by Emily Moore | Editor in Chief- Opinion

Driving down back roads, radio softly humming out Willie Nelson’s Greatest Hits, rain splattering and running down the windshield, and all the great little towns of Texas at your fingertips.

Road trips. The long lost American tradition.

In my opinion, road trips are right up there with camping, the Steelers winning the Superbowl, and freedom of speech. There is nothing like them, and they cannot be replaced. Yet, for some reason, they’re slowly declining in popularity. I blame gas prices, and a general lack of knowledge of how to make them spectacular. While I personally have no control of oil wells in middle eastern countries, I do have enough road trip experience to go around. Pack up your Yoohoo’s and favorite cds, and hit the road with these fool-proof road trip guidelines.

The fascinating thing about road trips is that getting lost is a blessing. Stumbling your way around some back woods little town typically ends up transforming into the greatest of adventures. There is always something new to explore, and something new to try. Whether it’s the always hot caramel pecans from the country store in Schulenberg to the store that sells ostrich jerky on main street in the Hill Country; if it’s new, it’s good.

The destination is not important. That is key. People will fuss for months over where they hope to end up, without realizing that the drive there is the main concern. You could end up where you started and it wouldn’t matter, just as long as the journey there is different than one you’ve taken before.

Games are for everyone- but keep your eyes on the road. Let’s face it, no matter how awesome your company is, or how beautiful the scenery is- being in a car for too long leads to boredom. Yet, of course, there are ways to fix this. License plate bingo, I spy, packing a suitcase, and other popular road trip games are a sure fire way to pass the miles.

Where you sit matters. Senior road trippers are fully aware of the positions that follow seat choice. Driver means DJ, ‘sitting shotgun’ makes you the navigator, and the back seat is responsible for finding the necessities- food, coffee, hotels, and the closest retailer of zombie apocalypse equipment.

Plus, if you’re feeling adventurous, there are a few off-the-wall rules:

It is okay to draw on the person that falls asleep first. 

Stars make the best ceiling. 

The slug-bug game never ends. 

Coffee is better than sleep.

The windows should always be down. 

Chinese fire drills at every red light.