Hit the Road: Summer Road Trip Tips

Whether it’s a two-hour drive to a concert in a neighboring city or a full-blown RV trip cross country, road trips can pack in loads of excitement, adventure, and discovery. Here are some key elements and tips for a smooth sailing road trip.

Music

Compile some of your favorite tunes and make a mix to keep you entertained on the road. Depending on the length of the journey, make a CD for every hour. If you want to get in the driving zone and just chill out, try the Garden State soundtrack for starters. Audio books are sure to keep you engaged for a while, but try to avoid them for the long haul. The best bet for road tunes include those of the fast, sing-along variety, here’s a sample list to make the time fly (and yes, my music taste really is this random):

Black Eyed Peas: Pump It
Cowboy Mouth: Jenny Says
Franz Ferdinand: Take Me Out
Sisqo: Thong Song
Bon Jovi: Livin’ On A Prayer
Journey: Any Way You Want It
Ben Folds: Song For The Dumped
The Killers: Somebody Told Me
Katrina and The Waves: Walking On Sunshine
KT Tunstall: Black Horse And The Cherry Tree
Modest Mouse: Float On
Wham: Wake Me Up Before You Go Go
Shania Twain: That Don’t Impress Me Much
Gomez: GirlShapedLoveDrug

Food

Grab some non-meltable snacks for the open road and stock up the liquids. Pack it in a cooler if you’re feeling fancy, otherwise just rock that Thirst-Buster til you’re down to the last drop.

Travel Allies

Needless to say, you should get along with your travel buddies. Hours upon hours stuck in a 5x6 space can lead to major drama if you don’t combo the right group of people. Also, make sure everyone knows they’re paying equal parts for gas.

Gas money

Speaking of pitching up cash for gas, set aside a budget for the road. If anything, overestimate the amount you’ll need to devote to gas. With disgustingly high prices right now, this summer might not be the best time to hit the open road in the states. Check prices HERE so there won’t be any surprises.

Keep to a Schedule

Set some goals while you’re barreling down the interstate; it’s not the time to be sleeping in till noon and getting a late start. There’s no need to be uptight—your passengers certainly won’t appreciate that—but have a good idea about where you should be and when. Daylight will be your best friend.

Be willing to go off schedule

Go see “The Thing.” Grab a Thirst-Buster. Eat at sketchy roadside restaurants. Driving to your destination should be half the fun, so be willing to ignore part of your schedule to take part in an unplanned adventure.

Click It or Ticket

Buckle up, it’s the law, and beyond that, it’s sensible.

Here are some pictures from my most recent road trip, albeit a short one. It was my final ride from Tucson to Las Cruces. After three years living in the ‘zona and making the four hour drive home a few times each semester, I’ll miss seeing the scenery that kept the trip interesting (well….tolerable, at least).

See the World: Finding Frequent Flier Miles

Blackout dates, not redeemable, bonus miles.

All of the above are frequently heard phrases when dealing with frequent flier miles—although the latter is the only one you hope to hear.

A good majority of my excursions have been paid for through way of FF miles, without which, I wouldn’t have seen the likes of the Cote D’Azur or Big Ben by now. My parents are of the frequent flying variety and so I’ve been able to redeem their many miles for my own trips—much to my brother’s chagrin.

But I digress…

FF miles actually give the avid traveler more options, despite the inevitable blackout dates, as you can fly multi-city destinations. For Spring Break ’06 I hitched a flight to London and then managed to fly from Paris to Dublin, Dublin to Tucson…all for 40,000 miles.

But what does 40,000 miles translate to? Depends on the airline and the days you intend to travel. I got to Europe on 40,000 through American Airlines, but switch to one day later and you could be looking at 100,000 miles for a roundtrip.

The best advice I can offer for when you want to book with FF miles is to look at the all the possibilities. Arrange all the combinations of days, airlines, and destinations to find the cheapest deal. The deals exist, you just have to find them.

Also, sign up for FF mile rewards programs early and often. File away all the zillion-digit FF numbers that airlines will assign to you because they will come in handy. You won’t want to miss out on 5,000 added miles when you fly coast to coast because you lost your number or didn’t take the time to fill out the FF form.

Most applications can be found online and are free to sign up (see links below). And if you want to earn miles from your latest trip, send the airline a copy of the ticket; usually within 12 months of your flight you can earn miles on it. If you forget to use your awards number when you made the reservations, be sure to tell the agent when you are checking in to fly, as it can easily be added.

