Brad....I love your suggestions. I don't do any of those car checks on these stops and I probably should. I don't even check my oil. I guess I should. But, so far, my car never burns oil. Of course, that may change so I should watch for it. I only check my tires if they look low. I never thought about preventing a blow-out like that. D'oh! Live and learn. Spoken like a true AAA guy! :-) Thanks for sharing those safety tips.
However, if I ate as much as you do in a day, I'd gain about 5# a day and need about 3-4 naps to digest it. And I'd probably not be able to drive anymore because my stomach would be so full I wouldn't be able to sit up. Wow! You must have some metabolism.
As a contrast, here's my typical roadfood eating: Up and on the road sometime around 5-5:30am with a cuppa joe. Never hungry first thing in the morning so drive for a couple of hours and have a piece of fruit and a few slices of cheese from my cooler (usually around 7:30-8:30am). Around 11am, have fruit and a protein bar. Sometime in the early afternoon, have a sandwich or some cheese'n crackers. Or stop for something like 2 cheeseburgers from the McDonald's $1 Menu. Dinner might be some yogurt or cheese with another protein bar. Maybe a salad or just some cut veggies. And that might be it for the day.
FWIW, I never get sore legs/butt/back on roadtrips. I make way too many mini-stops way too often so I never sit all that long in a stretch. I can't pass up a scenic viewpoint, a historical marker, or any other interesting photo opp (diners, interesting signs, cool architecture, almost anything). I like to position my car in front of these types of things and get a picture of my car there. Yes, wierd, I know. But it proves I was there. I'm thinking of taking some kind of traveling mascot with me on future trips to take photos of places. You know, kinda like the traveling Mr. Potatohead at www.spudstravels.com
It's not unusual for me to make a couple five minute stops in an hour. So I'm very frequently getting out and moving. And since I make it a habit to hop, jog, skip a bit when I'm doing these stops....even if I'm only marching in place while reading the historical marker or enjoying the view...that soreness rarely creeps in. Unless, of course, I'm driving through a city with congested traffic. Then I just want to drive like heck and get outta there.
Gary,
Since I thoroughly admire your BIG blitz drive, it's nice to know that someone else has used these types of tips to keep going for a long haul. Thanks for sharing that.