Is your move going to require a long road trip? Professional movers know a thing or two about making road trips more fun on a long distance move. We asked some of the Square Cow Movers crew for their best road travel tips. They filled us in on a whole bushel full of insider strategies for staying entertained, fighting off drowsiness, snacking safely and more.
Defeating Road Trip Drowsiness
Drowsiness is just as dangerous on the road as drinking. When you’ve been behind the wheel for hours on a long stretch of desolate road, it’s easy for eyelids to get heavy. The best bet is to always pull over and call it a day or at least take a power nap. Other tips that could help you fight off drowsiness include:
- Square Cow Movers manager Nic Keep reaches for a tried and true reenergizer – caffeine. Grab a sugar-free Red Bull or coffee whenever you make a pit stop.
- Owner Wade Lombard suggests that you buy a pack of sunflower seeds. He says, “They help keep you alert because you have to actually focus on them.”
- Houston Operator Chris Kersey recommends cranking the AC down. When you’re chilly it’s harder to drift off to sleep.
- Roll down the window for a fresh breeze.
- Pump up the volume of your tunes.
On the Road Entertainment
It’s much easier for passengers to stay entertained these days thanks to smartphones, tablets and portable DVD players. But what about the driver? Here are a few suggestions for having fun while you’re behind the wheel.
All our cows agree that music is a must for any road trip. Derek Mills says he likes to keep it fun by creating a playlist of his high school favorites. Today there are a number of music options if you don’t have the time or ability to make a playlist beforehand. Suggestions include Pandora, Apple Radio and Sirius.
There are also a number of fun road trip games that everyone can participate in during the drive. Our favorites are:
- The Alphabet Game – Starting with A, look for words that begin with the letter and work your way down the alphabet.
- Auto Bingo – Have another person hold the driver’s card.
- The Water Tower Game – First person to spot a water tower gets a point.
- Car Color Game – Each person picks a color and whichever color vehicle passes by the most in a specific timeframe wins.
- Unfortunately-Fortunately – In this game one person makes a statement about an unfortunate situation and the next person has to turn it into a positive.
Travel-Friendly Snacks
One way that people keep themselves entertained and awake during road trips is by snacking. Of course there are plenty of temptations at gas stations, but which ones are best for consuming on the go? Everyone has their own unique tastes, but some snacks just make more sense.
- Chris keeps road trips healthy by snacking on trail mix.
- Beverages in cans should be avoided since there’s no way of containing spills.
- Bite-sized candy and treats make it easy to snack and makes less of a mess.
- Water is always good to have on hand since being in an air-conditioned space can make you dehydrated.
- Derek also suggests that you get rid of all the trash at every stop. That way wrappers and bottles don’t pile up.
Keeping Comfortable in the Car
Sitting in one spot for hours on end can be a little uncomfortable no matter what vehicle you’re driving. Our cows avoid getting sore backs, leg cramps, etc. while driving long distances by:
- Wearing a back brace for a sore lower back.
- Stopping every two hours or so to stretch.
- Using cruise control.
- Putting the seat back at a 100 degree angle.
- Putting a small pillow behind their lower back for lumbar support.
- Taking everything out of their pockets.
- Adjusting the seat so they’re close to the steering wheel.
- Switch out drivers if possible.
If you want to make the road trip a little easier, let Square Cow Movers help haul it all. That way you and your family can drive in the comfort of your own vehicle, go at your own pace and make stops without having to worry about all of your stuff. Give us a call or use the online form to get an instant moving quote!
Original source: https://squarecowmovers.com/road-trip-tips-from-professional-movers/