Keep them Dogies Rollin'

Let me start by stating the completely obvious in a way that I find hilarious but is actually boring and cliché.

Holy crap! It’s cold outside! I’m pretty sure one of my nipples froze and fell off this morning, but I could have just dropped a nickel.

If you read my status updates on Facebook or MySpace very often you know that I travel a lot. Some of it is for fun, but mostly it’s for work. As most of you probably already know, highway driving is boring. Over the years I, and my family, have come up with ways to help the miles and minutes pass quicker.

Since this is the time of year when lots of you may be travelling, I’ll share. Here is a list of some fun ways to stave off boredom as you travel. Some of them are simply ways to stay awake when driving alone.

First here are some games we play on family trips.

1.      I Spy – This is an oldie, but a goodie. At least in my family. Every family trip includes 30 minutes at a minimum. And really not much more than that because after 30 minutes the kids usually start arguing whether an object is red or orange or complaining that it was something they could not see.

2.      20 Questions – Another oldie but goodie always either follows or precedes I Spy. I’m not sure we play in traditional sense, but we have certain 20 Questions traditions of our own. Such as guessing, “Is it a rabbit’s butt?” at least once per round. This, too, eventually degenerates into an argument. Usually along the lines of a leather coat can/cannot be considered “animal.”

3.      The Mailbox Game – This is one of the greatest games ever invented. And I only say that because I invented it. This game was born of the tediousness that is driving a vanload of bored teenagers from Florence, AL to Camp Sumatanga. It is simple in concept: When you see a mailbox you say, “Mailbox” before anyone else does. Extra points are awarded for novelty mailboxes such as those shaped like fish. But you have to say, for instance, “Bass Mailbox” to get the extra points. You would be amazed how addictive and competitive this game can get. By the way, I am the Ultimate Master of the Mailbox Game!

I have problems staying awake when I drive alone. The longer I drive, the heavier my eyelids become. Over the years, I have developed some methods for keeping myself conscious. These next items are things I do while I’m driving alone or if the whole family goes to sleep.

1.      The Alphabet Game – Another holdover from my youth ministry days. We played it as a competition then, but I started using it a few years later as a way to stay awake and alert. It’s a simple concept. Look for a word starting with “A” on a sign or vehicle, then move on to “B” and so forth. This stopped working a few years ago.

2.      Checking E-mail – OK, this is not a game, but I do it to stay awake. Texting works as well. The only problem is that it doesn’t last very long.

3.      Sunflower seeds – Again, not a game, but VERY effective in keeping me awake.

And finally, my very favorite way to stay awake and entertained while driving:

I’ll call it a game…

4.      What is the Farthest Away Radio Station You Can Listen To? – This, I love. At night most AM radio stations turn down their power. Certain stations (called Clear Channel stations) do not. The beauty of AM is that the signal can travel thousands of miles. This won’t work during the day because of local and regional stations and the sun’s radiation. After dark, turn your radio the AM band and start turning the dial slowly. One channel at a time, and listen to what comes out. I’ve listened to stations in Des Moines, IA and New York City. Fort Worth, TX and Cincinnati, OH. It’s especially fun on a Saturday night during football season you get to hear games from around the country.

To start, try 750 – WSB out of Atlanta, 880 – WCBS in NYC, 720 – WGN in Chicago, and 650 – WSM in Nashville (Home of the Grand Ole Opry).

Happy radio hunting. And safe travels.