A quick and painless 2,250 kilometer road trip begins with good preparation. In Part  1 I mentioned that begins by getting your body ready physically and driving according to your circadian rhythms. A long road trip will wear on you without warning so you’ll need to set a few mental and physical “alarm clocks” to keep yourself alert. Your biggest obstacle is fatigue which you can put off but not fight completely. You’re well rested so now it’s time to hit the road and keep going.

Give Yourself Mental Challenges

Much of a long drive is staring at open road for long stretches of time. It’s boring and can dull your senses. Mix things up from time to time with these little exercises.

• Change lanes every so often. Such a menial task may seem pointless but will get your mind off of autopilot for a moment. It’s also a good way to check how tired you are. If that lane change is more difficult than it should be (like taking forever to get the car over or within the new lane) it’s evidence you need a break, no matter where you are in the driving segment.

• Use your bladder. Mark H left an excellent tip in the comments yesterday about using your bladder to keep yourself alert. I mentioned yesterday that you should limit yourself to 8 oz. of liquid during the first 100 miles of a trip segment, but as the drive wears on increasing your water intake can help you stay awake. You’ll be taking a few more bathroom breaks as you get closer to your destination but you’ll probably need it as you go on.

• Don’t stare at the lines on the road. Staring at the lane dividers and solid lines along the roadside has the same effect on your mind as hypnosis. It’s dangerous and can make take you out of consciously being aware of your surroundings. Read license plates or try to remember the name of your high school math teachers to jolt your mind into action.

• Avoid cruise control. A great feature of most modern cars, cruise control is something you want to avoid on long solid stretches of road when you’re reaching for mental challenges. Force your mind to take conscious action.

Your efficient brain will check itself out of consciousness and start daydreaming. If you find yourself falling into this state, pull over for 5-15 minutes and take advantage of daydreaming to make use of this creative peak (write down your ideas!) or take a 20 minute nap to improve your response time. Keeping the temperature low will also make you less drowsy and more alert.

Be Silly

As UpTake suggests, sing loudly if you’re driving alone or shout for a moment or two. You can also make the drive a more interesting part of your travels and keep your mind occupied by taking Randomn3ss’ advice and looking for photo opportunities to drive 1,000 miles or more in a day.

Talk A Lot

If you’re lucky enough to be traveling with a partner, talk their ears off or get on your mobile if the laws and conditions allow for it. Have your partner or good friend on the phone jot down some travel blog ideas or things you’d like to do at your destination. You’ve got plenty of time on your hands and a long drive is a good time to let the ideas roll.

Check Your Ego At The Door

I used to fight fatigue and sleep mercilessly driving through the night to get to my next destination in as little time as possible. While I was racing against the clock, it was really my ego that was driving me. Ultimately your body is always in control and it’s better to pull over and sleep rather than risk an accident. Sleepy drivers cause more than 2 million accidents in the US alone each year and driving sleepy may be as bad as driving drunk.

The best way to drive 2,250 kilometers in a day is not getting hurt or killed along the way. Enjoy the ride and rest as needed so you get to your destination in one piece and feeling refreshed.

[photos by: greetheory., powerbooktrance, PhotoDu.de, AJamison, themaxsons, zoomar]

Driving 2,250 kilometers (approximately 1,400 miles) in a day or a night is a straightforward task but doing so without completely feeling wiped out the entire trip requires preparation and taking advantage of your circadian rhythms. 2,250km is about the distance you’ll be driving from Washington DC to Miami or from London to Istanbul. It’s tolling on the body and mind so make it easy on yourself.

Dress Appropriately

Wear loose clothing so your skin and muscles don’t get irritated and to prevent the restriction of blood flow. Same as when you’re flying, traveling for more than 4 hours at a time increases your risk of blood clots (for up to 4 weeks). Make it easier on your body by giving it as much room to breathe as possible. Wear loose socks as well since the blood supply to and from the legs is affected most.

Caffeine, Snacks, and More Caffeine

Ideally you want to drive in segments of about 500km (~300 miles) depending on how fast you’re driving. (Here’s how to avoid a speeding ticket just in case.) Pick your driving segments according to your bladder and ability to concentrate and stick with it. Limit yourself to 8 oz. of caffeinated beverage for the first 100 mile segment so you’re not pulling over early to go to the bathroom.

Also, you’ll be better able to drive further if your car is stocked with high fiber snacks (apricots, almonds, etc.) which will fill you up without insulin fatiguing you after you eat.

Set The Trip Counter To Zero

Head over to a gas station, fill your tank full and reset the trip counter. While you should listen to your body (as you fatigue or get bored) you’ll find it easier to have a 500km segment goal to make a long trip seem shorter. It’s all about getting into the flow of each segment and not stopping in the middle of any of them. Make each stop a gas, bathroom, stretch, and go. You can cover a lot of ground this way, especially towards the end when you’re concentration is starting to fade.

Use Your Body Clock

The best time to drive is when there’s nobody else on the road which is generally in the middle of the night, conflicting with your normal human circadian rhythms. You want to free yourself from the mental wear of having to stop, go, and deal with other drivers (who don’t drive as well as you, of course).

If you’re normally a morning person, active and alert during the day shift your body clock with peanuts to get up a few hours earlier when the roads are clear. Night owls can do the same, except by leaving after the night rush, if there is one.

Now For The Actual Driving

Preparation is easy and breaking your trip down into manageable segments isn’t too difficult either…at first. Hours on the road will begin to take their toll, your eyes will get hazy, and you’ll want to stop more and more frequently. Tomorrow I’ll give you my tricks from the road to keep you alert and safe while at the same time being as lazy as possible.

[photos by: BottleLeaf, libraryman, !*S4N7Y*!]