Remember to beware of all things categorized as “too good to be true.” I’ve been tempted many a time to sign up for credit cards offering miles for dollars spent. Besides the fact I don’t spend that much on credit, the possibility of getting screwed over with annual fees or a high APR is at an all-time high with reward cards.

Drawbacks to flying on the FF miles: a limited number of seats are allotted to frequent fliers and blackout dates are a killer when you only have a small inflexible window of opportunity.

But despite the drawbacks, if you’ve compiled enough miles over the years, they are bound to be useful at some point. Keep on earning and eventually you’ll get that free trip to Tahiti you’ve been dreaming of. Until then, sign up for all the FF mile programs you can and keep exploring new worlds.

Below are links to sites to enroll in airline reward programs and then different awards charts available through each airline.

Sign Up for Rewards

American Airlines (AAdvantage)

Delta (Sky Miles)

Southwest (Rapid Rewards)

United Airlines (Mileage Plus)

US Airways (Dividend Miles)

Award Charts

American Airlines

Delta

Southwest

United Airlines

US Airways

Las Cruces: Where Food Bites Back

Spice up your daily cuisine routine and head to Las Cruces, New Mexico to heat up your taste buds and try the best Mexican food your tongue will ever savor.

There are great debates concerning the best Mexican comida, but the L.C. cannot be beat in terms of mom and pop restaurants offering foods from below the border, above the border.

Out-of-towners should resist the disgraceful temptation of Taco Bell and hunt around for those hard-to-find, holes in the wall. Atmosphere might be lacking, décor a bit lackluster, but the better Mexican restaurants often come in ugly, brown packages. They can't all be Casa Bonita.

Green chili, sometimes red, is the way of the world in the land of enchantment. If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the state. But if you are willing to experience the explosive tang, order up some smothered enchiladas to knock your socks off.

If you want the green chili “whole enchilada” without the actual enchilada, try a chili relleno. It’s deep-fried goodness wrapped around a cheese-stuffed green chili. Chances are if you’re dining in Cruces, the chili is locally grown, most likely from Hatch, 20 minutes north of the city.

Seeking something crunchy opposed to the typical soggy serve-up? Flautas are the way to roll. A corn tortilla formed into a cylinder shape, flautas can be full of chicken, beef, or cheese.

So as for where to get the aforementioned tasty chow in Las Cruces, check out my top ten Mexican joints in the area. It has taken years for me to craft this list into perfection, so take note of my sincerity when I say, these places will rock your world.

1. Cha-Chi's. 2460 South Locust Street.
The attentive staff, cheap food, and delicious entrees will keep you craving this place days after.

2. Andele’s. 2184 South Highway 28.
A salsa bar is definitely as cool as it sounds and a quaint patio in the back makes Andele’s on the edge of Mesilla a great stop. Don’t let the dirt parking lot deter you.

3. LJ’s/ Mi Rinconcito. 1605 South Solano Drive.
For years my generation has been calling this restaurant LJ’s and for the life of me, I have no idea why, but nevertheless, the $4 student special is the cheapest lunch deal in town. Chips, salsa, drink, taco, and a smothered burrito are your best bet.

4. Chilitos. 405 South Valley Drive.
Two locales, one worth frequenting. With a hint of garlic, their salsa is by far the best in the city.

5. Twisters. 800 South Telshor Blvd.
It looks tacky, fast-foody, and empty, but for take away, Twisters offers a great selection for parties. The $50 green chili chicken party enchiladas are a staple at Harben family events, without fail.

6. La Posta. 2410 Calle De San Albino.
This Mesilla restaurant right off the square has fish in aquariums and birds in cages, not to mention gigantic plates of food for dinner. About $10 per plate for the combo meals, La Posta has the size, taste, and atmosphere all on its side.

7. El Sombrero. 363 South Espina Street.
Talk about cheap and delicious, El Sombrero is good for lunch or dinner, especially if you sit on the enclosed patio.

8. Roberto’s. 908 East Amador Avenue.
This place used to be higher up in the rankings, but has subsequently dropped due to poorer service and failing multiple health inspections, but it still ranks at numero 8 because of history and loyalty.

9. Bravo’s Café. 3205 South Main Street.
Three words: chili relleno burritos. Only reason to go and get it take-away.

10. Ranchway Barbeque. 604 North Valley Drive.
It’s on this list as a favor to my brother, because it ranks in his thanks to the brisket inserted in the flautas. Worth a try.

I've met a great deal of opposition and have encountered ragin'-cajun debates about the above list. So, put in your two pesos if you don't agree; leave a comment with your picks.

This blog can also be found on: tasteofenchantment.blogspot.com