Making Traveling Easy This Summer an article from 2010

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Making Traveling Easy This Summer




Summer will soon be here and many of you may have saved enough over the past few months to go someplace nice. Maybe you've just decided to use a tax return to go someplace fun. Perhaps you've decided that now that the weather is better it would be a good time to travel to other states or communities to look for either new employment or in the case of the unemployed perhaps you've decided to look for a job.



Summer can be the best time of year to travel, to look for new employment, to move, to vacation.
The reason summer may be best for many people to do these things is because of the fact most schools are out, also if you happen to be out on the road traveling and have the misfortune to break down, you don't have the very real danger of freezing to death.



Now in some areas of the country you may not have a problem with serious winter weather but that is not true for everyone. Also if you happen to have a desire to travel across country, you may go from an area with few climatic concerns to an area that has more serious weather conditions.



Ice, sleet, snow, and flooding make travel difficult and dangerous. Rarely do you see the same types of travel hazards in the summer time. Plus in the summer it is much easier to stop at a rest stop for a picnic, if you are traveling long distance.



It is not so pleasant to stop in the winter when the temperatures may be bitterly cold, or rainy.



Now with these thoughts in mind, have you gave much thought as to what you may need to have with you as you travel this summer? Also have you given thought as to any vehicle maintenance that you may need? These are some things that if you have not yet thought about you may want to do now.



My personal recommendation for you as far as your vehicle goes is to go get your oil changed, or if you are so inclined change it yourself, (personally I am not so inclined and would much rather someone else do that than me).



Also after you have changed the oil, make sure that all fluids are checked and filled, also all filters, and check the tires, and brakes, and windshield wipers. After you have done all that maybe get a tune up on your car done. Just get everything checked at once if possible.


 
Doing this may save you some grief later on down the road.
After you have changed the oil, gotten a tune up etc, you are ready to give your car a good cleaning. You can either do this yourself or go to a carwash place and have this done or you. This can be a convenience but it may or may not be something that you feel comfortable paying for.



At any rate whether you clean your car yourself or pay someone to do it. Make sure you do get this done completely, even the trunk of the car.


 
When your car is clean it makes packing for any kind of trips a lot nicer, and a lot easier. So this is something that you should do.



After your car is sparkling clean, inside and out, and you have had an oil change, a tune up, brakes and all checked, and then it's a good time to fill up your gas tank, and then try to keep it full. That may or may not be possible.



Ok, after you have all of this done, it is a good time to put the things in your trunk that you may need or want to have as your travel this summer. A plastic tote or wooden crate that will fit in your trunk can be very helpful. This can also help prevent items from being lost in your trunk.




Something's that you may want to keep in the trunk would be brake fluid, a quart of oil, paper towels, hand cleaner, *the kind that will remove grease especially. Hand sanitizer, a plastic funnel, a small gas can, a durable working flashlight with new batteries. These items are more or less optional but helpful in many situations. A couple of gallons water just in case your car over heats. (All of this can go into a plastic tote or wooden crate neatly so it does not take up a lot of room in your car's trunk.
In a separate container you may want to have a first aid kit, this is something that should be in every vehicle regardless of whether it is summer or not. Because accidents do happen in all seasons of the year, so this is something you should have, and keep updated.



A couple of clean towels and washcloths can also go into the same container with the first aid kit, and maybe a blanket of some kind. That can be folded neatly, like an army style blanket. An Atlas, and/or maps can go into this container. Also hand sanitizer, sun screen, and paper towels or napkins, disposable cups, plates, and plastic wear. Tin foil and zip-lock bags may also be something you would want.



Besides the above a new cooler that will fit into your trunk, may be something you will want to purchase if you do not already own one. This will make it much easier to take food and cold drinks with you as you travel this summer. Taking your food with you will help to cut down on your travel expenses.



Exactly what you will want to keep in your vehicle will depend on how often you may want travel, also on how far you may want to go.



If you plan well you may find traveling this summer much more pleasant. Also if you are traveling in search of employment, remember to pack your resume.