Same, Same
Alone Time: We both appreciate our alone time! It does not always jive up at the same time, but for the most part, we like a quiet morning, and a chill evening. We also don't mind listening to an audio book or podcast rather than always talking in the car, although this did not happen a lot, it did happen from time to time.
The End Result? In the morning, I would often take a run while Birchie did her thing, and then in the evening after dinner, we would often do our thing or watch a show. However, this did evolve as we went along, and was maybe influenced by our newfound Traitors obsession.
Food: Luckily, we were pretty much on the same eating schedule. We had a small breakfast, often stopped for a car sandwich lunch around 11:00 am, then were ready for dinner pretty much as soon as we got settled in the lodging, which was generally around 5:00 pm.
The end result? We are both happy to be part of the early bird special and usually made sandwiches at a gas station or rest area for lunch.
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| Picnic in Buffalo, WY |
Beer: We both like beer, but especially IPAs. Need I say more?
The end result? We would happily share a flight to try different beers, or even share a beer if it came down to it.
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| Beer selection at the Sleepy Coyote in Ten Sleep, WY Note the saw in the background |
Music: We both like musicals and also love singing along to them!
The end result? On the trip, we listened to Sound of Music, Hamilton and The Music Man (sparked by our drive through Gary Indiana, Gary Indiana, Gary Indiana!) I also had Phantom, Les Mis, In The Heights, Newsies and more queued up, but in the end, we just could not get to all of them! We also went to see the Medora musical in North Dakota.
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| Outdoor theater in Medora, ND |
Mayo: Spicy mayo for life!
The end result? We only needed one sandwich condiment!
Exercise: We both wanted to be sure that we kept to a semi-regular exercise routine, given we would be in the car and eating strange foods etc.
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| Hiking at Theodore Roosevelt National Park |
The end result? I often went on a run around town, we took at least one walk or hike per day, and we also sometimes did push ups (Birchie more than me!). For me, my average steps per day for the 15 days we were on the road was just under 16,000, and there was no day under 10,000 (one day was 10,008!)
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But Different
Multiple Car Loads: I like to bring everything in from the car all at once. This is not just on vacation, but also when I buy groceries or really whenever I have to unload anything from the car. Birchie likes multiple trips. This could be that she travels in style, road trip style I mean, and has a cooler and other nice gadgets to make the trip more enjoyable. I have one bag, and can carry the cooler and multiple other bags at once in order to do it all in one.
The end result? By the end, if the room was hard to get to (aka up a set of stairs, further away etc.) Birchie was okay to take just one trip. If we were parked right in front of the room or door, I was okay to just do one. Did we rub off on each other? Yes.
Luggage: As you know, I travel light. I normally do this, but currently all I have is my bike stuff, so its even lighter than normal! Birchie has a deluxe road trip set up, with a cooler, coffee maker, electric kettle and more. I also only have two black outfits (and a running outfit) so I don't have many clothes either.
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| Birchie (left), Me (right) PC: Birchie (more info here) |
The end result? I got a lot of ideas for my future campervan set up! The electric cooler is clutch. When cycling, I eat a lot of processed foods that don't need refrigeration, and it was so nice to be able to buy cheese or beer and have it be cold when you want it. Birchie did mention that she is considering swapping over to the all black ensemble. Did we rub off on each other? Yes!
Audio Speed: Birchie listens to audio (books, podcasts) at 1x speed. I listen at 2x or 2.20x. We did try listening to some audio at 1.1x to see what Birchie thought, but it was a bit of a fail.
The end result? If the podcast was one that I had listened to before, the voice often sounded like the person was sick or had had a stroke or something. I didn't love it. Birchie didn't really like anything more than 1.1x. Did we rub off on each other? Not this time.
Sandwiches: I had turkey, she had tofurkey!
The end result? We both had sandwiches and it is not hard to carry around two different kinds of meat (in Birchie's excellent cooler). Did we rub off on each other? We didn't need to! I would eat tofurkey if needed. I think Birchie would eat turkey but wouldn't love it.
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| Deli meats |
Coffee: Part of Birchie's cool road trip packing set up is a pour over coffee maker, electric kettle, half and half (in the cooler) and premeasured ground coffee. I like good coffee, but also can drink pretty much anything, including instant coffee. I generally drank the hotel coffee, or made drip coffee if we were in an airbnb. Also, she has only one cup, whereas I want two or even three if we have time.
