Angelica Haggert
Are you an avid local explorer like I am? Just in the month of October
I’ve visited things across Windsor and Essex County – wineries, Colasanti’s,
community theatres, ERCA’s Greenway trail – there’s always something to
do!
All this exploring means I’m driving. A lot. As the weather gets colder,
it’s harder to explore by cycling or hiking. It’s time to rely on ol’ Betsy, so
you don’t miss out on any adventures.
To avoid interruptions in your explorations, make sure your vehicle (and
you!) are equipped for anything that might go wrong on the road. So you
don’t end up stranded in the Colasanti’s parking lot at 1 a.m.
Like I did.
Thankfully, my aunt rescued me and I had all the necessities on hand
to get rolling again.
I must have left my lights on (I would never!), and when I came out
from my adventures to head home, my trusty (read: old) car wouldn’t start.
I hauled out the jumper cables and loaded up a YouTube video on how to
attach them. It was surprisingly not as difficult as I thought – but thank
goodness my car had a pair of gloves in the trunk, or my fingers might have
needed jump starting as well! My cousin held the flashlight for me and we
sorted out how to connect everything without electrocuting ourselves.
We also keep a sleeping bag in the trunk, along with a jug of windshield
washer fluid. I’m addicted to my phone, so I routinely have a spare phone
charger on me, but it’s definitely something I would recommend having in
case you need to contact someone and your phone is out of juice.
With winter approaching, it is even more important to make sure you’re
ready for the road, in any condition. In addition to making sure you have all
the physical elements you need in case of a roadside emergency while you’re
adventuring, there’s one other thing you should consider.
A friend.
When you’re adventuring further than usual from home, to isolated
areas, or at nighttime, bring a buddy along for the exploration. Even if they
don’t know how to jumpstart a car, they can hold the flashlight for you while
you hook it up!
Check out our handy infographic for all the things you need in the trunk
of your car to keep your adventures from becoming disasters. I learned the
hard way – you don’t have to!
Where are you exploring this winter? Tell us about it!
Use the tag #ExploringMatters on Facebook and Twitter to let us know!
8 The HUB -November 2015