I’m joining Coco and Deborah for our last hot beverage meetup of the year! Seriously, how is that even possible? I’m sharing some of my favorite travel tools (this post contains Amazon affiliate links). These are what I bring when I’m driving to my destination and have room.
If we were enjoying tea/coffee: Travel Tool 1
I’d tell you that the travel tea kettle (Amazon Affiliate link click here) did its job awesomely. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it will keep your water warm . . . forever (or for a long time anyway). Would I travel with this by plane? I know I’d want to, but it definitely takes up some room. Remember id does squish down.
If we were enjoying tea/coffee: Travel Tool 2
I’d tell you about an oldie but a goodie: my mini crockpot (Amazon Affiliate link click here). In the national park there was no mini fridge or mini refrigerator in our room (there was a Keurig). I was able to warm up the english muffins I’d brought with me using the mini crockpot I’ve had forever — and make my oatmeal overnight before that on race day. I’ve had mine for almost 10 years!
If we were enjoying tea/coffee: Travel Tool 3
I’d tell you had that little brush I bought to clean off the treads of my running shoes (Amazon Affiliate link click here) is awesome. Before I’d have little dried bits of mud or leaves coming off all over the house. Now I can just brush it off right after my run and it’s so much better.
If we were enjoying tea/coffee: Travel Tool 4
I’d tell you about another oldie but goodie: my heating coil (Amazon Affiliate link click here — this link is not to my specific heating coil because I’ve had it so long). That’s how I’ve made tea when I travel for decades when I had no other way.
I brought it along as a back up — it takes up very little space. I actually used it! I’d made some tea, put it in the thermos I sip it from, and then forgot about it at some point. I wanted to finish it later, but I didn’t want to reheat tea in my travel kettle — I know, weird, but I only want to heat water with the kettle.
Mr. Judy suggested I just use the heating coil to reheat it. D’oh! That worked great.
If we were enjoying tea/coffee . . .
I’d tell you I do not know what the heck is going on with Bandit. He had an accident at my mom’s. We were actually able to eat in the dining room, so we’d left him gated into the kitchen (thankfully, as the rest of the apartment is carpeted). We weren’t even away that long — less than two hours, I’d guess. We’ve been doing this for years (pre Pandemic, anyway).
On top of that he’s gotten incredibly balky about walking now that it’s colder. He’s eager to go but he puts the brakes on really quickly. I don’t know if it’s the coats (he hates coats) or just that the weather is colder. Or that he’s old (about 14). He usually loves to walk, but he actually was balky about walking on one particular trail at Thacher Park last month when it wasn’t so cold and wasn’t wearing a coat.
He has a annual next week so maybe we’ll get some answers. Maybe it’s just old age but it’s been incredibly frustrating lately, because it takes time to suit us all up nowadays!
If Bandit doesn’t walk, Mr. Judy doesn’t walk. I’ve taken to just going on to walk on my own when they turn around for home.
Update 12/1/22: Today he walked just fine, and it was a nasty, cold, windy day. Go figure.
Are you prepared for the holidays or beginning to get anxious?
Not a big deal for me; I’m Jewish. Hannukah isn’t a big deal unless you’re a kid.
Any favorite travel tools to share?
How has running surprised you recently?
Also linking up with:
Chocolaterunsjudy 
You are a very well-prepared traveler!!!
Sounds like Bandit’s turning into an old person, I mean dog! Poor guy…
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When we drive I take #allthethings. Well, not really, because you have to haul #alllthethings everywhere (we stayed in 5 different places!).
Bandit is definitely an old dog, but it’s so weird because he really seems to WANT to walk, he drives us kind of bonkers going in & out. Yesterday he was fine. We’re trying to figure this out.
I’m ok with cutting his walks short occasionally, but I think regular exercise is just as good for dogs as it is for us!
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I’m low maintenance so no travel tools even when we drive. I go with the flow.
I have a kitten so no tree this year …
I did make my holiday cards already but haven’t addressed.
Even though I’m Jewish I like to get into the spirit.
