I haven't been on a plane in 29 years... August 1978 to be exact. And with all the added steps/issues/hassles/(insert your choice of descriptor) involved these days, who knows when I'll bother to enter a pressurized metal tube to go hurtling through the atmosphere.
I'm definitely a road trip guy.
From my home, by the time I get to the nearest airport (Newark International), go through check-in and security, wait, board, wait some more, and finally back away from the gate, I can easily be 200 miles down an interstate.
My last long road trip was October 1999, when my trusty 1996 Dodge Ram 3500 dually and I drove from north NJ to Dallas and back, a total of 3100 miles. And thanks to the Cummins diesel under the hood, I averaged almost 20 mpg the whole trip. Not bad for a truck weighing in around 7000 pounds.
And look at all the benefits of a quality road trip:
- you can hit the road any time of day or night and avoid rush hours
- you can stop anywhere from a sandwich shop to a 4-star restaurant to eat... no little bags of peanuts for $5
- you can see things besides clouds
- you're in control of the "on-board entertainment"
- when you're tired, you can pull over for a nap or find a cheap motel
- you know exactly where your luggage is
- you never have to worry about a driver taking you "the long way" at your destination
There's a great book that helps with planning a great road trip: The Next Exit: USA Interstate Highway Directory by Mark Watson. It describes what destinations, features, and services are available at interstate highway exits, so that you can plan things like food/fuel stops, travel breaks, side trips/attractions, or a place to grab some zzz's. Also a great resource for truckers and long-distance motorcoach drivers who spend far more of their lives on the highway than their home street.
