Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-25 in Wyoming

English: Grand Tetons Barns The John Moulton Barn on Mormon Row at the base of the Tetons. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Buffalo, Wyoming, Interstate 25 branches off Interstate 90 and begins its journey south. In Casper, the highway takes a turn east and goes through the cities of Douglas and Wheatland.   I-25 intersects I-80 in Cheyenne before it leaves the state. Attractions such as the Teapot Dome, Hole-in-the-Wall and the Cloud Peak Wilderness Area are near I-25. To the northeast of this highway is the Devil's Tower National Monument and to the west are Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park and the Rocky Mountains.

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single drivers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for your choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure you give the exit number or a description of the location. For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotels and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.

Preparation: Water and Pipes

Some people in our neighborhood went on a one week vacation. The day after they left, their water pipe burst. Someone noticed water coming out from under their front door. In the last few months, this has happened to two other neighbors. Whenever I leave my house for a few months or a few days, I turn off my water at the main.

When I am ready to leave my house, the last thing I deal with is the water. I turn off the water at the main where it comes into the house. Then I flush each toilet and open each faucet. In addition to turning off the water, I turn down the water heater to vacation mode. If I am leaving in the winter, I put a small amount of RV antifreeze in each toilet and sink drain. I do not put it in the garbage disposal!! If the power goes off while the house is unattended, the pipes will not freeze and break.

(Photo taken in 2012)

Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-24

Map of Interstate 24 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interstate 24 travels over four states, but its journey is not a long one. I-24 runs from I-57 to I-75 through the states of Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. This highway connects the cities of Paducah, Clarksville and Chattanooga. Attractions along the way include the Shawnee National Forest, the Kentucky Dam, the Barkley Dam, the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area and Lookout Mountain.

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single travelers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for your choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure you give the exit number or a description of the location.  For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotels and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.

Handy things to take: Phone Calling cards

Even though I have a cell phone, I carry phone calling cards (telephone cards) in case something happens to the cell phone. I have never had to use them. To be honest, I have not seen a pay phone in ages! Cell phone coverage can be spotty or nonexistent in some areas of the country. Sometimes I have had a hard time maintaining a call in a populated area without the call dropping! In the desert getting a signal can be impossible. Having calling cards as a backup to call for help is a good idea.

Calling cards are practical items on the road, but are also useful at home. I do not have a landline in my home. If a cell phone outage would occur, I could go to my neighbor's house to use their landline and make long distance calls with the calling card.

These cards are small items that can be easily lost in your luggage. I keep mine in the same bag as my valuables. That way I can quickly find them in case of emergency.

(Photo taken in 2012)

Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-20 in Texas

Downtown Dallas in the background with the Trinity River in the foreground. Taken from the N Hampton Rd bridge. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interstate 20 ends its journey in Texas. I-20 covers 636 miles in this state. Cities along the route include Marshall, Dallas, Fort Worth, Abilene, Midland, Odessa, Monahans and Pecos. The following interstates cross the Dallas-Fort Worth area: 20, 30, 35E, 35W, 45, 635 and 820. One attraction worth a visit is the Fort Worth Zoo which is home to over 5000 animals and has been ranked as a top ten zoo. In addition to numerous attractions, many sporting events are also available in this area.

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single travelers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for your choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure you give the exit number or a description of the location. For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotel and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.

Preparation: Rolling clothes

One thing I have a tendency to do is overpack clothes. I want to make sure I am prepared for any situation and I do not want to do laundry all the time, so I pack a lot of outfits. The problem with being so prepared is finding room in the suitcases for all those items.

I had always heard that rolling clothes was an efficient way to pack them. I was skeptical, but I tried it. I was amazed how well it worked. First, I counted the number of tops I was taking with me and divided that number by three. The next thing I did was make three piles of fairly equal height. In two piles were tops I knew I would not wear for some time. The third pile, which contained the tops I might wear if my trip took longer than I anticipated, was placed on one side of the suitcase. This placement enabled me to easily remove those clothes from the suitcase if necessary.

I rolled each pile of clothes and secured each roll in a mesh laundry bag which helped keep the clothes in place. I thought the mesh bags could be used for dirty clothes later!!  My largest suitcase held all three rolls of tops, so my experiment was a success.  Rolling also works for jeans, slacks, dresses and other items of clothing.

(Photo taken in 2012)

Your Favorite Interstate Exits: I-20 in Louisiana

English: Texas Street Bridge connecting Shreveport with Bossier City (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Interstate 20 cuts across the northern section of Louisiana for 189 miles. Cities along the I-20 route include Monroe, Minden and Shreveport. If you enjoy gambling, dining and entertainment, visit the Shreveport Riverfront district. Several casinos are in the Shreveport-Bossier City area in addition to the Harrah's Louisiana Downs. The I-20 area is also rich in Civil War historical sites.

Please share with other drivers your experiences as to which exits are best for single travelers or anyone for that matter. Reasons for your choice may include the safety of the surrounding area, the availability of good hotels and restaurants or proximity to the interstate. Please make sure you give the exit number or a description of the location. For example, when I discuss I-40, I would recommend Exit 145 in Oklahoma City. Many hotels and restaurants were located at this exit and I felt safe in the area. This exit was very convenient for easily continuing west without the hassle of dealing with early morning rush hour traffic.

Handy things to take: Compression socks

I used to wear sandals while making long drives, but I had a problem with my ankles swelling. When I arrived at my destination, I could hardly walk! I corrected this problem by making several changes. First, I made sure I stopped more often and walked around for a while. I tried to stop for gas when the gas tank was at half full. That was a long time for a Civic!! Second, I stopped wearing sandals and started wearing tennis shoes or boots for driving depending on the weather. The third thing I did was wear over-the-calf compression socks for my trips. These socks, which came up to just below the knee, were very comfortable and I made sure I had several pairs for the trip. The type of sock I purchased was the kind that looks like a regular sock. These compression socks are not the type that look like hose.

The final change I made was to adjust the driver's seat back from the steering wheel. When I hit my knee on it one day, I realized that I had been sitting too close. The combination of all these steps solved my problem and I no longer have swollen ankles during my drives.

(Photo taken in 2012)