I rarely drive anymore and have not owned a car in several years, but I will always praise the wonders of a stellar road trip. This past weekend I had a chance to do some highway driving through upstate New York — boy have I forgotten how much fun going fast can be (!!) Cruising through the Catskills reminded this city girl that driving can be especially enjoyable when the backdrop is decorated by a scenic landscape. And whether well-planned or spontaneous, joy rides can bring out the traveler in any of us.
And now true auto aficionados who love to travel have a new online magazine to turn to for ideas about where and how to travel by car. Automotive Traveler debuted this month from BCT Publishing, and I think the best thing about how it handles is the cool user interface which allows readers to flip through it on the web like a virtual paper mag. In between the glossy ads, the mag is packed with auto show news, GPS and gadget tools, travel tips and featured road trips, like a wine tour through Bordeaux in a Jaguar, baseball spring training done via Dodge Magnum, and an off-road trek to Jeep Jamboree in Alaska. My favorite sections are the two book sections, of course — Literary Traveler and Automotive Bookshelf. Be sure to stop by and browse the first issue for yourself.