Preparations

Thankfully, the closer I get to departing, the more sure of this trip I feel. Whew! It helps that some of the issues with my car are fixing themselves. That coolant leak? It has decided to stop for the moment. Odd, I know. And my gas mileage has improved after reinflating my tires - I'm now at 39 miles per gallon in mixed conditions. I've decided to keep my anti-roll bar uninstalled until I reach Utah as the ride is much more comfortable over rough pavement. Handling has decreased, but this trip will cover many miles of open highway so I'll appreciate the increased comfort. So far, so good.

To update you on my planned departure date, it has been moved forward two days to Wednesday morning. Due to prior engagements, I was unable to do much preparing over the weekend, so I'll be using Monday and Tuesday to get myself and the car ready. It's still not a big deal, as I have 12 days to arrive in Utah - plenty of time to stop and see stuff.

Just so you know, I'll be using US-20 for most of the trip. It conveniently begins near Fenway Park in Boston and crosses the northern half of the country to Oregon. I'll hop off at or near Idaho Falls, Idaho, then head south on I-15 until reaching Provo. Estimated total distance (minus my sidetracks): ~2,600 miles
Map: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/US_20_map.png

As far as good news goes - my shopping list is going to be very short. My dad has been a great help in getting me prepared. He did this when he was in college, though he chose to ride his BMW motorcycle coast-to-coast through the back woods of Canada and back. Like father like son, I guess. I'll be using his tent (I think it's the same one he used for his own trip) and his gas stove, which will save me around $200 in prep costs. He's also offered to help pay for gas equivalent to the cost of flying me out to school, so that's another $200 in savings. Blessings? I think so.

I'm doing some shopping tomorrow at EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports). I've had a $100 gift card burning a hole in my wallet for about 3 years, so I might get a few little niceties for the trip.

As far as lodging goes, I've decided to purchase an annual National Park pass for $80. Many National Parks offer free camping for tenters, making it quite the bargain (vs. around $10 per night at a normal campsite). Plus, it waives all National Park entrance fees, allowing me more freedom to see the sites.

For food - the camp stove and a mess kit will allow me to avoid fast-food and take-out restaurants for the most part. A stop at Walmart every couple of days will keep my food stock replenished.

I'm very excited for this opportunity to enjoy the sights, smells, and tastes America has to offer. Plus, the time to myself for self-reflection will prove highly beneficial.

Visit the blog often for videos, pictures, and my experiences on the open road.