Road tripping brings fun adventures on a budget

At the time of going to press crude oil currently trades on international commodity markets at $49.53 per barrel. While the price of crude oil has been even lower this year, $49.53 is not that bad considering four years ago, crude oil traded at over $100 per barrel. An oil glut on the market has ensured that these low prices have translated to savings at the pump for consumers like you and me. The big question is where have the savings been going. If you had trouble figuring out what to do with all that change in your pocket, I would suggest you do what I do. Go on a road trip.
Whenever I pass a gas station, if I see the price of oil has dipped below $2 per gallon, I know it is time to go on a road trip. $2 in Kansas City does not mean it is the same everywhere. Gas is way cheaper when you are in a small town out in the boonies. Apparently America has a little something called the interstate system. It extends all over the continental United States. President Eisenhower built the interstate system in the fifties based on the autobahn system in Germany. There is no better way or cheaper way to explore the US than on the road.
Think of the cheapest cheapskate you have ever met. Now imagine that cheapskate fancied himself something of a bargain hunter, a regular extreme couponing shopper. I doubt that guy would hold a candle to my thrifty ways. I believe the only way to get rich is by not spending any money. While I admit there were some traits of Ebenezer Scrooge I found unsavory, the guy is still a hero of mine. Now you have began to understand the depths of this miserly young traveler has stooped to on the road to save a buck.
I find that planning for a road trip sometimes can be a hindrance. I have gone on a road trip on a whim. I remember one day just clocking out of work and going on the long drive to Oklahoma instead of stopping by home to take a shower. There are a lot of rest areas for truckers with free showers. On the road truckers are your best friends. That is if you can make friends with them. Truckers always communicate via radio to keep each other informed of road conditions so it always helps to have a radio on hand. Some people find this useful, I don’t. Most road accidents happen in the middle of cities and big towns, and that’s where most pileups occurs. When exploring a city, I always stay off the highways, if you want to experience a city or town walk the streets and lose the GPS. If driving is a must, then take to the streets. You will be immersed in the culture. Also unless you are driving a hybrid, street driving burns a lot more fuel than highway driving.
What about room and board. I avoid motels like the plague. Your car is a room on four wheels. When it comes to food, MacDonald’s is my go to restaurant. Unless I am in a big city like New York with a great selection of street vendors serving high quality ethnic fare. For such an expensive city, food is the one thing in New York that I have found to be very cheap. I remember one time walking the streets and buying a one dollar slice of pizza.
So what delights has the road offered so far? Well, I have traveled to Arkansas and witnessed its natural beauty. So far I would say driving down hilly roads that winding through Arkansas forests was a sight to behold. I passed through Bentonville the headquarters for Walmart. It really is a Walmart town. I have been to the Little Rock High School where the Little Rock nine stood their ground. I have been to Dodge City, and managed to get the hell out. I have seen the devastating effect of terrorism at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum. I have toured three different universities: Benedictine College, the University of Missouri Law School, in Columbia, and Northwest State Missouri in Maryville.
When on the road it is best to be spontaneous, you leave yourself open to serendipitous discovery. It is only recently that I discovered that aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas which is only one hour from Parkville. The house she was born in still stands. I was driving there on a sort of pilgrimage to see the statue of a Kenyan hero, but ended up seeing a lot more in Atchinson.
The best road trips I find are those are taken alone. Solitude gives you the opportunity to explore as much as your heart desires while giving time for contemplation.