Holiday Weekend Means Texans Hit the Road

Triple A says more than 34 million Americans will drive more than 50 miles from home over the three day Memorial Day weekend. In Texas, that's 2.8 million people clogging up the roads. And your plans?

My family plans to skip the road trip and do something totally different....backyard camping! Many of my friends have been doing it lately with their kids and posting the pics on Facebook. I'm inspired to try it. Apparently all we have to do to have backyard fun is haul the sleeping bags outside and pitch a tent back there, and save the cost of admission to a park. It is pretty smart. You have your own private space with no wayward frisbees finding their way into your business, and all the conveniences like showers and toilets stay within just a few steps. AND, you don't have to lug that heavy cooler either, with frosty beverages in the fridge nearby.

If you do hit the road this weekend, know the police will be watching CLOSELY for wrong moves.

In addition to extra DUI enforcement patrols, local police and county sheriff's offices are part of the nationwide Click it or Ticket campaign to crack down on those who don't buckle up. It's the law in Texas that even those in the backseat have to be buckled up at all times, and police will be watching to make sure we "click it" this weekend. Kids have to be buckled up in car seats too of course.

So if you take a road trip to the Kerrville Folk Festival, or Luckenbach's 150th birthday celebration, drive safely and buckle up.

Or, just stay in East Texas and pitch a tent behind your house. Just make sure you clean up after the family dog first.