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I’m good with going with the flow, but I do drink tea and that’s harder to come by in hotel rooms — because drinking tea out of a keurig that’s been used for coffee totally doesn’t work.
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Sounds like Bandit is just getting older and wants to do things when he wants to do them! Those are some interesting travel items! I can honestly say I have not brought any of them. I often use the coffee pot to make boiling water for oatmeal on race day
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Since I’m not a fan of coffee, using the keurig to boil water is anon starter for me! I always figure something out, though.
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Oh, I really need that brush! My shoes are incredibly dirty after trail runs. I don’t know why I never thought of it, but a brush like that would be perfect.
Poor Bandit! I wouldn’t want to walk in that weather either.
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The brush doesn’t get everything, but it gets a lot. I really highly recommend it! I don’t know why it took me so long to look for one. I use it on my hiking boots, too.
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Looks like you found some good travel tools! Sorry Bandit is acting up a bit. I don’t have to tell you that older dogs can be tough. I know you know!
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I know you know about older dogs too! We’ll have to see if we can make it two days in a row. Mr. Judy tried to walk him while I was out running today & didn’t get far — but that’s not unusual (unfortunately).
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I’m pretty low maintenance when traveling, but I do try to bring my Theragun along for trigger-point massaging. I sometimes bring a few of my cappuccino kcups, but I can usually find a Starbucks if need be.
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I drink a lot of tea. It would really add up if I was buying it all the time!
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I had never heard of that heating coil before. I’m going to look into that for my daughter when she goes away to college next fall and see if she can have it in the dorm.
When I’m traveling by car and will be running I like to bring my foam roller and calf stick.
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I definitely bring a foam roller, although this time it was the worm & a really tiny one (tiger’s tail) that I did use before my race.
Personally the travel kettle would be simpler. The heating coil does have a hook sort of thing so that you don’t have to hold it, but I never found that to work that well & it doesn’t protect you from forgetting it & boiling it dry. So I did use it but I’d just hold it. It does work well though!
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I’m probably gonna have to put that travel tea kettle on my wishlist, haha. 😀 It sounds wonderful!
Poor Bandit! It sounds like he’s getting older, or…based on your update, maybe he just didn’t feel like going out in the cold!(?)
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He’s definitely getting older. I definitely recommend the travel tea kettle!
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I love the idea of that little shoe brush. We take off our shoes after a run or walk and wash the soles with water and a brush in the laundry room sink. That works great, too, but then we have to let them dry or they’re squeaky.
I hope Bandit is okay and is just getting more stubborn in his old age. I know I am! 😉
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LOL about being stubborn! I call it determined.
The shoe brush really is fabulous!
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Nice that you’ve found a good collection of tools. I don’t tend to take much with me when I travel.
Poor Bandit – it’s hard getting older.
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Very hard getting older. He was lucky today it was warm enough he didn’t need a coat but that will not be the case tomorrow.
When we’re driving I’ve learned the hard way that it’s better if you take more — have more options. For me, anyway. It was a 10 day trip & we didn’t always have the modern conveniences — I used what I took!
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I hope you figure things out with Bandit. I sure would be concerned if Scooby ever didn’t want to walk. He doesn’t mind the cold — or the rain!
Since I usually fly for travel, I don’t have big travel tools, but if I were driving somewhere I might take our Keurig along.
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Bandit is considerably older than Scooby, though.
I do know people who bring their keurig! Although most places actually have them. Even our room in SNP did. Which is fine if you like coffee! There was also a small Starbucks in the main lodge.
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Poor Bandit. I know it can be hard especially since they can’t tell us what’s going on. And I’m sorry it’s making Mr. Judy be less active. We struggle with that here.
I love that little brush thing!
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I love the brush. The last couple of days Bandit walked. Except not far the day I did my long run (because I wasn’t there).
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Poor Bandit. I have the same crockpot! I bought it when I went back to the classroom after teaching remote for a few months.
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I love my mini crockpot & use it for oatmeal pretty much every week!
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