Road Trip Survival Guide

I'm back in the land of 100% humidity and Chick-Fil-A. But our trip home got me thinking about what makes a road trip a successful one.

Expert is a strong word, but I would definitely say my mom and I are master road trippers. Not to mention, master packers. The car is not my favorite place to be, but driving is usually SO much cheaper than flying. And if you want a car when you reach your destination, it's definitely cheaper than renting a car. We usually wind up taking home a lot of odd shaped or breakable or large items that aren't allowed on a plane, so we like to drive. Nothing beats the convenience of flying, but sometimes it's just not an option.

So here are some must haves to conquer your road trip:

• A Plan
• Map out your route and see how long it will take you, and try to factor in gas stops, rest area breaks, and eating. Then decide if you think it will take more than one day. Look at the halfway point, or farther if you think you can make it, and look at the cities near it. Check out what each city has: gas stations, hotels, restaurants - and decide which best suits you. You don't have to make a reservation in advance, I wouldn't, because you may not actually stop there, but it's good to have an idea of what's around if you do decide to stop there.
• Also decide on a time to leave. How long will you drive? How long will it take you to get to your destination? What time will you arrive at your destination? What time would you like to arrive at your destination? All things to consider.
• If you will be going through any major cities, we went through Chattanooga, Nashville, and kind of around Madison, try your absolute hardest to time it so that you won't be going through them during rush hours! Try to avoid them from about 7AM-10AM and 4PM-7PM if at all possible. I know that's a significant chunk of time, but it will save you such a headache!
• If you want to do some sightseeing or stop somewhere in particular, just set a time budget and try to stick to it. I've personally never really done this... I have tunnel vision and just want to get from point A to point B as fast/soon as possible. But if you're into stopping and smelling the roses, more power to ya. Just make sure you add it into your total time.
• Our trip:
• Clear Lake, WI to Woodstock, GA: 1090 miles, 15 hrs 51 minutes
• Day 1: Clear Lake, WI to Mount Vernon, IL: 627, 9 hrs 14 minutes
• Day 2: Mount Vernon, IL to Woodstock, GA: 468 miles, 6 hrs 51 minutes
• It doesn't add up but whatever. That's what we did.
• Caffeine
• I've been trying super hard not to drink soda... And that crashed and burned on this trip home! I almost never go to McDonald's... I just don't like it that much. But it was close to our hotel, so eh. It took forever for them to take our order at the drive-thru, so that just gave me too much time to change my mind and go for a Dr. Pepper. Oopes. Then I got another one the next day because I wanted a cup or ice and I would've felt like a douche just asking for a cup of ice... And let's just face it, I'm weak! So Dr. Pepper and Blueberry Acai Starbucks Refreshers kept me going on this trip.
• Cell Phone, duh
• Cell Phone Charger
• Smart phones. Smart. Fun. And they tend to die fast.
• GPS
• Because no one likes getting lost.
• Cooler
• To keep your caffeinated beverages cold. And always bring some water, too. And chocolate is never a bad idea either.
• SNACKS!
• It can get super expensive, and potentially time-wasting, to always go into the gas station when you fill up to buy more snacks. So have a basket or bag or something with some snacks you bought beforehand already in the car. You never know when you'll get hungry!
• Sunglass, kind of another duh
• Advil
• Sitting in the car, not moving for long periods of time can get painful sometimes. My neck always hurts, and sometimes my head starts to hurt from my sunglasses or something. So always have some pain relievers on hand because you'll need it!
• Grocery Bags
• You're going to have trash, so bring plenty for that and just in case situations!
• Bonus: if you can find a spot for an ice cream bucket, squish that in. Gross, but you never know when someone will get sick. First hand experience with this!
• Pillows & Blankets
• Sometimes one person is cold and the other is hot. Bring a blanket to stay comfortable. And pillows in case you get the chance to take a little snooze!
• Music
• Either make mix CDs (I still do it for everyday travel!) or have an iPod with a way to connect it if you are going for a trip. My car is too old to have an AUX plug and too new to have a tape deck... So I make a lot of CDs. But for a road trip, I would hate constantly changing CDs all the time, so I used this FM transmitter. And it worked great! I had one when I was in high school, and it was terrible. But I did a little research and decided to give this one a try. I paid $28 for it on Amazon, so it wasn't too expensive, but not so cheap that it would be a piece of garbage - always looking for that sweet spot. All I had to do was plug it into my iPod and cigarette lighter, found a radio station with a lot of static, and pressed play. Sure, you have to change the station every now and then, and it didn't work very well in Chattanooga because of the mountains, but overall, A+.
• Make a playlist. A LONG one. Mine is about 1000 songs and I hit shuffle. If you want to be changing the song all the time, go ahead, but I prefer to just let 'er rip. It's also kind of fun to see how many songs it takes to get to your destination!
• I also learned, things that are "CNET Approved," are usually pretty good products.
• But have an iPod, CDs, or some kind of player other than your phone. You'll need to use your phone for other things, so I don't like to use my phone for music.
• Extra Pair of Shoes
• Especially if you are wearing flip flops or sandals of some kind. They could easily break, so make sure you have a spare pair that are easy to get to.
• Paper Towels/Tissues/Wipes
• Things get messy. People sneeze. Things spill. Just bring them.
• Cash
• Tolls kind of sneak up on you sometimes. Make sure you have coins or small bills to pay them if you hit some. And also keep an extra $20, $40, or $50 somewhere in your car. Never keep ALL your money in the same place. I try to keep some in a few different places just in case I lose my purse or something.
• Physical Map/Atlas
• I can't really harp of this one since I don't have one... But it's never a bad idea in case your phone or GPS decides to quit for some reason.
• Activity
• I personally don't need or want to stop a lot. So extra rest area stops don't happen too often, but a lot of people need to stretch their legs more often than I do. So stop if you need to. Walk around a store or rest area for a few minutes, then get back to it!
• Emergency Kit
• Just have one. We found a space for it, and there was not extra space for an ant in that car. My dad gave me mine, and I'll be honest with you, I don't even know what's in it. I think jumper cables, those triangle things you put out if you have to pull over on the side of the highway... No idea. I should probably look in there at some point, but make sure to have one!
• First Aid Kit
• You just never know...
• Patience!
• Road construction happens. If you're traveling in the summer, it happens a lot. Expect delays, weird weather, accidents, whatever. Expect the worst, hope for the best.

