Things To Do For Two

SHE SAID:

Now that the spring weather is upon us and summer is just around the corner, the season of road trips has begun! Brad would try to convince you that any season is fair game for a road trip, but I do not share in his zeal for navigating unfamiliar, snow covered highways in the dead of night. So call me a bad wife.

There are many ways to go about a road trip:

On a Whim – This is not for the faint of heart! No organization is required. In fact, it’s discouraged. Once inspiration hits, just grab your purse and go! I have never mustered up the courage to try this type, but I know Brad is bursting at the seams to try it with me, as most of his “before Susan” road trips were of this variety.

Day Trip – As the name implies, this road trip takes you as far as you can go in the run of a day. These types are especially good if you don’t have the cash to spend on accommodations or the time to commit to a long haul.

Surprise – Surprise your special someone with a getaway! Disguise it as a trip to the grocery store, mall, or in-laws, but the point is that you keep driving to whatever treat you have in store. Keep in mind that this option only works well if you don’t have to cross any borders.

Destination – This is my favourite type of road trip as it involves planning! If you followed our Winter Escape, you know I love to make lists and check them twice and this type of road trip lends itself quite well to that obsession. Other than picking a particular place to visit, you could base your destination on a concert or festival you’d love to see. We did this a couple of years ago when we went to see John Mayer in Mansfield, MA. And now let me pause and just say if you ever have the opportunity to see John Mayer in concert, go! Say what you will about the man’s personal life, but he knows how to play his guitar and put on a good show. Other than getting engaged, this was by far the best birthday present Brad ever gave me. We didn’t have a ton of cash so we made it a weekend trip with friends and had a really great time.

Roads trips are lovely because they can be as simple or elaborate as you please. Other than our very first road trip (aka our honeymoon) all of our road trip experiences have been positive. Of course, there are moments in any road trip (usually on the way home) when the last 3 hours feel like 3 days and you never want to see the inside of another convenience store washroom ever again. Speaking of creepy gas station washrooms, beware of the one on Rte. 9 in Maine. I have no idea where we were (other than Maine), but I do remember being told to “follow the yellow line” to the washroom. It was literally a line painted on the floor that led from the store into the garage where it weaved around cars and tools until you eventually reached the little closet that contained Maine’s scariest washroom. I only wish I had taken a picture. Don’t let stories like that deter you, though. It’s all part of the fun to look back on.

I would recommend a road trip to anyone at any point in their relationship. They are great for spending quality time with the one you love and give you that sense of adventure we all crave from time to time.

HE SAID:

Some of my fondest memories of good times with good friends are built on road trips. There was the time me and a friend drove to Toronto. We left my parent’s driveway on Friday night, arrived late Saturday afternoon, and began the journey home around noon on Sunday. Then there was the time me and that same friend drove down to Washington, D.C. and back during a massive winter storm. (Side Note – The police do not like it when you pull your car to the side of the road and cook up dinner on a Coleman stove beside the car. Also, crossing the border in the middle of the night to go to Washington, D.C. “for fun” is not a good thing in the eyes of the authorities. Who knew?)

I thought all of that experience would come in handy when we decided to go to Ontario for our honeymoon. As usual, I was just as excited for the drive as I was for the destination. I was so confident that Susan would love the big city of Toronto, and the beautiful scenery of Niagara Falls. If only I knew then what I know now. I had one thing right, she did love Niagara Falls. The rest, not…so…much.

Let’s not dwell on the bad experiences though. Since then we’ve hit the road a few times and have had a lot of fun. We have travelled alone and with friends, both with great success.

I have learned a few tips over the years that might be helpful to you if you are planning a road trip in the near future:

• Before you start the car, decide who will be the navigator and who will be the driver. Since Susan isn’t a big fan of hitting a highway with more than three lanes, I’m usually the driver. Plus, she’s a much better navigator than I will ever be.
• This one is for the fellas. If your girlfriend/wife/friend wants to stop and stretch/eat/shop/whatever the heck else she might want to do, make it happen. On road trips in the past, my friend and I would drive for days, only stopping for fuel or food. Susan does not share the same zeal for non-stop driving. Lesson learned.

Road trips can be a lot of fun, and since we’ve learned a few lessons about each other, we look forward to hitting the road again soon. If you have any scary, funny, or otherwise entertaining stories about going on the road, let us know in the comments. If you can beat Susan’s “Yellow Lined Bathroom” story, feel free to share it with us.