The end result? She made her coffee each morning, and I sourced my coffee from various places, including the hotel lobby, gas stations, the in room coffee maker, or my own emergency stash of Nescafe. Did we rub off on each other? Halfway. I would go up the scale, but I doubt Birchie would go down.
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| Last day of the trip, I splurged! |
Parking: Birchie is a parking lot/garage person, whereas I am a curb/street parker. I can and do parallel park and free parking is always better than paid parking. Birchie just wants the car to be safe and the parking to be simple and does not care about the price.
The end result? When I drove, I parked wherever, although of course was influenced by the fact that the car was not mine, so probably parked in more conservative places than I would have if it were my own car. Birchie did not attempt to park on the curb. Birchie only attempted one curb parking job, and it looked like a drunk person may have parked the car (unfortunately I did not take a photo, but I do believe two tires were on the curb. Also, she has approved this joke in advance! I would never make fun of her without her permission.) Did we rub off on each other? Hard No.
Questions for you! Let us know what your preferences are in these categories! Even if you just have time for one, let us know, what speed you listen to your audiobooks at and how many trips you take from the car after you get groceries or come back from a trip!
Well, my comment is easy for this post since you already know my preferences! We also had similar wake up/bedtimes, which is only unusual because I'm on Eastern time and you had been on Mountain time when we started the trip.
ReplyDeleteRetired people meal times FTW! Is there any other time to eat dinner besides 5:00?
I'm flying for my next trip, so by definition all of my stuff is one load. No car cooler, no extensive water bottle collection...and (gulp!) it's not always possible to make my own coffee so I have to slum it and take what I can get. Thankfully the worst coffee that I have had in recent years was Tim Horton's at the Vancouver airport. It was a low blow, but still not that far down on the scale.
What!!!??? No couture coffee? Whatever will you do!? Don't worry, I think that the next place you go *may* be known for having okay coffee, and besides, you know people! I am definitely not drinking Nescafe today! I forgot that you won't have a cooler, but don't worry, I think the next place is also pretty well known for having some good food choices!
DeleteI love this post! Great job by you. It's fun to see what other people's preferences for things are. I don't listen to audiobooks, but I do listen to podcasts - at 1x the speed. I usually listen while I'm walking or doing things around the house and I have no need to rush through them. I am also a visual person, not an audial one, and so I don't absorb info as well that way - which is why I like the 1x speed.
ReplyDeleteThere is zero way I could get into the house with only one trip, as I pack my groceries in big plastic bins that require two hands, and I usually have at least three filled, plus more stuff, so it is physically impossible to do only one trip. Then again, Rob usually comes out to help me, as well as any son who is home, so sometimes *I* have one trip, but the guys have more than one. As for travel, that's maybe one trip if we are coming home from the airport, but not if we are road tripping, because we have Rex with us which requires a lot more gear. I mean, I've always known I'm a much higher-maintenance gal than you, but this definitely shows it!
I forced Birchie to drink my coffee when she was here, because I put all the accoutrement together the night before. Poor Birchie! I drink a ton of coffee first thing in the morning, and then none for the rest of the day.
I think you and Birchie are in the main camp as far as trips from the car go! I think I am just stubborn, or like a challenge. Often when traveling my loads are not super big, and I usually walk from the grocery store to the house so there has to only be the amount of stuff that I can carry! I also like a lot of morning coffee, but no afternoon coffee. Once in a while I will have a pm cup, but it is very rare! I also put my coffee together the night before and I always make a whole pot!
Deletewhat a fun post and trip with a blogger! I don't absorb information well with audiobooks, I tried but don't enjoy it as much as reading, somehow makes my brain feel different.
ReplyDeleteI also need alone time!
It was a fun trip! I probably don't always pay attention 100% when listening, but I don't find any issue with that in the long run! If it was a book club book, it would be easier to read in a real book though!
DeleteI loved reading this! I was so impressed with Birchie's cooler. It would make a long car trip much more enjoyable. Are you thinking of getting a campervan? I LOVE that idea! What fun! I love watching YouTube videos about people who customize their campervans to make them really personalized, and they can be so cute and comfortable. One of those coolers would be perfect in a campervan. I used to try to haul everything at once, but age and injuries over the years have made me take precautions, with more trips of lighter loads. It's annoying, but better for my back and knees. I couldn't bear to listen to an audiobook over (or under) its normal, intended speed! I'm glad you and Birchie were so compatible for traveling together, and that you had such a fun time!
