As I drove out of Las Vegas and into the wide open desert that surrounds the I-15 heading into California, the sun was hot, the air was heavy and I was finally free (at least for the week). I spent the last week asking people what I should listen to in the car for my road trip. Not being much of a music connoisseur, I sought advice on Twitter and the Lonely Planet forum. When it came right down to it though, I just wasn’t feeling the road trip music vibe.

Instead, I turned on the radio and began flipping through stations. To my pleasant surprise, it seemed like every station dedicated a healthy portion of their air time remembering the King of Pop. I turned the station up and sang to Beat It, Thriller and Billy Jean. I’d never really thought about listening to Michael Jackson on the road, but his music has a great beat and is easy to sing along with — two components essential for good road trip music, in my opinion.

For me, it was a fitting time to listen to Michael Jackson’s music. People seem to rush though life without taking the time to notice the details. My goal with road trip travel is to slow down and share the details I find with the people who journey with me. We assume we’ll have time to notice those details tomorrow, but I think we all learned a lesson with the King of Pop’s passing yesterday. Any day can be our last. I intend to live each one to the fullest.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

• To Be a Vagabond — Words from a Master
• The Digital Vagabond and the 2009 Roads Scholars
• 7 Must-Pack Things for a Road Trip