Planning Solo Road Trips for Shows
Hello Moonlings,
When I took my first solo road trip a few years ago, the idea of packing a car up and traveling outside my usual location for an event where I am supposed to make a bunch of money and come back in one piece, sounded pretty nerve wracking. While I do occasionally get to travel with other artists, there are times when that is not possible. For this blog, I will focus on the solo side of things and perhaps detail my experiences of traveling with artists in another post later on.
Why drive rather than fly?
I often choose to drive to shows over flying. This is due largely to the size of my setup. If I am doing a show like the Oddities and Curiosities Expo, I travel with four six foot tables, four Graphic Display panels, a banner, two print racks, a stool, prints and originals, and then all the table decor such as sheets, fake plants, etc. Then the front seat gets all my food and clothes. So yes, not exactly plane friendly and it is a strategic game of Tetris getting it all into my car! At this point, I have so grown to enjoy having a large and busy setup that even for smaller, 10 ft. booths I have a preference for driving over flying.
The nicest Air BnB (and house....) I have ever been in from my trip to New Mexico in January
Preparation
Car Health: I like to get my car checked out before a big trip. Keeping up with fluids, tires, breaks, etc. Is important if I am going to be driving so much.
Lodging: I book my stay quite a ways in advance. I love using Air BnB types of places because they are often far cheaper than hotels. Booking tiny apartments that come with kitchens so that I can cook also saves even more money!
Gas Costs: I also like to calculate gas costs for my trip so I know about what I will be spending. I try to fill up at about half a tank these days to avoid getting stuck stopping in a middle of nowhere potentially dangerous place. (Bad experience has taught me well...)
Adorable sculpture from Meow Wolf. Definitely a place I wanted to catch while I was visiting New Mexico.
Research: I love researching the area I will be going to. I am not generally big on most tourist places or places with tons of people (you probably gather I am pretty asocial) however, places like Meow Wolf were worth seeing when I was in New Mexico despite the crowds. Probably one of my favourite things to do is to find different cafes (it helps if they have amazing chai) to sit and draw and reflect on the energy of the trip. I often call this my "Pre-Con Meditation" because it takes the edge off the anticipation of what each show will be like.
From Annapurna’s World Vegetarian Café in New Mexico. Probably the most amazing burger and fries I have ever had!
Food: Being vegan and trying to also be health conscious and save money, I prefer not to stop at fast food places that are going to bog me down and make me feel sick. After all, I need to be at my best for these events. I like to bring a mix of good, healthy things that will give me lots of energy, and a few treats on the side that I either buy from the store or make myself. That way, I can justify stopping someplace special to see what kinds of unique vegan foods I can find in each city without spending a fortune on going on three times a day. That being said, I have had plenty of trips where healthy eating gave way to lots of quick snacks....
Audio Books and Music: This one is super important to me. So many hours alone on the road can lead to sleepiness or spacing out so audiobooks and music help me out a TON. Lately, I’ve been rocking out to Lord Huron’s Vide Noir which I pretty much listen to all the time anyway but is some of the best music ever for driving through long empty roads.
Dirty window sunset on the long drive to Tulsa.
I like to be as prepared as possible and remember to use caution. I do carry personal safety items and try to avoid stopping anywhere that feels overly desolate. Planning and organization is really key for me even if that means making a bunch of lists. I keep a printed version of my directions so as not to rely on GPS alone as it can get glitchy, especially with bad phone reception. I also send my route to my family so they know about where I will be headed and I do check in with them now and then so they know I am okay and it is just nice to have a little record of where I am. Might seem paranoid, but having been in near-dangerous situations before, I have learned it is better to be safe than sorry.
My beloved homemade travel journal which I always wish I took more time for! She doubles as a newsletter signup book for my booth currently.
Of course I also keep essentials in my car such as fluids for the car itself, food as mentioned before, and even a blanket and super warm coat just in case.
All in all, these road trips can actually be really fun. They also offer some time to reflect, meditate, see new things and have a lot of experiences which have been really confidence building and have helped me overcome some personal anxiety. I am really grateful for all the places I am getting to see these days and look forward to sharing more of my travels with you!
Be well~
~Aria