ReplyDeleteYes, the cooler was great, and yes, I would love to do a campervan trip at some point #lifegoals2028? I do love seeing what campervans are out there, but feel like I don't really need too much, so will likely go with something simple and/or whatever I can buy for a good price. That is what I did with my car. It is red, which I would never choose, but the price was right! I am sorry about your back and knees but totally understand why you wouldn't take multiple trips!
DeleteThis was so fun to read! I am glad you were so compatible - I would stress about that so much! I am sure some incompatible travelers manage to make it work, but I would feel so uncomfortable pushing my quirks on others.
ReplyDeleteWe have family friends we ADORE, who
sometimes bring up traveling together, and it would never work. They are practical and frugal and I am more concerned with comfort, lol.
I am 100% a one trip person. Load me up baby. I have two arms and a back for a reason. I am like this with luggage and groceries, and probably with moving, although there is a limit to how many boxes of books one person can carry.
I do not drink coffee, I drink black tea, so I tend to travel with a baggie of tea bags and a baggie of sweet n low. I do require milk or creamer in my tea, but that is usually sourceable from the hotel.
I want to know about your (and Birchie's) stops philosophy. When I grew up, my parents were "drive as far as you possibly can without stopping" types, stopping only for gas/bathroom emergencies, and preferring to cram gas/potty breaks/food procurement into one stop. We always ate in the car, even the driver. My husband prefers to stop as often as needed and dislikes eating in the car. I am more used to it now, but I still get a little twitchy when we are sitting and eating too long.
(This is Suzanne.)
Load me up, baby! I completely agree. So, between the two of us, we really could get a lot out at once! Boxes of books are heavy and yet I still have one of them (despite getting rid of "everything") Some things are worth lugging around! I also have a baggie of tea and other "drinks" like lemonade or electrolytes. I will be posting about the stops and a few details next week so stay tuned! I do like a one stop shop, but my Dad used to stop at every historical monument!
DeleteI’m a multiple trips person when groceries or luggage is involved. But when 2 kids in tow, it is impossible to do one trip most of the time since the kids require so many THINGS!! We all pack a carryon most of the time. But there is always a tote full of things like sound machines, an ok to wake alarm clock, life jackets, etc. Usually Phil unpacks the car though and I wrangle the children when we arrive places. He’s our pack mule.
ReplyDeleteMy schedule is compatible with yours and my eating habits would be for the most part. Sandwiches are tough for me, though, as a GF person because GF bread is really only edible when toasted.
I don’t listen to audio books but I listen to podcasts at either 1.4 or 1.6 speed. Phil thinks it is deranged to listen at such a speed. So if we listen together, I listen at 1x out of respect for him. We listened to 2 Ezra Klein podcasts on the way back from the lake a few weeks ago and I was like - oh, that’s what the intro theme song is supposed to sound like!!
Phil cracks me up. I would have thought that efficiency would be more important to him, but maybe he is just a bit of a codger! I felt the same with Birchie when listening to Choose FI; I did not realize that the people talked so slow or that the music was so chill! It kind of drove me nuts a little bit though. It is strange what our ear gets used to and how that can change our future views. The first time I heard 2x, I thought it sounded like the Chipmunks on speed!
DeleteWe borrowed my dad's plug-in cooler for a road trip with the kids and loved it. It was so convenient to have picnics with proper salad and meat, plus our breakfast foods, and not have to eat all the time in restaurants.
ReplyDeleteIf we are going in the car, I will always try to reduce as much as possible the number of different things to carry in, but G would always have half-empty bags of things if I didn't stop that.
I don't do audiobooks, just podcasts, and I always listen at 1x.
It seems like 1x is more common, but I feel like it is a waste of time at this point. That is only due to the fact that I am very used to it, and it seems strange for a 10 hour audiobook to take 10 hours! haha. I did love the cooler and it was super nice to not have to eat in restaurants a lot! I get tired of that after traveling for a while.
DeleteThis is so fun. I think I would worry about sharing a hotel room with a friend, especially one that I've only met in person in small increments. I would worry that my getting up to use the bathroom might disturb my friend or I'd wake up early and be afraid to get up and move about out of ear of waking the other person.
ReplyDeleteI don't drink coffee. Ever. I'm big on packing food to bring and eat in the car or at the hotel or during the other days of the trip. We pack a big cooler or a small one, and then load whatever will fit in the hotel room fridge, reload the cooler and refresh the ice in the morning. I don't do sandwiches, b/c of celiac - but I usually eat a salad every day.
I workout every morning, and I eat multiple small meals throughout the day - esp if I've had a big workout.
