On Saturday I had a mini road trip! I drove my daughter to USF in Tampa for a flute clinic. Originally we planned to stay overnight with friends, but since I was still a little sick, we canceled those plans and drove four hours there, and then four hours back at night. For me, it was a reading-themed trip and I loved it. (Well- most of it).
To start with, you know how when someone is coughing and sneezing you secretly find it really annoying, even though you know it’s not their fault that they’re sick? Well, my daughter was SUPER annoyed with me, and the only difference is she didn’t feel the need to keep it a secret. She told me “I don’t want to talk to you because your voice sounds so horrible.” She sat in the backseat and put her headphones in.
Well, that was just fine with me! I happily put on this episode of the Currently Reading podcast, where Meredith and Kaytee discussed their top ten books of 2024. Even though I don’t usually like Kaytee’s selections, I still enjoy hearing her talk about them. And Meredith and I have more similar reading tastes, so I was intrigued by several of her picks.
When we got to Tampa, I dropped my daughter off at the workshop and found a nearby Barnes and Noble! I was surrounded by books, reading about books. I looked up the books from the podcast episode, decided I did want two of them on my TBR, and checked to see if they’re at my library. They are! I browsed a little, but didn’t buy anything.
Then I found a nearby Starbucks, got a green tea, and pulled out my book:
I finished it! This book had a slow start for me, but by the end I was very glad I read it. It’s kind of like everything you find confusing about quantum physics, made even more mysterious by a fictional spin. In the afterward Cixin Liu says “It’s the seemingly unlikeliest of possibilities in science fiction stories that tend to become reality, so in the end, who knows?” AND, he makes a small tie-in to the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy, which I loved. This one was not as good as the trilogy, but still worth a read.
The only thing that was a little sad about this trip was the food situation. Road trips are supposed to have fun snacks and a Coke Zero… right???
Well, not this time. I packed up all my own food:
Lunch, snacks, and veggies and hummus for dinner.
The only thing I missed was a nice, big fountain drink. But guess what- I did purchase a cup, filled it with ice, and poured in my own green tea, so I still had a beverage!
I had a moment of sadness when I was getting the ice, because I could see the Coke Zero just inches away from my cup. But, that sadness quickly went away. Once I was on the road again, sipping my iced green tea, it was fine.
So that’s my “hack of the day.” Pay $2.89 for a cup of ice and add your own healthier beverage. It was fun!
If you listen to the Currently Reading podcast, do you identify more with Meredith or Kaytee?
What’s your favorite road trip snack- Subway sandwich (or, Publix sub), Fritos and Coke Zero. But now right now.
28 Responses
I have not been on a road trip in ages, unless you count all of the bus rides, which I guess are road trips technically. However, they are not the fun stopping at Pilot to get iced tea road trips of days past. I tent to eat nuts (you can have those right!?) and lots and lots of iced tea on road trips, unless it is very cold and/or morning, when the tea is coffee. Of course both of these things make me pee a lot, so when I stop to use the restroom, I get more tea/coffee so my road trips involve a LOT of stopping! That definitely does not happen on the bus, as sometimes they only stop once in a 6 hour journey, so you better not drink too much! The other thing about road trips I love is listening to audiobooks, and sometimes you can finish an entire book! PS your daughter sounds like a teenager! Haha!
I would like a bus trip too- although I definitely have to stop more than once every six hours! Two hours is probably my max before a bathroom stop. I defintiely can eat nuts (as long as they aren’t roasted in an unhealthy oil, which lets out most nuts you would buy on the road.)
I don’t have a go-to road-trip snack. I think I’d likely pick beef jerky since it’s satiating and NOT messy. I do love a good Subway sub. Yum.
I am relating so much to your comment about Angie right now. Belle is graduating from Grade 8 next week and there’s a reception tomorrow night and she does NOT want me to go. I am basically the most embarrassing human on the planet (except when she needs an advance on her allowance, of course).
