This post is sponsored by the Steel Market Development Institute. All opinions and work are my own.
Is there anything more American than listening to tunes with the windows down, driving across some long roads during the summer? (The answer is no, by the way.)
Summer road trips factor into many of my most precious memories, as they do for many military families. From PCSing, to driving to see a boot camp graduation, to a family vacation, road trips are how we see America and each other.
For me, road trips mean family and freedom. As a kid, we took a road trip once a summer to see states we had never seen before. We visited the big stuff—National Parks, big cities, theme parks—and little stuff—like roadside attractions and the birthplaces of presidents and authors.
And of course, road trip memories are always attached to music. After taking a cross-country road trip with John, I can’t help but hear “You + Me” and remember driving through King’s Canyon National Park. “Budapest” reminds me of vacation with my sisters as adults. “Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride” is a song we played to death as kids on a family road trip one summer. And then, of course, there are those standards that don’t necessarily have a singular memory attached… they’re just a ton of fun to sing at the top of your lungs.
But road trips aren’t just fun and games; they have to be safe, too. Without making sure that the car’s tuned up and ready to go, you’re putting yourself at risk for having an accident or getting stuck on the side of the road. Part of that is ensuring the car you buy or rent has a solid steel cage to keep passengers protected. Find out more about passenger protection at DriveUsingSteel.com. Safe driving habits are just as important as a tune-up and having a super safe car; and you should know how to drive for the place you’re visiting. (You’ll want to read this article about what John and I learned).
So crank up the tunes and get on the road. (Need more? Grab more tunes from SMDI’s playlist!)
What songs remind you of fantastic memories and summer road trips?
