Holiday Travel. Be Prepared

As the Holiday Season winds down for 2010 this writer must address the holiday traveler and what they may face. Be prepared.

Airport delays. Ugh. Once when traveling via plane I witnessed a lady with a tote bag pull out a small parcel, open it, and unfold a cot with legs about 4 inches long. Low to the ground to be sure, but there she was, the only woman with a comfortable place to rest. We were all twisted into airport chairs, legs hung over the arms, crook in neck, no pillow, well, you know the drill. So, I took up the quest of finding these cots and was amazed that just about any sporting goods store carries them! Back-packers need them for hiking up Mount Whatchamacallit. Ingenious.

Road closures. Always be prepared for road closures during snowy weather. In the northwest roads shut down because of high winds. Prepared means have a plan where to stop for a night, always be aware of towns nearby and have emergency monies for hotel rooms. This is not the time to try the sleep in the car at the rest area crazy stuff. Nope, you will be found in the morning as a human Popsicle. On that note, I do have a great blanket that I found at a truck stop. It plugs into the power source/lighter and does keep things toasty. The only problem I can see here is that long-term use would drain down your auto battery, hence, human Popsicle.

Auto mechanical trouble. Or flats. It pays to have road service coverage through someone. Coverage should cover tire replacement, towing, and maybe even emergency lodging in the case of long-term repairs. In the event you do not have such coverage, dial 911. I was told this by the Iowa State Police once when having my own bout of difficulty. The spare tire is attached under my vehicle, and part of the bracket came loose with the end result being me dragging the tire about a half mile, wondering if the whole back side of my truck had fallen off. What a noise. Anyway, I called my road service, then 911 because of the circumstances. I was scared. It was dark. The State Trooper that came out fixed the problem before the tow truck guy even called back, and I was once again back on the road. Mr. Trooper told me to always call 911 to let them know you are stranded for both safety and help. Bad people will stop and pretend to help you, than snatch your money, maybe even your body. Call 911 next time. Oh, it pays to have a stash of money just in case you need to pay for a tire replacement upfront.

Food. Always, always, always have snacks, healthy and junk along with you, i.e., bottles of water, candy bars, energy bars, cheese crackers, fruit, etc. Anything is better than nothing. Cold and broke down is bad, cold, broke down and hungry is worse.

Toilet paper or personal wipes. Self explanatory.

Very important to Holiday Travel is a cell phone with auto charger and personal protection such as pepper spray, stun gun, gun (with license), and baseball bat, (whatever you are comfortable with). Lots of places close during the Holiday Season and you may need to call out for help, than you may need to wait for awhile until help arrives. Be prepared.

These are just a few things to think about. Travel Safe no matter when, but during the Holiday Season it seems things tend to happen more as there are more trips, more people about, and more bad weather.

Be prepared. Travel Safe. Happy Holidays!