Advice from the four founders of the road trip
For about two weeks every summer between 1914 and 1924, a group of American friends who called themselves The Four Vagabonds would climb in their Model Ts and hit the open road, travelling to some of the United States' most scenic areas, stopping off and setting up overnight camps along the way.
But these were not your average Americans. They were none other than Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, and John Burroughs.
And the motorcade of up to 50 vehicles, which transported the celebrity Vagabonds, sometimes their wives, their household staff, and all the equipment they could possibly need for a comfortable holiday, was captured by Ford Motor Company photographers.
These high-profile “glamping” adventures undertaken by pre-eminent members of society fired the imagination of the American public.
And the phenomenon of road-tripping as an affordable way for ordinary families to satisfy their wanderlust soon spread to other parts of the world, including South Africa.
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Road-tripping in SA today
With almost 750 000 kilometres of roads that criss-cross SA – the tenth largest road network globally, according to the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral), and by far the largest on the continent – it is no wonder road-tripping has become such a popular way for generations of South Africans to go on vacation or visit relatives and friends in other parts of the country.
Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa believes that the four pioneers of the original American road trip would whole-heartedly approve of the following tips for modern motorists who want to get the most out of their own road trips today.
John Burroughs
As a naturalist and nature essayist active in the US conservation movement, Burroughs would advise you to use the unique opportunity of a road trip to discover and explore places of natural beauty, as a chance to learn more about the geological and cultural history of places you have not been to before.
While planning your route, look up the tourist attractions you will be passing along the way, and incorporate the most appealing ones into your itinerary.
Many of the newly constructed hotels of yesteryear are still in business as historic B&B tourism destinations today, and breaking up long trips into smaller chunks – with one or two overnight stays en route to your destination, interspersed with some sightseeing – not only reduces driving fatigue and back-seat boredom, but makes for a much more enjoyable and memorable holiday.
The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA) recommends reserving overnight accommodation in advance, especially during peak travel periods like Easter.
Harvey Firestone
As the founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, one of the first global makers of automobile tyres, Firestone would advise you to have your car’s wheel balancing and alignment checked before heading off to ensure a smooth and safe trip, and not to forget to also check the condition of your spare tyre. Punctures happen to the best of us at the worst of times.
Just remember, spare tyres are not designed for long distances or high speeds, so once you have replaced a punctured tyre with the spare, you need to visit a tyre technician to fix or replace the original tyre as soon as possible.
You should only do a final tyre pressure check once your car is fully loaded, and when the tyres are still cool. The optimal tyre pressures, which you will find printed on a sticker inside your driver’s door, will help improve vehicle safety and maintain fuel efficiency.
Thomas Edison
A world-renowned inventor whose name is synonymous with the electric light bulb, Edison was also the self-appointed navigator on the Vagabonds’ adventures, with nothing but a compass and a handful of atlases to guide the motorcade!
His advice to the modern day road-tripper would be to familiarise yourself with all the marvellous tech features of your car, and take full advantage of navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze, accessed either on your smartphone or your car’s built-in infotainment system, like Ford’s cutting edge SYNC 3.
For parents travelling with small kids, a visual display showing estimated travel and arrival time could even be the silver bullet you have been searching for to silence the age-old “Are we there yet?” chorus from the back seat.
Henry Ford
And last but certainly not least, captain of industry, business magnate, and founder of the Ford Motor Company himself, Henry Ford would advise you to make sure your car is in tip-top shape before hitting the open road.
Be sure to take it in for a thorough inspection with a professional mechanic, who will check all the necessary parts for damage and replace them if necessary, so your car can perform at maximum efficiency.
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