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That’s the best time to absorb these five road trip songs.

Digest them. Ponder and reflect. Most of all–enjoy.

You’ll be glad you did.

The Ghost of Tom Joad – Bruce Springsteen

Sure, it’s the Boss, but all stripped down and bare like a dust bowl cotton field.

I Want It So Bad – The Gourds

There’s a Zen message in this song somewhere.

Jackson Square – Mason Jennings

You’ll need to listen to this a few times to stop asking, “What just happened?”

I Am Goodbye – Bonnie Prince Billy

This hits the sweet spot between the infectious and cryptic.

Every Time – Sarah Harmer

Just try not to think of factory stacks along the interstate at night.

BONUS: Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie – Bob Dylan

The lyric-smith himself offers up something to chew on besides stale circus peanuts 300 miles into your next road trip.

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Riding bikes to do it.

From The Path Less Pedaled.

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Tiny towns with names like Loogootee, Bummerville, and Idaho Beer Bottle Crossing.

Yeah, that last one’s in Georgia.

But you know what? You should be proud when you’re in the fruitcake capital of the world (also in Georgia. Damn!).

And if there’s climbing?

Or boating?

Or biking?

Or whatever outside-ish activity that makes that place a backwater beacon for those who wander but are not lost?

Then you should get to know that place.

Hence this new series.

Enjoy.

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That’s 124 miles of colorful canyons, quirky restaurants, and every imaginable souvenir.

Established in 1991, The National Scenic Byways Program remains one of the best ways to see the beauty of the USA.

These roads are worth checking out. Seriously.

In many cases, you can hit these hidden gems of highway on one tank of gas, round trip.

This hoodoo in Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the many sites to see along Scenic Byway 12.

Don’t be afraid to take a detour next time you’re planning a road trip, and consider one of the 120+ scenic byways across the country.

You won’t regret it. Promise.

Have you ever taken a Scenic Byway? Tell us about it.

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The other 50 percent? Better left unsaid.

And sometimes, no matter how many compadres are along for the ride, you may find yourself the only one awake, sitting at the wheel.

The lone captain of the highway.

And you’ll be wanting coffee. Good coffee, too.

So here are four easy ways to avoid coffee that tastes like ashes and looks like tea.

Camp espresso maker
Highlight: Quality espresso when you need it most.
Bonus: No mechanical parts to break.

French Press
Highlight: If you can push down, you can have coffee. It’s that easy.
Bonus: You can almost hear accordion music from Paris when you sip your coffee.

Pour Over Cone Filter
Highlight:Perfect for one person or a carload of friends.
Bonus: Easy to pack, use a mug or a pot.

Starbucks Via
Highlight: Tasty java in no time flat.
Bonus: We’d put super secret Via microcrystals up against whatever’s in that styrofoam cup at the gas station.

Don’t forget: grinding your coffee in advance and a way to boil your water.

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In the heart of southern West Virginia, on the winding backroads of US 60 near the New River Gorge, lurks the Mystery Hole, a roadside attraction straight out of the 1950s.

The name–and the sign–say it all. The Mystery Hole is sensational. It’s baffling. It’s mysterious. Seeing is believing. The Mystery Hole defies physics.

These enticements to explore the inside of this aging, gorilla-topped quonset hut might be laughed off if it were not for one thing: Our need to know what’s inside, whether we’ll get b-movie cheese or genuine weirdness. Or maybe, just maybe, both.

The Mystery Hole prohibits cameras of any kind inside, so you’ll just have to visit and see for yourself.

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After the music runs out, the snacks are devoured and the conversation flags, sometimes the excitement of your final destination isn’t enough to keep you going.

Roadside attractions are the perfect antidote to the mid-trip malaise. There’s nothing like experiencing these road oddities with friends and family. You’ll have an instant conversation piece once you’re back in the car and a memory to last until your next road trip and beyond.

Once a month, we’ll give you a peek at some of these places. And just know there are hundreds of these roadside oddities out there, just waiting.

So go ahead, take that exit, venture into the tumbledown entrance and feast your eyes on the mysteries awaiting you there.

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– Nat King Cole

There is one essential road-tripping element all excursions must have—music. Whether it’s playing old Johnny Cash tapes, fist-pumping to Technotronic, or sprinkling your journey with, well, Journey, music makes the world go round, and, consequently, makes miles in a car go by faster.

Here are a couple tools to get you started and help keep the music flowing, whether you’re rocking out to Taylor Swift or Iron Maiden:

SiriusXM – Imagine hundreds of radio channels, all commercial-free, and available anywhere you could imagine driving. That’s the modern marvel that is SiriusXM Satellite Radio. If you have to have radio connectivity at all times, look no further than satelite radio.

Spotify – Ok, so you’re not down with the whole broadcasting thing; you like to customize your listening experience just a bit more. Have you checked out Spotify? For a monthly service fee, you can stream all your music to your mobile device instantly, and it syncs all your playlists.

iTunes Match – Alright, we get it. You just want to take your entire music collection, but you haven’t purchased a CD in years. That’s ok. If you’re rolling with an iPhone, you can use iTunes Match, a service that makes your music automatically available for streaming on all your mobile devices. You’ll never leave home without your entire collection of Dolly Parton albums ever again.

However you decide to hit the road, these three tips will keep the pressure on your eardrums, and the miles moving swiftly beneath your tires.

Head bobbin’ never felt so good.

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