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Retire Early
Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler
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In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age
of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this
financially independent lifestyle, they invite you
to take advantage of their wisdom and experience. |
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Long Term
Road Trip Plans? What Every Traveler Should Do to Prepare their
Vehicle
Peder Jannsen
Going on a long term road trip can be an awful lot of fun! You’re on the road
for weeks, possibly even months on end, and that can bring you to all kinds of
new sights and amazing people. See the landscape at its best, experience all the
different local cultures you might come across, and head back to the car at the
end of the day to move on again.
It’s a nice way to spend your time, especially if you’re concerned about the
carbon impact of taking airplanes back and forth or going on a cruise. But even
with that in mind, going on a road trip that lasts more than a few days can be
risky.
Cars can be prone to failure, especially if you’re taking a vehicle that doesn’t
do much else other than drive around your own town. You need to know you’re
setting off in a car that isn’t going to let you down - and definitely isn’t
going to pump more emissions into the air than absolutely necessary!
As such, we’ve put together a
little list of things every road tripper should do before they set off. So, if
you’ve got long term road trip plans in the works, make sure you’ve completed
tasks like these first.
Pexels Image - CC0 Licence
Swap it For an Eco Friendly Model
On
a long term road trip, an eco friendly car such as an electrical vehicle or a
hybrid model will have far less of an impact on the environment. If your car
isn’t either of these things, it might be worth either trading it in or selling
it, if you plan to make a genuine long term change, or renting a car to use for
the trip.
When you have an eco friendly model at hand, your carbon emissions will be (at
the least) cut in half, and with an electric vehicle, you won’t need to rely on
fuel to get from A to B. You’ll need to know the charging points along the
route, of course, but a single charge
could take you 300 miles at a time.
Make Your Car More Fuel Efficient
A
fuel efficient car not only goes further for longer, but focusing on fuel
efficiency means less emissions
and costs
during your journey. If you want to be on the road for as long as possible,
finding the best ways to make your fuel last will fulfill your travel and your
sustainability dreams.
To
start with, check your tires. They need to have the right pressure and show no
signs of damage. Even slightly worn tires can make your car harder to run. Next,
try to keep the weight inside low. You’re going on the road for a while, which
means you’re going to pack heavier than usual, but don’t try to stuff loads of
cases in the trunk.
Pack as light as you can,
while still carrying the essentials and some emergency items, and then
distribute this weight evenly across the car. This will help to keep the
load on the engine lower, and it won’t have to compensate by burning through
more fuel because the back end is heavier and dragging as a result.
You should also try to ensure
you’re switching between gears (in a manual) and speeds effortlessly. Try to
keep sudden dips in acceleration low, and never rev the car up all in one
go. Give yourself time to go from 0 to 60, even if it’s fun to do so in the
span of a few seconds!
Pack Sustainable Waste
Disposal
You’ll want to keep waste to
a minimum on your long term road trip. That usually means packing reusable
items anywhere you can, including a water bottle you can refill, food
containers that can be washed and reused, etc.
But you should also pack your
own sustainable waste disposal method. A lot of the things you’re going to
be throwing away will be recyclable, and if you don’t have a system for
sorting this waste from anything else, it’s all going to end up in the same
trash.
Not only will that make your
vehicle messier, but it also means you’re more likely to dump the waste as a
whole. Getting it out of the car is key, of course, but pre-sorting the pile
you’ve generated by having separate bags (or even cans) will go a long way.
Learn the Signs That
Indicate an Issue
A bit of car DIY knowledge
goes a long way, especially if you’re in the middle of nowhere and it’s
miles until you’ll hit civilization again. And trust us, those moments are
common when you’re on a long term road trip.
You don’t want to get stuck
in that situation without any idea of what you need to get back on the road
again, even if just to make it to the next repair shop along the way.
Learn the signs now to make
sure you save time and energy later. If you have to wait for someone else to
come along with new
exhaust systems parts to fix a backfiring car, who knows how long you’ll
be stranded? And that’s with the guarantee that you’ll always have access to
the internet and/or phone signal, and that could dip in places as well.
Make Your Long Term Road
Trip Safe and Sustainable
Looking out for yourself
while you’re on the road is key to a happy, healthy, and enjoyable road
trip. While you’re here, you’ve also got the chance to maintain
environmental friendliness, and ensure you’re setting off with the right
vehicle, a low amount of waste, and a low carbon route ahead.
Use this time wisely. Make
sure you pack correctly, have seen to your vehicle to ensure it’s good
enough for the drive ahead, and get some DIY knowledge on your side.
Remember, even if it’ll take some effort to put this plan together, if
you’re going to road trip, make sure you do it right!
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About the Authors
Retire
Early Lifestyle appeals to a different
kind of person – the person who prizes their
independence, values their time, and who doesn’t
want to mindlessly follow the crowd.
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