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As you may know, I spent my summer in Seattle with family and friends. So when August came rolling up, my wife and I unloaded our storage unit, filled a rental car, and I (along with my long-time friend Chad and my dog, Indie) drove out. We left early Sunday the 19^th and arrived in Chicago at 8:45pm on Monday the 20^th. The calculations added up to around 38 hours.

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Graduate school provides us with many opportunities for road trips. Not enough people take advantage of those long weekends (most of us don’t have classes on Fridays; many of us have no classes on Mondays, too). So, gather a group of friends and take a road trip. You can go anywhere. I did a mini-book tour last year with some poet friends down into Ohio and Indiana, and I have another one coming up in a couple of weeks that’s taking us into Ohio, Pennsylvania, and even Washington, DC. All you need is a Zipcar or iGo account, or even just a rental car (Budget is usually the cheapest).

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Here are some Road Trip tips:

1. Bring Water. Lots of Water. You will need it.
2. Get yourself a little cooler that can hold your water and food.
3. Food. Bring snacks. Nuts, chips, fruit, whatever. Try to avoid too much junk food, because you’ll just end up feeling like crap.
4. Bring change and dollar bills for tolls or any minor purchases you need along the way.
5. Driving at night is great for covering a lot of distance, but BE CAREFUL.
6. Bring a tent and camping supplies…just in case.
7. (Night Driving) when you’re really far out of the city, like really far, like the next town is 100 miles and this rest stop is in the middle of nowhere, then get out and look at the stars. I’m a city boy, so this is mind-blowing.
8. Bring CDs AND your iPod. Most rental cars have CD players and your iPhone will run out of juice (unless you have a charger, but where’s the fun in that?). CDs are a lost art-form of the road trip. Take advantage of that CD shuffle. It’s cool to be limited to a few CDs. You’ll find yourself listening to stuff you haven’t bothered to pull out in years.
9. (Night Driving or if you’re tired) Listen to Comedy albums. I recommend Louie CK. Though, I had some old Dane Cook that worked. Comedy records keep the driver up, because the driver is laughing. It’s hard to fall asleep when you’re laughing.
10. Energy drinks are pretty rad, but don’t overdo it. You’ll crash hardcore.
11. Learn how to eat and drive. Sitting and eating is for amateurs. Plus, it’s nice to order around your passengers: “Ketchup, please.”
12. (Passengers) You are the navigators. You must stay up and navigate till the driver says it’s cool to sleep. If there are more than two, the person sitting shotgun should be the one who will stay awake with the driver. But if there’s only two of you, wait to catch a little shut-eye till you’re on a long stretch without any need for directions.
13.  Be cool with detours. Those can be the best parts.

OK. I hope you’ll get out there while the weather’s still good. Take care and be safe!