There's nothing better than waking up early, packing a cooler of sandwiches, snagging a thermos of caffeine, and hitting the highway. Whether it's a family trip in the mini-van to Myrtle Beach, a pile of friends in a Prius following DMB around during their summer tour, or a newlywed couple taking the CR-V to Big Bear for a well earned romantic ski weekend, road trips rule. That is, until your little brother gets sick from too many Skittles, the Prius breaks down on Highway 81, or the CR-V gets stuck in a snow bank.

Whatever the outcome, these adventures are sure to become conversation gems for years to come… especially the ones that don't go as planned. Romance on the slopes is nice, but a story about Jimmy vomiting Skittle barf on your sister will be a great anecdote to tell at his wedding some day. So the itinerary may have to get scrapped and you might wind up stranded or in the ER, but it beats being at work. If ever there was a moment to examine the "journeys" we take in life and how they shape us, it is while reading On the Road. Kerouac's masterpiece gives credence to the restlessness and wonder that is embedded in everyone. The text allows students to weigh the good, the bad, and the ugly side of being a journeyman… or woman.