THE PLANNING STAGE
I live in Maine, and my mom lives in New Jersey. The drive, one way, is 550 miles. Depending on weather conditions and traffic, the drive will take 9-10 hours. I have been making this trip several times a year for about 19 years now. Due to mom’s declining health I have been required to travel more frequently. We have some animals/livestock that need attending to so my husband stays home on “homestead duty”. I wish my dogs were car dogs but they would make that 10-hour drive even longer so I go by myself.
Over the years, I have seen many unusual things while traveling and I have seen a lot of changes to the areas I drive through. I choose not to fly because it actually takes longer to fly to New Jersey than to drive. Direct flights are hard to come by and are often canceled at the last minute. Other flights send you to Detroit or Atlanta first and then a connecting flight to New Jersey. What a waste of my time and money. Detroit and Atlanta are two places I absolutely have no desire to go to.
Safety and preparation are absolute musts. There are dangers in both cities and in rural areas. The first thing to do when entering the car is to pray to God for safe travels and again, the final thing is to thank Him when you reach your destination.
I usually have a date picked in advance to visit mom. About a week out, I start studying the weather for my home state and New Jersey. My annual Thanksgiving trip always has me leaving in snow, which changes to rain around Massachusetts. In springtime, there is also always the possibility of leaving in snow. My husband always gives the car a thorough going over before I leave. He cleans the windows and lights and he checks the tires and fluids.
Always make sure your current registration and insurance card are in the vehicle. When packing up the vehicle, make sure everything is snug. If you are required to stop short it will not be good to have a suitcase fly forward and smack you in the back of your head. A blanket is casually placed over any wrapped gifts and my laptop bag to avoid tempting some idiot to break in and steal my stuff. Put travel alerts on your credit card so that they don’t think fraud is occuring and cut you off from transactions. It’s hard to find gas stations that take actual cash anymore and you don’t want to be stuck because your credit card just declined. It’s also better not to flash cash to pay for stuff, especially if you are alone.
Keep the doors locked. I bring my own food, coffee, and water to avoid wasting money on junk. Nutritious and inexpensive food is a rarity at rest areas and loading up on junk food will make you tired. I pack bananas, nuts, hard-boiled eggs (already peeled) chunks of cheese, and chocolate for the journey. I can easily reach over to the passenger’s seat and grab a quick bite to eat. Have a good collection of CD’s to keep you entertained. I never leave home without Warren Zevon’s Excitable Boy CD.
Unfortunately, with the exception of the state I reside in, carrying a firearm is strictly forbidden. I do carry several knives and a small, wooden tire thumper (to check for full inflation without bending down) right in my driver’s side door. If forced to defend yourself against someone with that you will likely get their attention quickly.
TIME TO HIT THE ROAD
It’s approximately a one-hour drive to the interstate/turnpike from my home. The main road leading to the interstate is a two-lane country road. You can do about 45 mph except in the towns. Unfortunately, there is always someone doing 30 mph, 10 cars up the whole length of the road. Passing is next to impossible due to the terrain and visibility. Once you get on the interstate, the speed limits here are 65 to 75 mph depending on the population. Traffic is nil until the Portland, Maine area and you can usually make it through that in about 20 minutes.
It’s all interstate to New Jersey and the last 15 miles to mom’s house. Unfortunately, those last 15 miles are through a not-so-nice area. How to navigate this area will be discussed later.
As I have been traveling this same route for many years, I have areas I know are ok to stop and stretch. Some of those safe spots are no longer safe so I am always on the lookout for new areas to stop. Although I know the interstate well, I do not know the surrounding towns and areas.
Always leave with a full tank of gas. I try to never let my tank get below half full. That has been a lifelong habit of mine. There is nothing worse than sitting in a 10 mile traffic jam and your fuel light comes on.
Car travel can cause some dehydration due to heat or AC which create a dry enviroment. Doing 75 mph with the windows down also can dry you out. Drinking fluids is essential to keep you hydrated and awake, but what goes in must come out! Rest areas, like any other busy area, need to be approached with safety in mind. People from all over the country are using these facilities. Some of these people are nice families and some are creeps and pervs looking for that perfect victim. Try to park in a not-so-congested area if this is possible. Park under a light if it is dark. I find that parking near the electric car charging stations are best. I have yet to see someone charging a car in all my years of traveling.
Look around before you exit your vehicle and be aware of your surroundings. Remember what your parents told you …don’t talk to strangers! Any conversation is a just a good morning and I keep walking. Make sure the vehicle is locked. I have two knives on me and my bag is crossbody style so my hands are free if I need them. Never put your handbag on the bathroom door hook. It takes seconds for some dirtbag to reach over the top of the stall and your bag is gone. If you are fortunate enough to get to a rest area in the early morning, it should be relatively clean but as the day wears on and more people show up, well you get the picture.
On a recent trip, I got to a rest area I am familiar with. I came upon a disheveled man lying on the sidewalk near the entrance to the bathrooms. Some adventurous people were poking him with a stick to see if he was dead. He apparently wasn’t as by the time I had done what I needed to do and was leaving, the gentleman was yelling and fighting with the EMTs. I just kept walking and headed back to my vehicle. I take the time to make my calls from the rest area. I am not a skilled cell phone person like the younger folks I see manipulating a phone and walking or driving at the same time. Using a cell phone and driving is not safe! I cannot imagine even trying to turn on my phone, let alone dial and drive at the same time! I make it a habit to call my husband several times to let him know where I am.