Pro Packing Tips:

1. Use small, squishable bags (unless something is breakable) if you can. It's a lot easier to find spaces for a lot of little bags than a few big ones. If you do have big suitcases or other items, put them in first and pack around them. And if you're like me, you're going to have extra things in the morning: purse, overnight bag, toiletry bag, an extra cup or two, pillows and blankets. Try to leave a space for these things if you are packing the night before!
2. Don't be afraid to take things out of bags and stuff them wherever they fit.
3. Use every nook an cranny. Literally every one. Don't forget about the side pockets on your car doors if you have them. Look through your glove compartment and console to see if you have any extra room in those. The triangular space between the suitcase and the back wall of the trunk is a great place for stuffing shoes! If you drive a small car, put flat or somewhat flat things up in the back window. We put the first aid kit, a box of tissues, a pan, and a picture in a frame up there in my car!
4. It's like a puzzle. Get everything you want to fit in the car and lay it out in your garage. Just pack it in and fit things in wherever you can. Keep in mind how much room you need to shut trunks and doors and how high you can pile things to still see out of the back and side windows, and if you need something within easy reach, put it in a special pile so you don't forget!

So there it is! That's how we do it. Hope it helps a little on your next trip!

XOXO, Ness

My First Video

So, thanks to my little actress, I was able to make my first video!

This one was a lot more fun to shoot that the Clear Lake project I've been working on. Not sure why. Maybe working with people is more exciting. Ella certainly kept me entertained. But she did everything I asked and listened to everything I said. So she was the perfect little model!

What I've discovered is that I definitely like editing video more than I like filming it. It's hard for me to get what I see in my head to play out the way I want it to. It doesn't always translate. Maybe when I get better, I'll like it more. Who knows? I think I have good ideas and I can picture them clearly in my head. They're just hard to execute once I get the camera in hand.

Some of the shots were a lot blurrier than I'd like, but I couldn't see out in the sun! And I didn't want to make Ella go back out for a redo since she was watching her toons so quietly! Haha.

So now I'm trying to think of some other fun little projects that I can do in my spare time. I'm open to suggestions!

But here's the video of Ella! Enjoy!

        

Ella from Vanessa Rutters on Vimeo.

Look at this little ham. *crying laughing emoji*

I am now an expert in the art of sparkler photography, in case anyone would like to do some. Hah. But seriously, if you do, hit me up! 

Ella was convinced I couldn't write her name, so I did it.

Then we had a little visitor at the farm the next day!

'Sploring! 

XOXO, Ness

Not So Smooth Travels

I’ve journeyed up north so many times in my lifetime that I wouldn't even be able to try to count, and just about every time, things have gone relatively smoothly. Sans one year on the trip home when I was about 10 that the alternator blew out in my mom’s Safari. But I was 10 – I really didn't care. Okay, I cared. But I didn’t have to deal with it.

But this time, I can say with certainty, it was the trip from Hell.

My mom and I left our house (three minutes early!) at about 5 AM. My mom said she got about one and a half hours of sleep, and I didn’t get a wink. I laid in bed with my eyes wide open from midnight to 3 AM. I finally decided to get up early because sleep was not in the cards.

So we both started out exhausted already. My mom always takes first shift driving. Morning’s not really my bag.

We were both pretty awake for the first couple hours, and I caught a 15 minute catnap right after Chattanooga. Then disaster struck (it’s possible I’m being a little dramatic).

Oil life: 4%.

Now, I know exactly nothing about cars, but I know that’s not good.

And I was confused because I was 1,300 miles away from the mileage and one month from when I was supposed to get my oil changed next… So what the frack?!

I know you can go over your mileage or whatever, but honestly, we were 3 hours into an 18 hour trip, so my mom and I were not in the gambling mood.

