Adventure is out there whether you are a planner or a spur of the moment kind of traveller. I do a tiny bit of planning but prefer the spontaneity this lifestyle offers me. Everyone’s idea on how to travel is so very personal. What I find interesting would probably not appeal to someone else and vice versa. While travelling for the last few years I have found that I need a bit of a plan but I also have to be able to pivot. Things can change so quickly when living on the road.
How do I plan my route?
Being Canadian I can legally be in the US for 6 months so I plan when I enter and leave the country. When heading south for the winter I have a big picture plan. I have an idea of the states I want to visit and explore. Some travellers will plan the exact route they will be driving, know where they will be staying and make reservations well in advance. I am not one of these kind of travellers.
This trip south I decided to travel along Route 83, which is the longest north south road in the USA. Deciding this was an interesting road to explore I looked it up on my map. Not having travelled through all of the central states made this the perfect route for me to visit some new places.
I also knew I wanted to spend some time on the free camping beaches in southern Texas. I left northern Alberta in mid September with my plans sort of mapped out up to December. Where I go and what I do from January to March could be decided later on.
What to see along the way?
Some travellers do in-depth research on where they are going, all the sites they want to see in those areas and plan their trip around them. I do very little research. Is this good or bad? I am not sure but that is how I hit the road.
Knowing I would be heading through North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma I did a few google searches. I had not travelled these states before so I looked up the major sites to visit. I now had a short list of places I wanted to check out. My searches mainly concentrated on the National Parks, which always have stunning views and I can learn about their history.
Stopping at a visitor’s centre when entering a new state is my “go to” way to decide on what to see. Information from locals will usually get me to some cool and unexpected sites. I probably would never have found them even with a little more research so I rely on these professionals.
Adventure is out there so where to stay?
The spontaneity of this lifestyle is one of the things I love the most. I pretty much decide the day before where I will be heading the next day. Ioverlander helps me to map out a good spot to park for the next night, usually planning for a maximum of a 3-4 hour drive. I sometimes have a couple of night options if the area is quite remote. As a solo female traveller I always make sure I have cell reception, so this can be a determining factor in where I stay for the night.
If I find a fabulous location that appeals or I need a longer rest I will stay more than just one or two nights at one spot. I know this would not work for many travellers, but I find I love the discovery of what adventure is out there for me next.
What about the Unexpected Adventure out there?
When on the road be prepared for the unexpected to happen, I learned this travelling in Northern Canada.
Last year while travelling in California I came across an unexpected road closure due to a snow storm. This year I got stuck in the sand at Crystal Beach. Then I was planning to spend two weeks beach camping along Port Aransas, Mustang Island and North Padre Island but the tides were so high the beaches were not safe to camp on. All were unexpected and I had to find a solution.
With the snow storm I had enough gas to turn around and go back the same way I came. I used my handy (everyone should have one) shovel and dug myself out of the sand. The beach was lovely during the day so I spent a few days enjoying the beach and then finding a parking lot to spend the night.
Not huge obstacles I must admit but they were unexpected. It can be stressful when I have to quickly pivot from what I was planning to do. I always take a few deep breaths and try to stay calm while looking at my options. There are always options.
My "Rules of Thumb" for the Unexpected
For the unexpected road trip issues I have a couple rules of thumb I swear by:
- 1/2 a tank of gas is empty, I fill up my van when my gas gauge is half full that way I always have enough gas to get me to the next station.
- I pay for a roadside service. I am probably not strong enough and truly have no desire to change a van tire. I know next to nothing about motors if I have a breakdown. This makes a road side service necessary for me and gives me peace of mind.
- Have a good amount of drinking water and food on hand. If I have to be stuck somewhere for a bit I will have food to eat and water to drink.
Different ways of travelling
Being constantly on the move can be tiring, sometimes lonely and the gas bill can get pretty high but for right now I am discovering and seeing places I have not been to before.
I have met other Canadian snowbirds along my travels who will go to one spot and stay for a few months, really exploring that area then moving to another RV site. Then I have met full timers who travel short distances from one boondocking spot to another staying the allotted time. Still other travellers are just on a holiday and chose the RV or van to travel in.
Everyone I have met have their reasons for and ways of living this nomadic lifestyle. This makes meeting other travellers so varied, personal and inspiring. I love to be on the road so after a week or so at one location I have an itching to see what adventure is out there waiting for me. Happy travels!