Surviving the Drive

Driving Thursday

Each lesson at Whip Hand Farm is framed by a seven-hour, round-trip drive. Because of the home horses, we go up and back in a day. Here’s how we’ve tuned our routine.

Take the Comfortable Car
The Fiat is a great car [Today, photo]. It is also a cheap car. One way to keep the cost down is power it with small squirrels. The one in charge of the AC simply cannot keep the car cool in the summer, particularly for the passenger, who gets the rising sun on the way up and the setting sun on the way down.

Manage the Stops
You lose time from when you lift your foot off the accelerator until you are back on the highway at speed. Therefore, it’s hard to stop in less than 15 minutes. Stop twice and, you’ve blown half an hour. Coffee and morning soda will not allow us to head up without a break. Often we are able to get back down without stopping. TMI.

Bring Food
We have a cooler of drinks and a basket of food. Turning the truck into a rolling picnic is a) cheaper and b) means the highway reststop at the border rather than pulling off for a gas/convenience store. Time saved.

Provide Entertainment
Audible on my phone. Podcasts on Greg’s phone. Both sync with the truck’s audio system. After almost 30 years of marriage and almost 40 of knowing him (?!?), I still enjoy Greg’s company. However, a bit of narrative provides diversion for those long, flat, straight highway miles.

Thank you for reading,
Katherine Walcott