Fuel costs more at rest areas but it is not worth getting off the interstate to save 10 cents on a gallon. One time a rest area was closed and I needed to get off the interstate for gas. The exit sign indicated food/fuel at this exit but never said which way off the exit or how far. After driving a few minutes and seeing no signs of any commerce, I turned around and got back on the interstate. As I approached another exit, I could see the gas station and it was easy to get right back on the interstate. Always try to avoid city areas if you are not familiar with the area. You could be in a bad area and not realize that it is a crime mecca . No one wants to be a statistic.
I do not require a map for directions as I can drive this 550 miles trip with my eyes closed, I have done it so many times. But I carry maps for all the states I will be going through. You never know when some giant accident will close an interstate and unless you want to sit on the side of the road for hours, you get off the interstate and try to get back on after the accident. If traffic is slow-moving, then it is best to stay on route and just be thankful that you are not the person(s) that have caused the traffic jam. I am not a fan of GPS technology. If you type my home address into a GPS, it takes you several towns over. I have also been led down some actual deer trails which the GPS considered to be real roads.
EZ Pass transponders have made traveling more efficient. No longer do you have to go from 75 mph to a screeching halt and sit in a line of cars to hand over money to a toll collector. The car in front of me always is asking the toll collector for directions which adds time to your journey. Some states offer discounts with EZ Pass also. My husband can always check my EZ Pass account to see where I am en route if I was not in contact with him for several hours. On one trip, I had no cell service for three hours and never knew the cause of that disruption!
TRAVELLING THROUGH A DANGEROUS AREA
The last leg of my journey is about 10 miles through a rough area. Double check that all doors are locked. Keep your cell phone on and reachable. I also have a nasty knife nicknamed Lil Red within reach. Unfortunately, on my last trip, mar car’s air conditioning died. Traveling interstate provided cool air but this last part of my trip is stop-and-go city driving and you don’t want to have the windows down. It was hotter than heck but I would only open the windows and inch or two.
If traffic is stop-and-go, then keep a distance between you and the car in front of you in case you need to get around them. You never want to be trapped between two cars in a bad area, if you can avoid it. If the person behind you is tapping your car with his it is not recommended that you pull over or get out of your car. Also, beware of someone trying to get you to pull over claiming they need help. Keep an eye on the people walking in the roads around you. If a street or highway is blocked off for whatever reason, try to follow the other cars on the detour and hope they are familiar with the area and will get you back on your travel path. If you become lost, look for a gas station to get directions. If in a really bad neighborhood, stay on the main streets and if you see a sign for an interstate or turnpike, get on it and out of that bad enviroment.
Once on an interstate or highway, it is much safer to figure out how to get back on track to your destination. Heaven forbid you should break down, so have an auto club number on speed dial. I have been a AAA member since I started driving 40 + years ago. Peace of mind is worth the cost. Carry two cans of Fix-A-Flat. Familiarize yourself with the directions ahead of time. It’s quick and easy and may save your life. I try to time it so I am not in this bad area in the dark but sometimes that can’t be helped. I worry about large animals in the roadway in the dark in Maine but a whole different kind of animal may be in the roadways in the big cities.
IF YOU NEED TO SLEEP
Through my many years of traveling to mom’s, I have always been fortunate not to have an accident, car breakdown, or severe weather that causes me to check into a motel on the way. I have driven through some really nasty ice/snow/fog but always reached my destination the same day. If circumstances arise that force the issue of sleeping somewhere, I definitely would not sleep overnight in my vehicle. Aside from the serious safety issue here, the comfort level would probably not be great either. Sleeping alone in a rest area overnight is way too dangerous in this day and age. If no other option is available, I would try to stop and catch a few zzzz’s in the parking lot of a big box store that is open 24 hours a day. Walmarts and grocery stores are open 24 hours in metropolitan areas. They also have food, drinks, and a restroom. I would feel safer in a store parking lot than a lonely rest stop. If I needed just a quick catnap during the day, a rest stop area might be fine.
Motels are expensive but if I am stuck due to a snowstorm, I would be much more comfortable in a warm room than sitting on a car and periodically running it to keep the heat on. I always have a blanket in my car but at my age, I want a bed if possible. The same safety tips apply at motels as for rest stops. Be aware of your surroundings and try to avoid staying on the ground floor where break-ins are likely to occur. Lock your door immediately and check sliding deck doors to be sure they are fully locked. When exiting your room, keep the key handy in case you need to get in your car quickly. My husband taught me to carry my keys such that one or two keys project from between my fingers. Jabbed into someone”s eyes, they tend to be softened up for a second defensive move, or it becomes much easier to run to get away. Do not open the door if you hear any loud activity in the hallway but do notify the front desk and police if necessary.
A few times I was fortunate enough to have my best friend travel with me and stay with some family members in New Jersey and then later joined me at mom’s. It was so nice having someone to talk to and made the ride seem much shorter. I have learned to enjoy the solitude of lone driving over the years but a friend is always better.
One more thought: carry a quart of oil, a one-gallon jug of water, and a gallon of windshield washing fluid. The oil and windshield wash should be self-explanatory, but the water is dual purpose….you can certainly drink it, but in a pinch with an overheating engine/radiator leak it might get you off the interstate to a gas station/garage where repairs can be effected. Electrical tape might stop a radiator hose leak long enough to get help also. Duct tape can actually hold a car hood down if the latch fails. Ratchet straps are even better. Reflective ground devices can aid in keeping you or your vehicle from being hit from behind. If you are female, and it is nighttime, then stay in the vehicle if you can safely do so.
If you are female, dress comfortably in loose clothing. A baseball hat with hair tucked is less inviting to the creepy crawlers. Leave the nice jewelry at home. Do not make yourself a target unnecessarily.
Another thing….there was a time when it might have been safe to help out a hitchhiker. That time is so long gone you cannot even see it in the rearview. You never know who you just picked and what their story is. Don’t buy into trouble.
So happy traveling to everyone and please remember, safety first!