Past the original feeling of excitement most teenagers feel at age 16 when we first get our license, most of us get so used to driving we forget how much fun it can be. In Austin, like many other cities, traffic can be so bad you wish you were on foot!
But fear not, my loyal readers, for I have the solution to this boredom. Two words: ROAD TRIP. Nothing is more freeing than hopping in a car (or truck) with a few of your friends and hitting the open road. There are a few necessary items before you begin such a trek: music, money (or food), gas in the tank (which is ridiculously cheap right now, it’s scary), and, uh, a car of course.
Me (left) with my friend, Erica, on our road trip from Sac town to Newport in 2006
The music is the most important. I suggest you find the friend that has the most extensive genres and wide ranging musical eras on her iPod. It is imperative that you play your songs loud and proud. Singing is NOT optional. If your voice isn’t slightly hoarse by the time you arrive at your destination, keep driving!
My favorite tunes on this particular journey included, but were not limited to: Sum 41, 311, Eve 6 (weird how many artists have numbers in the title), AC/DC, Elvis (no, not Costello), Nirvana, Metallica, MGMT, and Aretha Franklin…I mean, come on; no one can turn down a good session of Respect. Head banging, air guitar playing, and dashboard drumming is also a must.
Mix it up by having music quizzes. One person chooses a song and whoever shouts out the title and artist gets one point. Bonus points awarded for back-story band trivia…Did you know that MGMT got a record deal without even trying?!? A record exec got a hold of an early unreleased album and sought them out when they weren’t even working on music.
Another of my favorite road trip quizzes involves those songs that you think you know, but really you have no idea what they’re singing. You know what I’m talking about…when you get to a line in the song and all that comes out is: “Just zimma ditta doodle titty da!” Well, see who knows it best!
Who can finish this phrase? “R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Take _____ ____ _____ _____” Anyone? Anyone?
Here’s my boy, Chase, and I, singing our hearts out to the “Queen of Soul”.
Or who knows ANY of the lyrics to 311’s “Down”?!?
What are your favorite road trip activities? Smashing mailboxes with baseball bats? Dragging trash cans with wheels? Driving with your head out the window? Drinking games?? Just kidding!
I have a feeling many people were in the car for hours today heading home for Turkey Day, but how many of you had as much fun as me? And I wasn’t even going home!
5 Comments
November 27, 2008 at 9:01 pm
My friends and I try to take road trips when we can. They are so much fun, and you are right, singing is NEVER optional!
November 28, 2008 at 10:42 pm
Road trips are definitely the greatest, and the music is at least 50% of that. I’ve been listening to a lot of alternative country lately on my drives around Texas – particularly Okkervil River and Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes (particularly “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning.”)
November 29, 2008 at 7:13 pm
I’m all for road trips now that gas is down! At the Hyde Park Organic Grocery and Gas Station, I got premium gas for $1.79. They have a promotion going where if you buy $10 of groceries, you get 10 cents off of your gas!! So, I purchased a $10 bottle of wine and then filled up my tank for $21!
November 30, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Where is that place? I live in Hyde Park and I only know about the Pronto Mart gas station.
November 30, 2008 at 7:45 pm
i’ve never heard of pronto mart lol, but the HPOGGS is off of duval and like 45th ish