My Road Trip Essentials

Last week I was contacted by a representative from RelayRides and invited to participate in their Road Trip Essentials campaign. RelayRides is a peer-to-peer sharing car rental service that connects you (and/or your car) with other folks who need some wheels. While I have never tried their services, I have taken some road trips in the last couple of years, and definitely have some "must-haves" when it comes to hitting the road. (This isn't a sponsored post - I was just invited to participate for fun!)

Here is my list of essentials when it comes to getting in your car and GOING FOR IT like a pro!

Sunglasses. Obviously a long car ride warrants some eye protection. Nothing says "God dammit" like being blinded by sun while you're trying to drive. Personally, I can't be trusted with nice things, so when it comes to sunglasses, Forever21 is my sanctuary. Sunglasses that cost more than $10 can go pound sand, or find some fancy girl's face to hop onto.

Cardigan. The inability to regulate your temperature in a car is one of life's biggest biatches. Pretty sure it's one of Jay Z's 99 problems. A comfy cardigan that you can take on and off as the temperature fluctuates in the car is a must.

Comfy socks. Whether it's summer or winter, taking my shoes off in the car on a long road trip is necessary for me. As a passenger, I need to be able to kick off my shoes and get into a comfortable position. This makes a nice, cozy pair of socks a necessity. In the summer, if you've got the cool air cranking in the car, your footsies will get chilly and need some snuggles. In the winter, you'll probably be wearing comfy socks anyway because... coldness. Go the silly fuzzy sock route, or do what I do and bring along some SmartWool or cushiony hiking socks.

Water bottles.  One big one for every person in the car! If you're savvy and have a cooler in the car with you, bring a couple gallons of water and keep them chilled. Refill your bottles at every rest stop or gas station. 

Dunkin Donuts. If I had my way... Dunkin Donuts iced coffees and Coffee Coolatas would be a part of my daily diet. Unfortunately, Dunks don't exist in Canada - or at least not on this side of the country. It's still on my list of road trip essentials. Just because I don't have it doesn't mean I don't NEED IT. 

Maps. Because I have neither a smartphone nor a Garmin (because it got stolen), road maps and printed directions are kiiiiind of still part of my road game. No matter to me - it's a great exercise in building my directional awareness and map-reading skills.

iTrip or similar iPod connection to your radio. To play dose tunes doe.

A selection of your favorite CDs. Think you're too new-age to use CDs? Joke's on you. In the cities or more densely populated areas, your iTrip will be useless. This is where having your best selection of CDs with you will be a life-saver! Oh, what's that? Your car came equipped with an iPod player and/or auxiliary plugin? Well THAT MUST BE NICE FOR YOU. CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL YOUR SUCCESS. I suppose you're also taking your private jet for your trip, and thus don't even need my "road trip essentials"!?!

Full gas tank and general knowledge of where gas stations and larger towns are located along your route. Just keeping it real logical, guys. You don't want to be stuck out in the desert with no gas for 30 miles in either direction. You just don't. Keep an eye on that gas gauge, too.  Don't zone out and forget to notice when the red "E" is flashing. (David, I'm looking at you.)

Football. Well, why not? Bring along a football to have something fun and active to do when you get out of the car to stretch at rest stops. My personal favorite option is my Nerf Turbo spiral football with the whistle...

Camera. No matter where you're going, there are no doubt going to be some cool things to see along the way. If you don't think that's true, then YOU'RE THE PROBLEM. Sorry for yelling. But it's true. Take pictures, capture the memories you're making!

Snacks. WHOOHOO probably one of the most fun parts about a road trip - picking the snacks! Some good ones to include: Chocolate Turtle Chex Mix, granola bars, Freihofer's Powdered Mini Donuts, gummy candy, almonds, animal crackers, apples, and bananas.

Other less exciting things you shouldn't leave home without:
- fully charged ipods
- fully charged phones

- car phone charger

- paper towels/Kleenex

And just for fun, here are some pictures from one of the last road trips I took - a trip from Vancouver to all parts of Oregon and back again!

What are some of your road trip essentials?
What are your favorite snacks to bring on the road?
Where was your last road trip?

If you'd like any more information about RelayRides, check out their site here. Please note that I've never used the service personally and can't make any claims about how awesome it may or may not be! Poke around and check it out for yourself!

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A Few Good (Massachusetts) Things

As you know if you've been reading my blog lately, I just got back from a 3-week trip to Massachusetts, where I spent time with my family and friends - plus did some bridesmaid duty in my friend Jenna's wedding. Here are just a few good things from my trip - I'll be posting more in depth about the wedding and visiting later this week!

