What are the essentials for a great road trip? You might consider a playlist of your favorite songs, some snacks that you love, or an eye for roadside attractions as essential components, but cigars have a place in road trips as well. Whether you are a regular cigar smoker or you see them as an occasional indulgence, there are a few reasons to add them to your list of road trip must-haves.
1- Camaraderie
Smoking a cigar together can be a great bonding experience. If you’re traveling with one or more companions, enjoying different types of cigars is a terrific indulgence that you can share. If you’re going solo, cigars can be a great icebreaker when you want to get to know the people at the campsite or table next to yours. This is especially true since smoking a cigar can be a novelty for many people, making it a useful conversation piece as well. There’s such a great variety of cigars that you can find something to suit almost everyone, and a road trip can be a good excuse to get outside of your comfort zone and try a few flavors or brands that you might not have smoked before.
2- Ritual
Every dedicated smoker knows the sense of ritual connected with each smoke, even if they don’t think about it consciously every time. There’s selecting the right cigar, cutting it, and enjoying that first draw. This is not a moment to be rushed. You can take your time, appreciating the craftsmanship that went into both the cigar and the cutter itself and discussing the different properties of your cigar selection. This is a chance to slow down, pay attention, and truly appreciate the subtleties of both preparing to smoke and smoking your cigar.
Taking a road trip is about getting outside of your usual routine and seeing a different part of the world in a fresh way, and cigars can help you create that sense of doing something that is special and out of the ordinary.
3- Celebration and Relaxation
Few things are as satisfying as relaxing at the end of the day after you’ve put a lot of miles behind you. A cigar can be a way to celebrate the road trip so far and to relax after a long day of driving. Lighting and enjoying the cigar is an opportunity to reflect on where you’ve been and what you’ve seen that day and ease you into your evening. As you make that first draw, you’ll feel like you are enjoying a well-deserved reward.
Cigars can be one of the essential elements that make a road trip go from good to great. Whether you’re looking to build camaraderie, increase a sense of ritual, celebrate your journey, or all three of these, a cigar can provide these benefits and more. The next time you’re eyeing coolers, making a list of the best songs to listen to, and choosing your road trip buddies, consider bringing along some cigars as well to make the journey even more memorable.