I don't mind alone time, but I'm not exactly accustomed to it, so I don't necessarily require it. I'm a chatty person (as you and Birchie witnessed in Burr Ridge), so I'm one that will talk with my driving companions - esp if it's a friend I haven't seen in a while. I will listen to audio books on long drives in order to help me stay awake. I usually listen at 1x, but if it's a book that I want to get thru I might speed it up a twinge. I enjoy a musical now and then, but I think I'd prefer my music over the soundtrack to a musical.
I prefer to bring everything into a hotel room in one trip, if I can - esp if I'm traveling solo. I do like to have extra shoes with me, so if it is a short trip, I'll pack my roller bag and then I might bring extra shoes or outer layers and leave those in the car. Groceries - well, I've probably broken records for how many bags I've carried at once, but a regular a grocery trip for our family . . . well, there's no physical way I could carry it all in one trip. My fav way to shop is to have all of my kids and Coach home, so they can help carry in the haul.
I don't drink beer (can't), but I do enjoy a white wine or a Mike's Hard Lemonade.
I laughed so much at the Birchie 'was she drunk?' parking story. I prefer free parking and I'm fine parking on the street.
I've so enjoyed reading about your travel adventure together and I'm tickled that I got to meet you during the great blogging road trip.
A cooler is definitely key, even when its an iced one. I have a Yeti and it can stay cold for a long time, but it sure was nice not to have to buy or manage ice and melting ice! I did fill up my big cup with hotel ice in the morning so I would have a nice cold drink for the day. I think being able to make food on the road is priceless and I get sick of eating out a lot, plus it is less healthy! I also eat a lot of salads, and can even eat a bagged salad on my own (despite the fact that it says "4 servings"), and even do this when on the bike!
DeleteWe both did pee a lot at night, but it never was really a big deal or a disturbance. I guess I didn't mention that we are also both pretty quiet, and both got up super early, so another couple of wins for compatibility!
Listening at anything other than 1x speed is insanity. I will stand by this forever and ever.
ReplyDeleteI find 1x so dull now and don't know how I listened to it before. Maybe that will change as I get older, but for now I like being able to read twice as much!
DeleteI love how well you traveled together and how much you had in common, but also how you handled your differences.
ReplyDeleteI rarely listen to audiobooks or podcasts LOL (but I will definitely speed things up if the narrators are really slow! I am impatient … and would rather read. I am a fast reader!). I am definitely a bit of a coffee snob (as in, I like my coffee a certain way and won’t drink just “any”…) but I also don’t travel with my own coffee setup. I’ll find a (local) coffee shop :)
I always carry my own back up coffee because any coffee is better than no coffee! But I do love a good espresso or dark roast if I can get it! I had to lessen to Obama's book at an even faster speed because he talks so slow and deliberately! It made the 30(?) hour audiobook go a lot faster though!
DeleteI’ve been thinking about your listening speed ever since Birchie mentioned it, and I cannot even, at least for audiobooks. I feel like the narrator is acting, and listening at a faster speed gives you the words but not the nuance. Podcasts maybe it isn’t so important. Are you a speed reader with physical books? Do you remember when that was a thing? Tearing through a book and getting the gist of it but not every word? I laughed though that to you the 1x speed sounded deranged. I once accidentally had a book at 0.75 speed, and I couldn’t figure out why the character was this way. Were they mentally challenged? Why do it this way? I was so relieved when I figured it out.
ReplyDeleteI’m team one load if I can manage it. We have a parking spot but no garage, and it’s not terribly close to our unit in our townhouse complex. If it were closer maybe it wouldn’t bug me to make multiple trips. If I had an attached garage, I might never get everything inside.
That is funny that you accidentally listened at .75! That would drive me crazy. I also watch YT videos at 2x speed, and sometimes I wonder what is wrong with them when I forget to adjust it! I do not speed read and I am also not really a skimmer. I am an all in kind of person and so I feel like that is not really getting the complete picture, if that makes sense.
DeleteMaybe the one load thing has to do with what your normal parking situation is. I often park far, or don't have a car at all, but if you have a super close garage or whatever, you wouldn't mind going back and forth quite as much.
OOOH so much fun! I was intrigued by the thought of two adults who didn't really know each other well, taking a two-week road trip together. I've met both of you, and I can't imagine you wouldn't get along- but still. That's a pretty intimate experience and a lot of TOGETHERNESS. Obviously it went well.