First things first. When one returns to the northeast corner of the United States, one is obligated to make a Dunkin Donuts run. My poison has always been their French Vanilla Coffee Coolatas. Several of these beverages were downed during the 3 weeks I was in Massachusetts:

.  canada should really run on dunkins  .

David completed the 2-day, 192-mile Pan Mass Challenge. This bike ride is a fundraiser for the Dana Farber Institute and the Jimmy Fund and spans from Sturbridge, MA to Provincetown, MA on the tippy top of Cape Cod. Dave's ride unfortunately coincided with the wedding I was in, so I wasn't able to cheer him on in person. But I was cheerleading in spirit! Here he is in Provincetown, MA a couple hours after he finished the ride:

.  whoohoo!  .
.  fundraising efforts continue through October, so there's still time to donate to his ride  .
.  click here to donate if you can - every $ counts .

Our friend Richie (a graphic designer in Boston) designed these t-shirts after the Boston Marathon bombings in April. All proceeds from these Heal Boston shirts went to the One Fund. We bought ours months ago but weren't able to pick them up till now:

Flying from Seattle to Boston (or Boston to Seattle) affords some stunning views. I recommend choosing the window seat anytime you'll be on this flight path:  

.  flying over the north cascades  .

What are some good things you've been appreciating lately?

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{Linking up with Miscellany Monday and Some Things I'm Loving}

Thankful for Friends

There's a bittersweet feeling that comes along with moving across the country from everyone that I know and love.

On the one hand, I'm getting to visit new places and see different parts of the world (sort of), encountering all sorts of architecture and geology and getting a feel for several different types of cities.

But on the other hand, the people I love (note the use of bold, italic AND underline for that) aren't here to share it with me! Of course I've got David and I am creeping (seriously, inching) into the land of possibly making new friends - but nothing compares to being with the people I've known for years and years (or, in some cases, my entire life - LEWKINATYEWMALLORYYYYY!!!).  Inside jokes, familiar/familial banter, a shared ridiculous vocabulary (no one in Vancouver knows what a "jobro" is), an understanding of UMass or Pittsfield references... those are all just some of the things that did not come with me to the West Coast.

In the last few months, though, I've been receiving random bits in the mail from my friends back east. A postcard here, a note there... no matter what, it makes me really, really happy. Probably way happier than the sender ever anticipated. It's like getting a little piece of home in the mail, and I'm very thankful for it.

The other day I went to the post office because I'd received a "parcel pickup" notification in my mailbox the day before. I went to the P.O., completely expecting to be picking up an envelope of 401k stuff I've been awaiting from my employer.... and instead I was handed a package from my friend Kara!!

The contents? A UMass tshirt, a pound of Dunkin Donuts coffee and a lovely note!

.  very, very good things .

In September, in the weeks leading up to our move from Portland, OR to Canada, I received this card from my friend Kimmy, also with a lovely note inside:

Fun fact: Kim purchased this card from a market in Portland, OR when she lived there. She moved back to Massachusetts mere months before I moved to Portland! Even funner fact: This card arrived in Portland while I was in Massachusetts surprising my friends at a post-Labor Day party (or should I say THE Post Labor Day party). Friend surprises abound!

I also received in September a really nice "Thank You" note from my friend Jenna, who had asked me to be a bridesmaid in her 2013 wedding a few weeks prior. I was already feeling loved for having been asked to be in the bridal party - the thank you note made me feel even more so. Love her!

In mid-October thissss awesome card arrived in my mailbox from my friend Stephanie, who is always known for putting a special, creative twist on things. Inside was a note saying congrats on our big move and new place. I LOVE the actual printed words on/in the card too - that rarely happens with a store bought card!!

.  "in my imaginary neighborhood you live right next door" . 

And of course just to dirty things up a bit, my dear friend Sarah sent me this gem of a postcard in mid-September:

.  Hotel d'Amour and also d'Huge Penis Handrails . 

Chronologically, I should have started with September and ended with Kara's November birthday package, but wasn't the above a more fun "package" to end with?

So since today is Thanksgiving, I'm reflecting on how thankful I am to have such thoughtful friends. It means more to me than you know to receive these little pieces of home in the mail, and it inspires me to put pen to "paper/card/penis postcard" more often and pay it forward.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

When this blog actually goes live, Dave and I will be in Portland, celebrating Thanksgiving with our friends there. This will, I suppose, be the first holiday season ever that I don't go home at all to Massachusetts - #grownupthings. While that does mean I won't get to celebrate with my friends and family back home, it also means that I get to celebrate with David and we can have our own holiday season. He doesn't know it yet but I will begin my search for our Christmas tree as soon as we get home from Portland. Also, Christmas lights and vanilla scented candles a-go-go! Whoop!