We were coming up on Murfreesboro, TN, so we decided that we’d try to find a place to get the oil changed. *huge sigh*

I looked it up on my phone, and since it was so early AND we had just crossed into central time, I could only find one freaking place that was open at 7 AM!

I mean, really, though? Who is open at 7 AM on a Saturday? I think we were lucky to find this place. But then actually finding it was another thing. Yikes. Both my mom and I are both exceptionally directionally challenged even with GPS, so it took us a couple tries to get there.

But we did, and they told us it would be an hour wait… So we waited. I swear time was standing still. One cool thing about the place we stopped though, you could actually watch the mechanics work on the cars. There was a big glass wall between the waiting area and the work stations (?). I thought it was pretty cool. Every other place I’ve ever been they take your car somewhere else while you sit in the waiting room reading an old magazine wondering if they’re trying to pull any funny business on you.

I’ve never given it much thought before, but it was kind of comforting that I could pretty much see what everyone was doing.

So two hours later, we were back on the road. Now exhausted AND perturbed.

It definitely could have gone worse… Definitely. But as far as all the travel experiences I’ve had, this one was the worst. If I had been fully rested, I think it would have been fine… But I was not.

And since both my mom and I almost fell asleep at the wheel, we have decided that on the way home and for any future road trips, we will be springing for a hotel. Because neither of us care to ever do that again.

Anyways. We made it. Now with 4,000 more miles to run on my oil. So thanks, Quick Lane of Murfreesboro. Without you, we still probably would have made it, but I might have an ulcer right now because I would have worried about it the whole way.

We've been in Clear Lake for a week and a half now, and it's the same as ever!

XOXO Ness

Infamous water tower!

This girl!

Love this. Wish I could remember what she was doing! 

I'm sure she's telling me something very important ;) 

The view from the farm. One of my favorites. 

 Farm sunset

Clear Lake

I Got A Camera!

So as a little graduation gift to myself, and kinda from my grandparents, I bought myself my first DSLR camera. And no, I'm still not sure what DSLR means. It stands for Digital Single-Lens Reflex, but I have little or no idea what it is.

I was so excited when the FedEx guy dropped it off! Then I opened the box and was thoroughly confused. I have a lot to learn, that's for sure.

But I actually did a lot of research before I purchased it. And in case you care, this was what I found out:

• If you want a camera solely for photography, Nikon is the way to go
• If you want a camera solely for video, Sony is the best choice
• But if you want to take photos and video, Canon is the best of both worlds

So, I knew I wanted a Canon. But that was only half the battle. Once I chose the brand, there were SO many camera bodies to choose from. I mean, they have cameras that are 5, 6, $7,000. Wut. And don't even get me started on lenses. There are some lenses that are 5 times as expensive as my entire kit! I even saw one for $13,000. I can't even comprehend that!

Actually, price was kind of the reason I decided to go ahead and get it now. Regularly, the camera I chose was $750, and it was on sale for $450 until the end of May... So I went for it.

This was the biggest purchase I've made since I bought my computer 5 years ago... It made me a little nauseas actually. If I spend over $100 (or $50. The college kid in me. Ha!), it always makes me cringe a little!

I wound up getting the EOS Rebel T5 18-55 IS II Kit. I don't think it was the cheapest option, but damn close. There was another kit with only one lens, but I chose to get one that included two lenses.

Here it is! I love it!

There was another camera I was looking at because it has a touchscreen and the screen flips out, Rebel T5i, but that one was $200 more... A part of me wishes I would have gone for it, but a bigger part of me, and my bank account, thinks it was a good idea to get the the T5. But it's a good starter camera either way.

So now I'm trying to figure out how to use the thing. And I'm also bookmarking accessories and software that I need to save up for! 

• ONA camera bag. This one.
• I got a cheaper bag on Amazon, but this one looks smaller and easier to handle
• Bloom Theory camera strap. I love the scarf ones! They just look so comfortable. They also have some really cute ones on Etsy, and those are much cheaper, so maybe I will get one of those! Can't decide what I like more: scarf ones or the ones that have lens holders.... hmmmm....
• Lighting gear
• Final Cut Pro X
• Adobe Lightroom
• InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop
• InDesign and Illustrator don't really have much to do with photography or videography, but I still want to know how to use them!
• Glidecam
• This will wait a loooong time. It looks like it works really well and just super cool in general. But when I actually start trying to make videos, I think it will be worth it to stabilize shots. I've taken enough video to know how awful moving the camera and shaking looks. It honestly makes everything look so much nicer! Until then I'll just have to work with my tripod and monopod.

But in the meantime, the stuff I have now will be just fine. This is the camera bag I got. Not what I wanted, but so much cheaper!

Now I just need to find some people willing to let me practice on them! Connor wasn't so into it... But I still got a couple decent ones of him! Maybe Ella and Alex will be little hams for me this summer! I'd love to practice my video skills on them! Video just seems so much easier and natural to me, but I would also really like to figure out the photography end of it, too.

Eiffel Tower actually from Paris! Thanks, Bonnie!

I need to find something cool to reflect in these!

Tell me this cloud doesn't look like a T-Rex!

Editing can be kinda cool sometimes... 

I'll keep working on it!

XOXO Ness