As the Alabama Crimson Tide rolls into Athens this week, many of us will be traveling to the game. Being that this is the first of many SEC away-games this season, here is a guide to make sure you make the most of your time visiting our conference neighbors.

Choose The Right Car.

As much fun as it might be to take your lifted Jeep on a road trip, trust me, it is not a good idea. The ideal vehicle should comfortably fit you and at least three other people, plus their stuff, for 8-12 hours with no problems.

The vehicle should be able to go at least 500 miles on a single tank of gas and include multiple USB and charging ports to charge everyone's cell phones with ease. My pick would be a Tahoe or F-150, as both of them fit the needs of a good road-trip car.

Note: if you take a pickup truck, make sure there is a cover on the bed for bad weather.

Know Where You Are Going to Stay Ahead Of Time.

As much fun as it might seem to go to the game on a whim, you really should plan ahead on where you are going to stumble back to after the game. Do you have a friend that goes to the school? Does someone in your family live close by? Are you staying with one of your fraternity brothers and having their parents drive you? Are you staying at another chapter of your Greek organization? You need to plan this out ahead of time so once you get to your destination you can immediately start pre-gaming for the Tide rolling through their opponent.

Plan Your Route Ahead Of Time.

Most people will type in an address and follow their navigation. While that will most likely get you there, it may not be the fastest way. The day before the trip, look at google maps and plan out the route.

This will not only give you an idea of where you are going, but also let you look and see if there is a more direct route. Your navigation might give you the shortest route in terms of mileage, but it might take you through some sketchy areas.

Meanwhile if you stayed on the highway for another 10 miles, you could have arrived at the same place in the same amount of time.

Figure Out What You Are Doing For Tailgating And The Game.

This aspect is most important, and is the reason that you traveled in the first place. What are you doing for the game? When you are tailgating, find a good spot and stay hydrated until kickoff.

Are you going to be doing this at a bar, or are you going to pull a Lewis Goodpasture and find an empty tent on the quad? Additionally, you should find out where you are going to watch the game because that is the whole point of being there.

Do you have a ticket to the game? Or are you going to watch it at a bar? Or are you going to find a tent with a bunch of gracious mothers who have food and a TV that would love to host your butt for the next three hours.

Bottom line is this, if you have never traveled to an away-game, are you really a fan of Alabama football? As long as you plan ahead and prepare, traveling to an away-game will become one of your favorite memories while at the Capstone.

And always remember this, you’re an Alabama fan and every other team hates you, so just smile and be happy at their misery.