Thirsty Thursday #5

Hydration on the Road

I don't want to drink!  If I drink, I'll have to stop and if I stop, I'll never get there!

Traveling this season for hubby and I means a few long (12+ hour) road trips.  I'm the kind of traveler that really just wants to get to the destination.  In the past, I've been known to only stop when the car needs gas... that's it.  

In order to accomplish such a feat, I have to basically dehydrate myself to discourage the need for bathroom breaks.  

This usually means we reach our destination on schedule, but at what cost?  By the end of the drive I'm irritable, headachy, exhausted, and feel like complete crud.  

In researching travel food for this week's What to Eat Wednesday, I couldn't help but stumble on tips for staying hydrated too.  I mean it makes sense -- on a normal day, I try to push hydration to ensure I'm drinking all my water... How is road trip day any different?  

Why Hydrate on the Road?

Supposedly, besides all the stuff we know about hydration, drinking on the road could also offer the following benefits:

• Helping prevent mindless snacking -- but wouldn't that promote mindless sipping and more stops?
• More pitstops mean more chances to stretch your legs/body and promote proper circulation -- but wouldn't that add time to my travel?
• Keep you awake -- having to pee certainly will keep you alert and looking for rest-stops!

What will I do?

I'm clearly skeptical -- but I also don't want to feel like complete crud when I reach a friend/relative's home.  This holiday season I'm going to try to find a balance between my normal state of scheduled dehydration and the idea of "a zillion pit stops" hydrated...  We'll see how it goes.

I'll be using either a travel mug or a water bottle to track my intake to restroom break ratio for the next few days to see what my body normally does.  It'll be best to not mix up the routine too much, so that's my main goal.  

Do you have any hydration tips for road trips?  

How often do you stop when on the road?

What kind of traveler are you?  The kind that just wants to get to the destination (like me) or the kind that enjoys the journey (and takes a million breaks)?