Now that the pandemic has blurred the lines between rest and work, work-life balance has never been vaguer than now. It has been more than a year now, so chances are you have thought about going on a road trip to take a break from work and possibly hit a reset button.
Imagine you on the wheel, with a good beat playing, the wind whipping your hair, and the seemingly endless road in front of you. How divine, how fulfilling.
Although many travel plans have been postponed because of the ongoing pandemic, it does not mean that your dream road trip would never happen. As of writing, the vaccination progress is continuously moving forward, as it should, and that means it is only a matter of time and discipline until we achieve herd immunity. Moreover, getting in a car to travel to places is somehow safer than traveling with other people. So, before that sweet day comes, when everybody could all go out, you still have time to prepare yourself for your most awaited business break.
If you think you are mentally ready for a solo road trip, here is a guide that would confirm if you have what it takes to finally do this. From knowing the basics of car repair, knowing how to properly navigate, preparing yourself to drive, and even hiring tinting and ceramic car coating services for your car protection. Here’s the rundown of what you need to know:
Grab a wrench and know how to jack
There is a saying that life is a long road trip and it is full of emergency pit stops, roadblocks, and even accidents. Well, that saying does not exist for no reason. Embarking on a road trip means anything could happen. However, before you get anxious, we are talking about things such as flat tires, battery outages, empty fuel tanks, and overheated engines.
These are the things you could never anticipate, but they could happen anytime, and you must be nothing but prepared. You must know how to replace your flat tires, and you should be able to distinguish the different nuts and bolts you need. You should also be able to pop open a hood and know where your radiator is.
Lastly and most importantly, you should always be ready if your gas tank suddenly drops. If your gas meter isn’t working, and you aren’t keen on estimating your mileage, then you should have a canister of diesel/gasoline with you to be prepared.
Learn how to find your way
Although navigation apps such as Google Maps and Strava exist, knowing the place and the terrain by heart is more impressive than relying on an app that sometimes has its fair share of hits and misses. Also, what if you happen to find yourself in a place where there is no network coverage. What happens then?
It is why you should know how to find your way in the dark without an app. All across the country, there are mile markers to help drivers find their way back. However, it is not as easy as you think. If the worst-case happens and you have no idea where you are, knowing the country’s geography would help. See, there are letters in mile markers representing a state or city where you are at, and the numbers represent how far you are from the said state. Although this could vary from one state to another, it is more reason to study traditional navigation methods.
Condition yourself before driving
This item is what most people overlook when they are driving, and in this case, you would be driving alone. You do not have anyone to keep you awake at night, or anyone you could swap places with while you sleep in the backseat. You need to be in the right state of mind to drive, and you must be responsible, as you could even cause harm to others.
If you don’t condition yourself before driving, you could add to the number of accidents caused by driver fatigue. Know your limits. If you are feeling tired and sleepy, pull over and get some rest. If you feel unsure driving beside the larger vehicles on a freeway, go with a safer route. Don’t risk it, and always remember to be safe.
Get in touch with specialists.
Lastly, you also need to condition your car. If we are talking about a road trip longer than five days, then you need an overall car tune-up. This way, you would be sure that your car wouldn’t mechanically fail you. Furthermore, your car needs several protective things, such as window tinting and body coating, especially if you plan to go to sunny states.
After all, you surely wouldn’t want your vehicle to suffer from UV damages, worn-out interior, and body paint chips and nicks. A car is an investment that you need to protect too.
You still have time to be ready for your big getaway adventure. You deserve it. After all the hard work you have put in your work or business, and everything that has happened the past two years, you need a break.
