9-18 Ways to Stay Sane Driving by Yourself
by Carol Sokolsky
Driving 12 hours in one day — by myself — is not something I long to do! Yet, I am facing just that…a grueling, long, solo drive back to a place I call home, where my mom is working hard to overcome her broken body, caused by a horrible farm accident. To get to my mom safely with only a handful of 5-minute breaks along the way, I need each of these things to keep me sane and wide awake for the 12 road-hours that loom before me. I am not ranking because in my mind, all are the most critical for my sanity!
- Coffee. Black coffee. Oh, and then black coffee.
- SiriusXM radio. Couldn’t do life without you, Sirius. Talk radio, ’60s and ’70s music…ah, yes.
- GPS set to mom’s bedside. Love that I will never have to think, just listen and drive.
- My cruise control that keeps me at least five car-lengths behind anything all day, making the adjustments without me doing anything. Sweet.
- Gluten free anything…pretzels, crackers…as these will become my best friends by about 4 p.m. Because five minute stops don’t lend for gourmet road meals.
- Three pairs of sunglasses. Because you never worry about much makeup when leaving at 5 a.m.
- All Sons & Daughters CDs. Because I never start a road trip without them.
- Apple Play — now that I’ve figured it out on my car settings.
- My Starbucks water bottle filled with crushed ice and water — refilled at each 5-minute stop (which becomes the main reason for five minute stops).
- Hands-free everything. Will I ever remember all the voice prompts? At least I can talk to anyone without taking my eyes off the road and change channels with just couple of words.
- Favorite jeans and flip flops. Because you never want to look like you just jumped out of bed. (Revisit #6 because you can hide until the sun goes down!)
- My Stella & Dot Hudson Bag. Girls, you need one, seriously. Don’t even ask, just get one.
- Voice text so I can make notes to myself as I drive. I could write an entire article that might otherwise escape my mind if I wait.
- “Alert, Alert” if I drift out of my lane. This is a safety feature I love. And no, I don’t use the hands-free drive setting. And yes, I have one. Who does that anyhow?
- I sing in the car. Yup, I do. Loudly.
- I count FedEx trucks. Just something my son started when he was six. And it makes me smile that after all these years, I still find myself counting FedEx trucks. Reminds me to be thankful. Yes, it does.
- Coffee…black coffee…and then, maybe, black coffee.
SAFE TRAVELS!
Carol Sokolsky is a relative newcomer to Tulsa. She relocated from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in October, 2014 after retiring from FedEx Services, Global Account Management. She spent most of her 33 FedEx years as a road warrior, leading a large global management team and serving one global customer for over 20 years. Her passion for blogging began in 2010 as she launched a two-year blog that chronicled the journey of her husband’s valiant fight with cancer and ultimately the end of his journey. Her blog became a book, “Sid’s Journey”. She continues to journal daily on just about everything!
You can also read about Carol’s experience at Cain’s Ballroom, her Journey Through Grief, having a life coach, why Tulsa is such a great place to live, kneel, her journey through losing a son, or her journey through a family member’s addiction, Antediluvian, her journey through a tornado, and Yellow Roses.
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