefits of natural foods have not only benefitted him to maintain a fit physique, but the people who have followed him have observed great positive changes in their health as well. 

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