Five Things Friday: Winter Roadtrip Essentials!

This weekend is my mom’s 60th birthday so I’m headed to Lake Tahoe with two dogs (Abbie and her friend Morty) and a car full of stuff for playing in the snow, playing with pups and getting my sweat on!

And thus far, it hasn’t been the easiest journey. Yesterday we spent nearly 7 hours in the car and only made it to Klamath Falls, OR. It was smooth sailing for the first several hours; I was cruising along with my Aftershokz on taking work calls and feeling all kinds of productive. We even got out to stretch our legs in the sunshine a few times…

 

And then I hit the Willamette Pass and things got a little hairy.

The roads all of a sudden got a little icy and the visibility wasn’t great. I spent over an hour hunched over my steering wheel with extreme focus on the road. Thankfully, the dogs were little angels and slept through the whole thing. We had to pull over at least three times to let some weather pass. Once we were out of the ice and visibility, it really didn’t get much better. We got stuck behind what seemed like hundreds of semis going 20 mph…and so our 5ish hour trip turned into a 7ish hour trip.

In honor of roadtrips, especially winter ones, my Five Things Friday is all about winter roadtrip essentials..

Sweat it out!

If you’re going to sit in the car for long periods of time, it’s important to sweat it out either before you drive or when you arrive at your destination. Or bookend your travel day with sweat if you’re feeling as crazy as I was!

For me, yesterday started with 6 am Flex & Flow HIIT Yoga, followed by this kick butt Kamagon Ball workout (brought to you by your favorite Flex & Flow #SweatPink’ers, of course).

When I arrived in Klamath Falls around 8pm, I was exhausted, my back hurt from leaning forward most of the day and I felt like I needed to sweat it out if I was going to feel up to the drive the next day. I was more than relieved (not to mention proud of myself) for packing my Kamagon Ball for the trip. You might think I’m a little crazy for packing it but I can assure you…I’m just smart! 

It was the perfect piece of equipment for the quick, efficient and challenging sweat session that my body was so badly craving. Here’s the workout I did:

• Jump squats (10 reps)

• Side Lunges with lateral extension

• Tricep extensions

• Russian Twists

• Side Planks

Full workout on the video if you want to sweat along with us!

And whatever you do, don’t forget to take breaks from driving and STRETCH YOUR LEGS!

Keep your tank full! 

Don’t mess with winter driving. Don’t just get in your car and assume all you have to do is drive. Make sure you’re prepared with food and plenty of water (for yourself and any passengers – in my case, two dogs!). It’s important to keep your tank full while also keeping an eye on the gas – never let it get too empty as you never know what might happen or slow you down out there!  I packed the car with healthy snacks from Navita’s Naturals, Wild Friends peanut butter (duh) and bananas and plenty of Essence pH1o water, a perfectly formulated water that not only helps you restore to a healthy pH but also contains hibiscus (and thankfully comes in handy gallon sizes – great for travel!).

Be prepared for any emergency! 

While it’s important to have snacks, water and a full tank of gas, you should also be prepared for winter roads – have chains in the car, blankets, and a car charger for your cell phone.

I made sure to pack my favorite Rumpl blanket in case of emergency….which thankfully, in our case was just a puppy snuggle emergency in our hotel room.

 

Stay alert! 

Alyse first introduced me to this AMAZING and oh so portable coffee –  Sudden Coffee. It’s instant coffee that doesn’t taste like instant coffee. Basically it’s every coffee snob’s dream come true – travel coffee that doesn’t suck!

Aside from tasting good, it’s important to stay alert. Make sure you’ve had enough sleep, feel energized from a good sweat and or get out and stretch your legs (breathe in fresh air) so that you stay alert while driving. Be safe out there, my friends!

Have fun!

Don’t forget to have a little fun on your trip.

Make sure you stop to take in the scenery. Maybe snap some photos.

Maybe even strike a pose.

 

Have a safe Friday y’all! With love, from Tahoe (eventually…)

Stay sweaty friends!

XOXO

Jamie

Disclaimer: I was provided with a Kamagon Ball from Hedstrom Fitness and Essence pH10 Water products. That said, all opinions, words, thoughts are my very own. I truly appreciate all of the brands that support the Sweat Pink community.