Image Source: Unsplash.com
Road travel provides a fantastic way to enjoy nature, regardless of your reason for traveling: the panoramic sights and sounds you experience but a few road trip perks. However, such trips are incredibly long and somewhat uncomfortable, meaning your focus can shift from enjoying the journey to being anxious about the level of discomfort.
Although you cannot avoid sitting for extended durations during a road trip, some pre-planning can help you minimize discomfort, anxiety, and boredom. Therefore, below are some items that you can add to your road trip checklist and travel itinerary to make your journey pleasantly comfortable.
Install A Luggage Carrier on Your Vehicle
According to one consumer survey, 65% of Americans find packing for a journey the most stressful aspect of travel. Moreover, the stress includes packing everyday essentials and camping gear inside your car trunk with road trips. Unfortunately, essential items on your checklist, especially sporting gear, may be too large to fit inside your car trunk and extend into the passenger cabin, encroaching on passenger legroom.
However, you can avoid such luggage encroachment by adding a luggage carrier to your vehicles. Automotive carrier options like a jeep roof rack, rooftop racks, rooftop cargo boxes, cargo bags, and hitch-back cargo carriers make packing car luggage easier.
They allow you to maximize your car’s load capacity without overloading your vehicle. Moreover, specialized carriers for adventure gear like bicycles, paddleboards, and surfboards, feature adjustments that make fastening the gear easier.
Therefore, you can enjoy a stress-free packing experience and have ample legroom in your passenger cabin. However, do not abuse your vehicle’s carrier because too much luggage increases car drag and will make driving cumbersome.
Image Source: Unsplash.com
Schedule Stops
Remaining seated in a similar position for hours is uncomfortable and unhealthy. Sitting down for too long affects your posture and interferes with blood circulation in the legs, among other health issues.
Moreover, one expert review recommends that you should balance every hour spent seated by spending 5 minutes on your feet. However, scheduling a break every hour during a long drive will slow you down considerably.
Depending on your travel itinerary, you can schedule a break to stretch your legs every 2-4 hours. Moreover, planning the stops allows you to search for ideal stopover points with scenic views, security, and local eateries serving healthy meals.
Carry Support Accessories
Besides stretches and support accessories that help keep your spine aligned and redistribute weight, taking pressure off your joints is vital. Such accessories include specialized pillows like neck, lumbar support, and seat cushions.
A neck pillow, for starters, straightens your neck, preventing possible airway obstruction. Second, it prevents muscle cramps and a stiff neck that may occur due to maintaining an uncomfortable position. The comfort resulting from neck pillows allows you to fall asleep during the trip (unless you are driving), preventing fatigue.
On the other hand, lumbar support pillows feature a curved or wedge shape designed to maintain the spinal cord’s natural curvature. Such pillows support the lower back, helping bear some weight to reduce pressure on the spine and maintain good posture.
Lastly, a car chair cushion features a slight slant to improve blood flow to the feet, and it also cushions your back and hips against pressure from extended sitting. However, consider purchasing memory foam support accessories for maximum comfort.
Image Source: Unsplash.com
Put On Comfortable Clothes and Footwear
Looking cute is fantastic, but comfort is king when dressing up for a road trip. However, you do not have to compromise on either fashion element.
Consider cute and breathable wardrobe staples like tank tops and T-shirts, but jeans will have to take a back seat for road trips. You can substitute denim pants with leggings, sweatpants, or comfortable drawstring pants. Second, consider layering up should you need to adjust your outfit according to prevailing weather changes.
Also, consider lightweight, comfortable shoes that fit correctly and come off easily for footwear. Moreover, compression socks are also helpful in improving blood flow. Therefore, layered athleisure is the best fashion option for road trips.
Carry Sunscreen and Sunglasses
Sunscreen is a must-carry for road trips because UV rays can penetrate car windows, exposing your skin to UV damage. Although tinted car windows can block up to 99% of UV rays, you need to remain protected while alighting the vehicle to stretch or sight-seeing.
Moreover, your eyes are also vulnerable to UV damage. Second, reflected sunlight bouncing off landscapes can also strain your vision after hours of exposure. Therefore, high-quality sunglasses are also as important as sunscreen.
Image Source: Unsplash.com
Stay Hydrated
Water is essential for multiple body functions, and one study shows that dehydration, regardless of severity, can alter mood, vision, and energy levels and cause headaches. Therefore, follow the following tips to remain hydrated while on the road.
First, stay hydrated before the trip so that your bladder becomes accustomed to holding continence. Second, carry a reusable water bottle and an insulated bag or cooler to keep the water cool.
Third, drink water, eat fruit (or drink natural fruit juices) at intervals, and avoid dehydrating foods. Also, you can carry a mini water purifier system and utilize water sources available along your route.
Conclusion:
You make the best road trip memories during the journey rather than when you arrive at your destination. Therefore, follow the guide above to ensure your road trip memories do not include physical discomfort.
