Stephen Troese Jr. is currently traveling across the country with his son and he has shown no signs of slowing down. The thing about America, Stephen Troese Jr. says, is that it’s huge. You don’t really think about it when you fly, but a trip across the United States can be 3,000 miles or more. And if you live on a coast, it gets very different once you get a little inland. Stephen Troese Jr. has traveled before on long car rides, but he has never traveled this far and this long in a car. Here are a few things he has observed already in his travels.

If You Can, Fill Up the Tank: Let’s say you have a half tank of gas and you make your way to a rest stop. You probably wouldn’t think to necessarily fill up the tank, but Stephen Troese Jr. says that you probably should. Every time you have a chance to fill up the tank, you should do so because you never know when you will run into a situation where there isn’t a gas station for a hundred miles or more. Be safe and fill the tank whenever you can.

Eat Locally: If you have ever watched Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, you know that some of the best food can be found in restaurants in strip malls, gas stations, and more. Why on earth would you eat fast food when you can have food from a place that you’ll never have again. You’ll be amazed by the culinary treasures you’ll find by eating locally.

Know Your Limits: One thing Stephen Troese Jr. would argue that you should keep in mind no matter else is that you should never push yourself. Sure, the plan might have been to make it to the next big city before you tried to find a hotel, but sometime’s that an impossibility. Stephen Troese Jr. says the most important thing is safety when it comes to traveling across country. Play it safe and give yourself tomorrow to go on another adventure.