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Road Trip Thoughts

 We just returned from an epic road trip. Over a month on the road, we briefly visited Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, and Colorado, and we got to spend some quality time in Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and New Mexico. We left on short notice and packed in one night. We did a lot right, but I would do a few things differently. 

Here are some thoughts and suggestions in no particular order:

  • HDMI cord and ethernet cords: We brought the former and forgot the latter. For security, I recommend that you bring an ethernet cable. If you have an ultrabook like me (no Ethernet port), you can get a USB to Ethernet converter. As for the HDMI cable, most hotels have TVs with accessible HDMI ports; just connect your laptop and stream away.
  • Binoculars: We visited a lot of National and State Parks during the migratory season for many animals. We forgot to bring binoculars! I picked some up at the Yellowstone General Store and boy was I glad. Still, I am sure that it would have been a lot cheaper if I had gotten them online (glad to support Yellowstone though). Get yourself a pair with quality lenses (Nikon).
  • Threshold speeds: Speeding doesn't get you there much faster at all. Seriously, look at your ETA in Google Maps-maybe you'll save 30 minutes over an all-day drive. Best not to speed, but if you do, stay below the thresholds, 10, 15, 20, etc. At 20 MPH over, you are a big red target asking for remedial driving school and a huge ticket. At 9 MPH over, it is highly unlikely that you will be pulled over.
  • Tidal: I love Tidal, the highest quality music streaming service. Driving in the mountains, we often lost connection, but each night, I tweaked my MQA quality downloaded content. and so I was ready.
  • Dynaudio Music 3: At this point, I am quite sure that Dynaudio produces among the best all-in-one audio systems. Sadly, their software seems to be lacking but this little speaker was so clutch during this trip. I connected my iPhone X to the USB port/DAC through a Lightning USB cable. and it sounded great. I was so pleased with its battery life and the quality of the sound. Highly recommend!
  • Layering: Bring different weights of clothing. It was in the 80s when we left but it fell below freezing within weeks in some locations. We had to buy new Winter clothing. You never know...
  • Knife: Once again, you never know; needed for opening packages, boxes, sandwiches, etc. 
  • Crazy Creek: A very light and flexible chair that is excellent for short or even longer hikes. Some people also use them as sleeping pads.
  • Kindle Oasis: I brought a ton of books with me from Saint Louis and ended up paying USPS to ship many of them back. I needed room to buy more books, ha. But really, I should have just brought a few, bought a few more, and relied on my trusty Kindle Oasis. The Oasis can carry more books than you can probably read in a lifetime. Also, it's very water-resistant so you can dip it in the hot tub without concern.
  • Pen and paper: I didn't find as much time to write as I had hoped but I was focused on primary experiences. When I had time, it was so relaxing to take some time to reflect in scribble in a notebook or to do some drawings. 
  • Water bottles: I bought large packs of bottled water and made sure to keep a good number in the car. Usually, I just take my handy MIRA water bottles, but it was very handy to have these ready to go for spontaneous day hikes. Plus, with COVID, there are far fewer places to refill your water bottle.

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