Road Trip Essentials

And I'm back! I hope your Friday is trucking along wonderfully! I'm back with another post today because Emma, the Community Coordinator at RelayRides, reached out to me about a week ago about participating in their "Road Trip Essentials" campaign, because summertime means sunshine and beautiful weather, which lend themselves to road trips! RelayRides is based on peer-to-peer car rentals, and their website makes it really easy to sign up and find a listing for the city in which you are traveling, as well as to put your car on the renting market. The thought of someone driving my car, or on the other side of the rental, being responsible for someone else's car, would normally make me a little nervous, but RelayRides performs background checks on all potential borrowers, and you have to have a fairly clean record. RelayRides keeps your car safe with their insurance and roadside support, and you are always in control of who can drive your car. The peer-to-peer sharing economy is on the rise - I'm familiar with YoungLife Couch Surf - and though I am initially hesitant about it, I think the fact that background checks are part of the process, and the fact that the owner is always in control and has the right to say no if anything seems fishy, makes it something to really look into. Airbnb is another peer-to-peer sharing company that has recently been the talk of a few conversations. 

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Anyway, with summer quickly moving into full swing, Emma asked me to talk about what I have to have when I go on a road trip. Road trips can be half the fun of a trip, but you have to be sure that you have all of the right things accompanying you so that your drive is as enjoyable as possible.

It took me a while to think about what I typically have on the road with me, but once the juices started flowing, I couldn't seem to stop. So, my road trip essentials are as follows -

A stop at Bucee's to use the world's cleanest bathrooms, stock up on some Turkey Jerky or dried kiwi slices, and to refill my gas tank,

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my CamelBak water bottle so that I can stay hydrated throughout a long drive,

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a few of my Banana-Oatmeal-Almond Butter Muffins to keep my stomach satisfied with something that is both healthy, but also satisfies my sweet tooth with the inclusion of chocolate chips,

a couple of Cuties because they're easy to peel and eat while driving, 

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Aviators to block that strong Texas sunshine,

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my GPS to get me where I am going (I am directionally challenged - just ask anyone who has ever been in a car with me),

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and a road trip Spotify playlist with the best songs to which you can sing aloud.

That last one doesn't necessarily lend itself to a road trip partner, huh? I enjoy both having someone in the car with me as well as taking solo drives. So while it's so nice to have a road trip buddy (or buddies), I do appreciate a rare couple of hours to myself.

What are some of your road trip must-haves? A favorite snack? A certain playlist? Someone in the car with you? My work schedule this summer doesn't necessarily allow time for a long road trip, but I am hoping to finally make a trip out to Fredericksburg and Enchanted Rock, and you better believe I will have all of the items listed above, as well as a camera and some sunscreen!