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What to take on an 8 hour road trip?

29 Apr

I am travelling to Pensacola from Tampa in mid june in a car without AC. The trip is minimum 8 hours, with traffic maybe 10. I am aware I should bring water, but what else?

 
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  1. 2dimensional

    April 29, 2010 at 9:28 am

    I’d defeinetley buy a few small fans, you know, like the really tiny electric ones that you can hing on your rear vew mirror. Bring a pillow, I know this sounds wierd but the more muscles u use while driving the more tired you get and stress could multiply the effects of the heat. If your car doesn’t have music, bring a cd or Ipod to entertain yourself while driving to take your mind off the heat, also bring a cooler, if you don’t have one buy one so you will always have it, inside store soday, water (no alcohol) or juice that will hydrate you.

     

  2. carinyosa99

    April 29, 2010 at 9:50 am

    Bring fruit or something else to snack on. So sorry that you have to drive so long with no AC!!! Ugh!

     

  3. Car Girl

    April 29, 2010 at 10:27 am

    Napkins or at least a roll of toilet paper just in case. Also bring some granola bars in case you’re stuck in traffic and hungry and lots of your favorite music! Oh, and don’t forget your cell phone charger for your car.

     

  4. krrockon alias Jersey Beamer

    April 29, 2010 at 11:14 am

    I drove from LA to Gainesville, Fla. in Nov. I wouldve never got there without my CB I put a mag attenae (removeable) on roof and it saved me so much time The truckers tell you the best way to go, what to avoid. my oil lite came on & they stopped & helped me. Also bring frozen H20 in Qt containers. Being a day trip you dont need to bring blanket, pillow, baby wipes, nutra grain bars. Big plus get most up to date Thomas guide you can find if no Cb , On line maps aren’t up to date. Careful out there!!Oh yeah , good pr shades/ eye drops

     

  5. alcachofita

    April 29, 2010 at 12:12 pm

    To stay cool, you could buy one of those neck scarves with the gel packs inside, or have an icechest with cold towels to cool yourself off. (By the way, although it has been suggested, I would avoid ipod or anything with headphones–I think they are illegal to use while driving in some areas because it is harder to hear traffic noises and ambulance sirens.) Have a great trip!

     

  6. disgustedsimple

    April 29, 2010 at 12:42 pm

    We used to make an 8 hr trip frequently and what I found indispensable were novels on tape(or CD) most are at least 8 hrs long. Most libraries have them and you check them out just as you do a book, if you don’t want to buy them.

     

  7. Well, you asked...

    April 29, 2010 at 1:23 pm

    I think your biggest problems are going to be the heat (it’s already in the high 80’s in Tampa!) and boredom. For the heat, you’ve already mentioned water. Take it in an ice filled cooler and take along a wash cloth so that you can soak it in the ice water and wipe your face and neck to cool off. Other items that will help keep you cool are personal and/or misting fans and those cooling neck wraps like this one:

    http://cgi.ebay.com/COOL-BLUE-FLAMES-BANDANA-TIES-NECK-COOLERS-COOLING-WRAP_W0QQitemZ280114480964QQihZ018QQcategoryZ137007QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem )

    Before you leave, wet the scarf down and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that it is really cool. You can refresh it during the trip with the ice water in your cooler.

    As for boredom, CDs or an Ipod (with a car charger) are a must! If you’re the passenger and don’t get car sick, bring reading material and a pillow. You might also want to bring audio books–they definitely make time go by faster.

    Finally, you’ll save money if you bring your own snacks so that you don’t buy a lot of junk food when making “pit stops”.

     

  8. esso_crazy

    April 29, 2010 at 1:44 pm

    what my friends and i love to do on road trips is play cards. you can play so many different types of games with cards. also, if you have in your possession a portable DVD player, you could pass time by watching your favorite movies.

     

  9. lynn g

    April 29, 2010 at 1:54 pm

    First things first, make sure you have 2 credit/debit cards and money for gas. When traveling, sometimes credit card companies put a hold on your card if they suspect it’s been stolen – that happens a lot when traveling. Or, call your credit card company ahead of time and let them know you might be making many small purchases across the state.

    Travel at night if you don’t have AC. If you’re traveling with a passenger, purchase eye covers at Bed Bath & Beyond so they can sleep day or night. It helps immensely. Another night driving benefit is traffic will be light. Bring pillows, I don’t think you’ll need a blanket with no air, but you might bring one just in case.

    Crunchy foods will help you stay awake. I’ve driven that route, it’s very boring after you’ve seen the first few baby cows unless you’re entertained by billboards of x-rated truck stops.

    And don’t forget food and drinks for along the way. There are several rest stops with picnic areas.

    Most importantly, don’t forget your sun glasses :)

     

  10. fox3bhc

    April 29, 2010 at 2:18 pm

    I’ve read some of the suggestions of the other respondents. They all make sense. Take plenty of water, a couple pillows, etc. Take a couple flaslights, a first aid kit, bug repellent, maps, and a cellphone which actually work on the road (no cell phone will work too far from a cell tower, but some popular phones don’t work outside certain metro areas).

    Check your tires with the car cold (parked for 3+ hrs, driven for less than 1 mile). Make sure the tires are up to the pressure listed on the sticker on the door frame (or in the glove box, or on the fuel filler door, or wherever the manufacturer put the sticker). The pressure listed on the tires is the maximum safe pressure for the tires (cold), the pressure listed on the vehicle is correct for the size tires and the weight of the vehicle (PSI = pounds per square inch… the weight of the car is important). Don’t forget to check the spare tire. Your spare (or any tire) will go soft sitting for months regardless of being used or not. Check the oil, tranny oil, anti-freeze, washer fluid, etc. also. Make sure to have a good jack, lug wrench, etc. too. Take the car to a tire shop and have them loosen all the lug nuts and re-torque them to the factory tightness. Some tire shops use an air wrench to tighten the lugs and sometimes over-tighten them. You don’t want to have a flat 100 miles from nowhere and your lugs are too tight for you to loosen with the little factory lug wrench. I once stopped to help a guy in a Lincoln change a flat and his lugs were so over-tightened that I couldn’t loosen them with a mechanic’s breaker bar. Few things put a damper in a road trip more than having car trouble on the way.

    Try to go to bed early (late afternoon/evening) and plan to wake up at 11:30 PM. Leave at midnight. There’s less traffic at night and driving without any A/C, you’ll appreciate the cool night air. If your road trip is about 8 hours, you’ll be arriving in time for breakfast (or brunch), long before the Florida heat bakes you in your car. Rest well before the trip and have someone to talk to along the way (either in person on via phone). You don’t want to fall asleep at the wheel – been there, done that, lost a car (thank God it was only the car!).

    Home made sandwiches and drinks in an icebox, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, etc. are all obvious choices. Don’t take any chips or snacks which have monosodium glutamate (MSG) as an ingredient – MSG is suspected of eating holes in your brain and causing migraine headaches.

    Say a prayer before you leave. GAP: God Answers Prayers.

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