Oh yes, that sounds about right! The thing I would love to know is… what exactly is so embarrassing about us??? Compared to other parents I see, I feel like I am VERY un-embarrassing. I guess it’s just embarrassing to have parents at all, at this age.
I’m boring because I usually just drink water with electrolytes on road trips (and every day), but it’s because I’d rather limit bathroom stops and if I drink something other than water, I have to go more frequently! As for snacks, it depends on if I’m the driver or passenger — as the driver, I usually eat a Larabar or something like that that’s easy to eat with one hand while driving, whereas there are more options when I’m a passenger, but I usually try to pick snacks that are less messy in case I spill!
The funny thing is, Water with electrolytes would make me need the bathroom as well! If I’m drinking anything at all, I’ll need to stop. That’s okay though- if I sit longer than a couple hours I get really stiff. And, I guess I’m kind of a “car slob.” I’ve eaten all kinds of super messy things in the car (like, a sub sandwich) and I just clean it all up later.
I’ll have to check out that podcast.
I usually drink cans of store brand sparkling water on road trips — after my one Starbucks coffee.
Glad your $2.89 hack worked! Your dedication to doing what your body needs to feel good is inspiring!
The podcast is really fun, and I’ve gotten lots of great book ideas.
It’s funny how you think something will be so hard- like “I can’t do a road trip without a Coke Zero!” but then- it turns out that yes you can, and it’s not bad at all.
I’m glad you found a road trip drink hack! *But, Jenny! Three dollars sounds expensive for a cup of ice. Like the Starbucks barista from a couple of weeks back I’m sure they would have given it to you for free if you’d asked. I’d have asked, because I’m cheap like that :)!
You’re such a cool mom–you run marathons, you run ultras! Kids sometimes need reminders that this is our first time on earth and we’re figuring out things as we go too… I’m glad you liked the Liu–you’ll have lots to talk about on your road trip with Paul.
Ha, that’s funny because I thought the cup of ice was pretty cheap! I would have balked at paying if it were, say, more than $5. But I guess I should have asked- I didn’t even think of it, I guess because I hate to draw to much attention to myself and look weird.
Oh teen daughters. But hey, you were free to listen to a podcast without worrying about annoying her so that’s the silver lining, I guess.
We have not done many road trips as our kids are not great in the car overall. So most road trips are the 3 hour drive to my parents lake home. We try to not have them eat in the car so that means I do not eat in the car either. But we did let them have club crackers and granola bars on our last trip. My favorite unhealthy snack is Cheetos! My favorite healthyish snack is popcorn. I have to be careful about how much I drink so I don’t need the restroom more than once at most! I like a Coke Zero or oftentimes Phil and I will split a coke. Pre-kids if I needed a meal, I would go to jimmy John’s for an unwich which is a sandwich lettuce wrap. With kids if we stop to eat, it’s Chick Fil A.
My tastes don’t really align with either Meredith or Kaytee oddly yet I still listen as I love their banter!!! If I had to choose I would say Kaytee is a better match.
Oh, road trips with little kids are a whole different adventure. I would say eating in the car is a good way to paa the time- but then of course you have a huge mess to clean up at the end.
Honestly, I probably only like 1/5 (roughly) of the books Meredith recommends, and almost none of Kaytees. Kaytee really veers towards romance, and they both like a lot of fantasy. But somehow it’s still fun to hear them talk about their books!
Your description of your daughter’s attitude made me laugh out loud. My kids are all adults but boy do I remember what A-holes they could be. I love how candid you are about it. I always pack our snacks for road trips- muffins, fruit, protein balls etc. I am not against junk food but find that if I’m sitting for hours that stuff doesn’t sit well.
Well, I guess I was having a few too many junk food “treats”- when I was writing how I love sub sandwiches, fritos, and Coke Zero I thought “Huh, I wonder why my digestion is messed up???” And about my daughter- I think most teens go through phases like this (or, all?) My daughter seems a little on the extreme end, but then I have to remind myself that people deal with much more serious problems than simple rudeness- so I consider myself lucky.