ReplyDeleteOkay, podcasts and audiobooks. I always listen to my podcasts on 1x speed. I like to hear how the person speaks, not a sped-up version of their voice. BUT! I have heard that you should listen to audiobooks at a faster speed, because the narrator is reading slower than you would be reading if you were looking at a print book. I haven't had a chance to try this out, but it makes sense. I don't listen to audiobooks but at some point I'm sure I will, and I'll definitely up the speed.
When I do a road trip, I definitely pack a cooler and eat lunch from that. But I use the old fashioned kind, and just replenish it with ice every day. Next time I take a longer road trip I'm going to look into this electric cooler. It plugs into the car? I think I might need one.
I'll share a flight of IPAs with you guys anytime!
Yes, the cooler plugs into the car, but also has a regular outlet plug, so we bring it inside at night. It also has other options, like a solar charger, so you could take it camping. It is a pretty nice thing to have, that is for sure! I don't see myself getting one any time soon, but when I start my campervan trip, it would be a nice thing to have for sure!
DeleteThis is fun! I was hoping for a post about the logistics of traveling with someone you've never traveled before with!
ReplyDeleteI am a 1x speed for my podcasts but I would die if I had to listen to audiobooks on anything less than 1.5x speed. Typically, I do 1.75x speed. I might ALSO die at 2.2x speed HA.
No to spicy mayo and beer!
I am also one trip with luggage or groceries. I live in a third-floor apartment. Ain't no way I'm doing more than one trip.
I am also with Birchie that I will pay extra for an easier parking experience. I can parallel park but looking for parking makes me ragey so I do whatever is easiest.
Yay for another one tripper! I think it really does depend on how far your car is from your front door. I often lived in apartments or flats in San Francisco where you never got to park right next to your door, or I didn't have a car and I had to carry everything from the grocery store, which made me realize that I can carry quite a lot! You would hate living in San Francisco. I did not have a car, but friends often had to drive around for a half an hour or more looking for parking!
DeleteI flunked parallel parking twice when attempting to get my learner's permit/temporary license. I have parallel parked maybe three times in my life since then (but always successfully, if a bit slow).
ReplyDeleteOne trip for luggage and groceries is The Dream. That dream has been deferred, however, because of my weakened state. Ideally--and this happens 90% of the time now--Rick appears magically and hauls everything for me/us.
Doesn't listening at a sped-up tempo distort the voices? I don't do audiobooks, so I have no idea, and I listen to a podcast now and then, but not often.
It's great that you two were able to mesh on so many things and be kind and tolerant about your differences.
I find it interesting that parallel parking was in the exam for you. I did not have to parallel park in my driver's exam, but I did have to start on a hill, and I did have a stick shift! I am not sure how parallel parking would have gone, but it would have been an adventure. I ended up learning by being under a fire hose in San Francisco where it's a kill or be killed kind of world, and you know me, I had to kill!
DeleteHa. This is fun.
ReplyDeleteI bet getting to know each other through a road trip really tells you a lot of a person. All he smaller details and quirks.
It was fun, and sure we did get to know a lot more than we expected! It is interesting to see how people do things, as often we are just used to our own way of doing things!
DeleteI was wondering whether and how you and Birchie aligned in terms of personal preferences. It doesn't sound like there any "I will die on this hill" issues, which is good. I am not fun to travel with (or, honestly, to live with). I'm too rigid and set in my ways. Given that, I'm even more impressed with how both of you adjusted and adapted to make the trip a success. (And I'm laughing at the listening speed comments...who knew that it could be such a divisive issue?!)
ReplyDeleteThe listening speed is a real thing! I know we would not have worried about it ten years ago, and we probably would have just listened to the radio anyway (or maybe 20 years ago...) and had no choice over the matter! There is a scene in Tommy Boy where they cannot agree on the (radio) music and in the end they end up listening to the Spanish channel!
DeleteThis was a fun read. Love how you made it work ni listen to podcast and books only on 1 speed. I find 1.5 annoying so could handle 2+. My husband and I do a road trip about once a year. The rest are flights. Even for once a year I think I’ll get the electric cooler. We always make sandwiches & carry snacks but ice gets tricky. (We make our sandwiches in the hotel room though)
ReplyDeleteI found 2x annoying at first, but then I started bumping up my speed little by little and before you know it, I was listening at 2x or more! I have friends who listen to 3x and that sounds like chipmunks to me. The electric cooler is a great thing to have. I have bought a lot of ice in my life, and this would save you from worrying about that!
Delete