Peter Greenberg: Road Trip Activities

Q: Greetings, Peter. Aside from tons of music and audio books, can you offer any tips on keeping boredom at bay when traveling alone via car for nine hours? (P.S. Are we there yet?)

–Steve, Marietta, Ga.

A: Gee, that's a tough one. Aside from catching up on your phone calls and phone-based errands (which you'd do with a hands-free phone device, of course), there are not a whole lot of other options. Your focus really should be on the road for safety reasons.

Having said that, are you an aspiring singer, writer, or journal keeper? If so, why not take time during your drive to hone in on your talents or record your personal observations from your trip? Bring a small digital-recording device and get to work on hitting those high notes or spilling new ideas for your next novel. Don't worry about curious onlookers; no one really knows who you are, right?

And finally, my most important tip: Instead of a nine-hour trip, why not make it a 15-hour trip, and make it a rule that you won't travel on ANY interstate highways. (See the book, "Blue Highways," by William Least Heat-Moon, for inspiration.) You'd not only get to stop along the way, but you'd also have a chance to discover your own country en route!