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Whether you’re dodging the Thanksgiving family dinner, getting some fresh country air or hungering for the sight of the fall leaves, get in a vehicle and keep moving.
Keep your favourite drink close and spill-free in an insulated stainless steel cup by Thermos ( 1 , at all major retailers, $10). This visor CD organizer by Case Logic ( 2 , Canadian Tire , call 1-800-387-8803 for the nearest location, $10) keeps your tunes accessible. Traveller’s friend spelt gingersnap cookies from ShaSha Bread Co. ( 3 , Loblaws , 650 Dupont, 416-588-4881, ,and others, $6) are additive- and preservative-free. They’re good for car sickness, too – ginger aids digestion.
Pretty obvious here, a road map ( 4 , Canadian Tire, $20) will make your road trip that much smoother. This fuzzy pair of dice ( 5 , Canadian Tire, $6) is not only decorative but also doubles as an air freshener.
Ornithologists and voyeurs alike will love Pentax’s Digibino digital camera binoculars ( 6 , Henry’s , 119 Church, 416-868-0872, $300). So your internal GPS sucks. An old-fashioned compass ( 7 , Europe Bound Travel Outfitters , 383 King West, 416-205-9992, and other, $30) will help you find your car, dude. You do know how to use a compass, right?
We all know the driver is the star of the car. Looking good in your buttery leather driving gloves ( 8 , Holt Renfrew , 50 Bloor West, 416 922-2333, $98) never meant so much. These Persol sunglasses ( 9 , Rapp Optical , 788 College, 416-537-6590, $220) feature coated lenses to prevent glare and UV damage.
Remember – when you drive out of town, you are entering a soy milk, decaf and espresso drink-free zone. BYO in a stainless steel vacuum-insulated bottle by Thermos ( 10 , at all major retailers, $30). This practical carbonated-beverage cooler by Nissan Thermos ( 11 , call 1-800-669-7065 for retailers, $40) will keep your bevies chilled and bubbly. Enjoy hot or cold food with this Kooltron Electronic Cooler/Warmer ( 12 , Canadian Tire, $120). It plugs into your lighter and works as long as your car keeps running.
Fear no battery problems if you’ve got a Motomaster Battery Charger with Engine Start ( 13 , Canadian Tire, $60) as backup.
Rig up your own organization station with Case Logic’s Front Seat organizer and litter chute and Umbra’s car can. ( 14 , $6 all from Canadian Tire).
It’ll be cold out – a red polar-fleece blanket ( 15 , Europe Bound, $20) is where it’s at. This tiny Optio S4 4.0 megapixel digicam from Pentax ( 16 , Henry’s, $560) will record your life and also capture still images best left mute. Heat and massage your backside with this cushy ObusForme Deluxe Seat Cushion ( 17 , Canadian Tire, $70). We love this Gortex Momentum shell ( 18 , Mountain Equipment Coop, 400 King West, 416-340-2667, $88) without all the pockets and logos.
The polarized lenses on these sleek shades ( 19 , Rapp Optical, $570) by Alain Mikli will keep squinting to a minimum.
It could pass as a clutch but its actually an emergency kit ( 20 , Canadian Tire, $10) with band-aids, thermal blanket, flashlight and everything in between – brought to you by Justin Case (get it?). Keep your toes toasty in these waterproof Sierra Low shoes ( 21 , MEC, $150) from Zamberlan.
