The journey starts today. That means my first road trip is about to be underway. After a few stops, I will be in Orlando by Tuesday. Those all rhymed and it was entirely on purpose. Expect it to happen often. This was sarcasm….expect it early and often if you follow along with my travels. I will have numerous road trips ahead of me, so I decided to come up with some “Rules of the Road” to guide my travels.

My 12 Rules of the Roadroad-rules

  1. What can Brown do for Me. Straight from the DMV: “Brown traffic signs reference local recreation areas or scenic points of interest.” Scenic points of interest are certainly things I want to visit on my journey…at least one visit on each segment.
  2. Ask and Eat. I will ask the first local their favorite place to eat in the city/town and eat there. Simple….hopefully.
  3. Phone a Friend. At least once on each trip.
  4. The Impact of 12 Over. This may be the one impact of 12 I will elect not to explore on my journey.
  5. No Fast Food. It’s about the journey right? I will be in no hurry. I have to make a few exceptions here though. Obviously if the local recommends it that overrides it. If the local says their McDonald’s has the best fries in the country…I can’t contradict them until I’ve tried those fries. This is also simply for driving time. Once I am in the city all bets are off.
  6. Read. If you read a book without ever actually reading…did you really read the book? On each segment I will “read” at least one chapter in an audio book.
  7. 12 Miles. Share with someone the story in hopes of raising more money for the charity I am supporting at that time. If you haven’t heard the 12 miles story….go here (after you read the last 5 obviously)!
  8. An Apple a Road trip… The saying goes something like that. One piece of fruit on each segment.fiber-apple1
  9. Map Ahead. At least take a look at my road trip book to see what points of interest they recommend beforehand…in case picking a random brown sign isn’t hitting all the highpoints.
  10. Rock Away. If there is a sign for the world’s largest rocking chair or largest anything, you can bet I’m stopping.
  11. Windows Down. If you don’t breathe in some of the air from a state, can you really say you were there?
  12. Open Road. You don’t expect me to have all 12 rules before I even start the journey? Once I hit the open road, I will add a rule for each segment. All suggestions welcome.

Although the rules seem hard and fast, the real goal is to enjoy the journey just as much as the destination. Each segment of my trip across America should be just as enjoyable as the city I land in for a month.

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