Summer’s coming, and one of the best things about summer is that it is road trip time. For millions of people across the country, road trips are a welcome respite from their daily routines. The very term “road trip” suggests adventure waiting to happen. Road trips are times when schedules, diets, and other rules go out the window, and life is about conversation, playing favorite tunes, playing car games, and making unplanned stops.
Road trips are a great way to visit friends or family you haven’t seen in years, to visit a national park or landmark you’ve always wanted to see, to reach a beach or lake house for some needed R&R, or to go fishing or camping in an out-of-the-way locale. The more daring sort will embark on a road trip with no plan at all, exploring roads that might lead anywhere.
But as much as all of us enjoy our road trips, there is almost nothing worse than having that adventure turn into a disaster. At Mike White Ford in Coeur d’Alene, we love the American road trip. Many of our vehicles are equipped with features designed to make your ride comfortable for long hauls, knowing that cars are not just conveniences but extensions of ourselves. Spending time in your car should be enjoyable, especially on a long road trip.
Here are a few tips we recommend to help ensure that your summer road trip will be a success.
Prepare Your Vehicle Beforehand
Before heading out on a long trip, check your vehicle to make sure it is ready for the task. If you are close to due for an oil change, do it now rather than wait for your return.
At Mike White Ford, our “The Works” oil change service includes not only an oil change but a host of other services:
- Tire rotation and tire-pressure check
- inspection of your brakes
- Our multi-point inspection
- Fluid top-off (including coolant, windshield washer fluid, transmission fluid, and brake fluid)
- Battery test
- Filter check
- Checking your belts and hoses.
Another benefit of having Ford do your oil change is that your Ford-certified service tech will notice if something else on your vehicle needs to be addressed, like low tire treads, worn brake pads, and so on.
If you do not need an oil change, check your fluids and tires yourself. Also, check your spare tire to ensure it will get you on the road if you get a flat or puncture. Cleaning your car is also a good way to start, especially your windshield.
Pack Up Vehicle Maintenance Necessities
Now that your car is road-trip ready, prepare yourself for potential vehicle issues that still could occur. For example, carry a kit with jumper cables, flares, tire-changing tools, and other supplies to help you overcome a minor problem. Consider bringing a gas can, tire pressure gauge, portable battery charger, tire inflator, gloves, and a roll of paper towels.
Look at your route, and you can get a good idea of whether vehicle assistance will be available where you are going. The more you travel out of the range of civilization, the more you should be prepared to fix problems yourself.
Pack Up General Safety and Survival Items
In addition to potential vehicle problems, pack up items to ensure you can weather some personal issues. Purchase or put together a first aid kit with bandages, sterile pads, antibacterial cream, tweezers, and medical tape. Make sure you have ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and antihistamines. While you are at it, pack up some sunscreen, lotion, and lip balm. If you have any personal medications or severe allergies, pack extra meds and an EpiPen. Make sure there is water in the car, some light sticks, a phone charger, and a blanket.
Another item people often overlook is a road atlas. Sure, you have GPS on your phone, but are you sure you will always be able to get a signal or that your GPS has your off-the-beaten-path route?
Pack Up Road Trip Essentials
Now that the safety side of your road trip has been addressed, it’s time to ensure you have everything that every serious road tripper should have to make the journey comfortable and fun.
- Junk food: now is the time that you can indulge in some snacks that you might not normally consume in quantity at home: beef jerky, chips, cookies, sodas, candy, and gum. Don’t buy candy or snacks that will melt or spoil in a hot car.
- Healthier food: in case you get really hungry, make sure you have some food that has nutritional value! This can include nuts, protein bars, trail mix, and dried fruit.
- Cooler: Fresh food is welcome, but don’t overpack. Bring enough for a few days, and replenish as you go. Things like carrot sticks, yogurt, and fresh fruit are great to have, and put a few of your drinks in your cooler to make sure you can have a cold drink when you want one. Even if you plan to make stops on the trip to purchase meals, pack a sandwich or two in case you don’t find a suitable restaurant when hunger strikes.
- Paper towels, tissue, napkins, cups, a garbage bag, and whatever else you need to keep you and your car neat.
- Travel games: these come in all forms, from road-trip bingo cards you can play with co-passengers to quiet crossword puzzle books. Even if you usually find it easy to entertain yourselves with conversation and music, there will surely be times when you may need a change of pace. Today, numerous board games and tablet games are designed for use in the car. Spend a little time finding a few to bring, but keep the focus on fun and camaraderie, not electronics and isolation, if you want your road trip to be memorable.
- A pillow or two: taking a nap in the car is a long and honored tradition. You may as well make it as comfortable as possible.
Take the Best Road Trip Ever
At Mike White Ford, we sell Ford vehicles ideal for road trips, from our eight-seat Expedition with 15 cup-holders (!) to the ever-popular Explorer, from a Ford- F-150 Crew Cab truck to the all-new off-road Ford Bronco. Packed with convenience and comfort features, Ford vehicles are made for the most comfortable and safe road trips. To find out what we can do for you and to get your Ford vehicle road trip ready, contact us at one of our Mike White Ford dealerships in Coeur d’Alene or Sandpoint.