Sunday, August 2, 2009

Rules of the Road


(The view of Longs Peak from our lodging.)

The Greasy Skillet has arrived in Estes Park, Colorado, and the focus shifts from food to communing with nature and family. I'm about 45 minutes away from my first picnic of vacation, so I'm a bit giddy and unable to focus on this post. We'll keep it short.

On the drive West, I listed some essential rules for the road:
  • No whining.
  • Be prepared to compromise.
  • Make yourself indispensable. Be the person who can read a map. Be the person who knows where to eat. Be the person who can entertain with the fussy kid in the backseat. Just bring some skill or trait to the trip that is essential. Don't be the person who the group considers leaving at the rest stop.
  • Always use the bathroom when you have an opportunity.
  • Don't eat anything bigger than your head.
  • You can't use "bored" or any variation of this word on a trip. There are no boring situations, only boring people. An interesting person is capable of adding spice to the blandest of moments. We're working with my daughter on this concept.
  • Focus on the journey, not the destination.
What are some of your essential rules for the road?

the road goes on forever,
muddy

5 comments:

Nella said...

This is our Road Trip Rule #1

Use the pink and blue roads on the map. Interstates can only be used in an emergency or on the way home.

muddywaters said...

Nella: I love this rule. If you're going to get a feel for the region, it needs to be done off the interstate.

Anonymous said...

Long's Peak. One of life's great adventures!!!

Anonymous said...

No matter how tired I am or how long the drive is, no energy drinks or anything containing guarana, taurine, or any other fake herbal chemically thing. Mr Crankypants ain't seen nothing like me on a canned beverage with an X in the name.

Sarah said...

Hi Mike - I'm back! Glad to hear that the Greasy Skillet family is enjoying some beautiful scenery and fresh air. One of my rules of the road is a requirement that we randomly pull off from time to time to read historic markers. I love those "on this spot" plaques, and they can frame a seemingly bland location in a totally new light.