I will usually pack a hot cross bun and a wrap with or without a falafel inside it if I’m going on a trip as I can’t guarantee I can find something I can eat. The only trip I didn’t pack a snack for was my friend Claire’s wedding as she’s another pack-a-snack-in-case person so I knew we’d be fed well!
Alright, Im starting to regret I asked that question- everyone’s answers are making me hungry for things I can’t have right now!!!
I do not listen to that podcast (or any others, except a rosary one). It is fun to find someone who aligns with your same reading preferences. Ugh, your daughter shaming you for having a cold. Teenagers. My kids don’t usually bother to use an excuse when I drive somewhere with them, they plug in their ear buds and tune me out. With the exception of Mini. I’m glad you got to listen to your podcast at least. That’s a lot of driving to do in one day. Hooray for time at the Barnes and Noble. If I bring snacks, I struggle to wait to eat them. I know they’re there and I cannot hold off before digging in. Usually for me it’s trail mix and a few other gf munchies, and then my salad and my Greek cherry yogurt in my cooler.
Honestly, I’d rather have them put in their ear buds and tune me out, than struggle to make conversation with someone who doesn’t really want to! Plus, I do love my podcasts. And now I’m craving trail mix, lol.
Starbucks cold brew, dried mango slices…. but I don’t go on roads anymore since I work from home . Do train trips to NYC count?
I listen to Another Mother Runner and they have book recommendations on their podcast. They will be starting a new podcast called Miles of Books – here’s the latest – https://anothermotherrunner.com/best-of-miles-of-books-thus-far/
Miles of Books!!!! I’ll check it out! I would say train trips are in a slightly different category than car trips, but it still sounds fun. i haven’t taken a train trip in a very long time.
road trip is fun with new snacks for sure, especially with kids. I feel terrible after eating them but at the moment, snacks break are the perfect milestones for a road trip.
Yes, that’s the problem I usually have with snacks- they’re fun and help break up the trip. I don’t always feel great afterwards.
My favorite road trip guilty pleasure snack would be peanut butter pretzels.
^ Oops, hit “post comment” too soon! ^
Sounds like you enjoyed the trip, and I hope your daughter had a nice meeting with the flute teacher. How did she like the university overall?
Ooh, I don’t know if I’m a Meredith or Kaytee! I looked up my Goodreads stats since I always tag a book with “meredith-rec” or “kaytee-rec” if I add a book to my TBR based on their recommendation. It looks like Kaytee comes out ahead – average rating of 4.1 vs Meredith’s 3.7. I’ve also only abandoned 1 Kaytee rec so far while I’ve abandoned THREE of Meredith’s, lol.
I’m sad I didn’t get to see you while you were in Tampa, but I understand I GUESSSSS. 😉
My road trip indulgence would be a Pepsi (or Coke) and sour cream & cheddar chips (preferable kettle-style). I could easily add some almond bark pretzels to the mix as well. Obviously, my road trip “food” isn’t in the health food genre, LOL.
Lol I have terrible airways and I get a horrible post-viral hacking cough a couple of times a year. I remember thinking people must feel really bad for me, until I heard someone else with a bad cough and was grossed-out AND annoyed. I consider four hours the limit for if I can do a one-day round trip, so glad that worked out for you. The reading theme also sounds very agreeable. I love the idea of road trip snacks, but I hate eating in the car and not being able to wash my hands after. Currently Eve and I like goldfish crackers and the Chips Ahoy bagged tiny rainbow chip cookies.
Oooh, I love road trips! We usually leave super early in the morning, so my treat is a cold brew from Starbucks with bacon gruyere egg bites. We also have a Buccee’s by us and they are great for road trip snacks – you can get fruit cups, edible cookie dough, cups of cubed cheese and turkey or salami (not vegan, but a nice option), or one of their sandwiches.
I’ve had some post nasal drip from my allergies and it’s giving me this awful throat cleaning thing. i imagine the whole house is freaking sick of me at this point.