There’s something about packing for a trip – even an overnighter – that I really enjoy.  It’s a challenge to balance what you need with what you might need, with what you just plain want to have along.  So, being a resident of the US, here are my suggestions for what you should bring, or leave behind, on your trip down Route 66.

I’m actually writing this mostly for the benefit of any neighbors who will be visiting from other countries.  My fellow Americans will probably read through this and give me a big, “Duh!”  (That’s American for, “That’s so obvious, why do you even mention it?”)  But having traveled through the UK, France, Jamaica and Africa, plus countless road trips across the US, I may have a few observations that could be helpful for folks visiting the US for the first time.

photo borrowed from lostintransit.org

1. Keep some perspective

First of all, keep in mind that you are not visiting a 3rd world country.  The US has anything you could possibly need – and quite a few things you had no idea existed.  Granted, you may be coming from the UK and you know for a fact that nowhere in the US is your preferred brand of biscuit.  I promise, you’ll survive.  But as you pack, relax!  You’re going on vacation.  If you forget your toothbrush or batteries or the special electric plug converter combo set that you bought especially for this trip – don’t worry about it.  It’ll all work out.

At the end of the day, all you really need is

your identification, your credit card, and your spirit of adventure.

 2. Don’t take what you can’t bear to lose

In the movie, “The Accidental Tourist“, the main character suggests that when traveling, never pack anything that cannot be left behind in an emergency.  This is not bad advice.  It goes along with keeping your perspective.  Accidents will happen, luggage may be lost, or anything else could happen that may cause you to lose the items you brought along.  Hopefully, if you were to lose your luggage, you can treat it as an annoyance rather than a heartbreak.

 3. Personal Necessities

Even allowing that you can get virtually anything in the US that you have back home, there are still some things which need to be brought along.  I’m thinking about your prescription medicine, special vitamins, or even your favorite skin lotion.  Medicines, in particular, are highly regulated in the US and may be very difficult to obtain.

When flying, always carry your prescription medication in your carry-on.

As you go through your morning and evening routines, take note of the sundries you use.  From your hairbrush to your toothbrush, your makeup, your morning meds and vitamins – consider carefully what you use each day.  You’ll want to pack these.

And consider items like reading glasses and sunglasses – bring an extra pair.  Put one set in your carry on, the other in your suitcase.

 4. Clothing for Route 66

It was in May, 2008 that I visited Zambia, Africa.  They had just finished their hot, wet season and I was coming from our cold, wet season.  That is, they’d had up to 120 degree weather (48 Celsius) and I’d had freezing 20 degree (-6 Celsius) weather.  As you can imagine, I was really enjoying the warm mornings at about 75 degrees (24 Celsius).  One of the ladies who worked at the orphanage came around in a heavy sweater, concerned that I might be cold in my sleeveless shirt.

“You didn’t know it would be this cold in Africa, did you?” she asked.

So every place is relative when you start talking about hot weather and cold weather.  When you drive the length of Route 66, you are crossing 3 time zones and numerous weather climates.  This Route 66 site has some pretty neat info on weather along the Route.  Depending on the time of year, you could go from cold and rainy to hot and dry in the space of a day.  You need to have appropriate clothes for all possibilities.

Chances are that you aren’t driving the route in the winter, so you don’t need to haul along the cold weather gear.  But if you’re from a very warm region, then the cooler temperatures on some parts of the drive may be uncomfortable for you.  The opposite is also true: if you come from a cooler clime, the dessert heat may hit you like a hammer.  Plus, rain can be expected all year.

The answer?  Layers!  Have a couple light-weight outfits for warm weather, with some overshirts, and a light jacket or sweater.  Bring along a cheap, plastic rain poncho – like you’d use for camping – and plan on throwing it away when the trip is done.  Comfortable shoes are a must!  But you’re not going to a fashion show – minimize the footwear.

We’re pretty casual in the US, and we don’t expect travelers to dress formally. 

Still, you may want to have one “Sunday-go-to-meetin'” outfit.

Personally, I am going to pack about a week’s worth of clothing for my 3 week drive.  Almost every town will have a laundromat available – most motels will likely have washing machines and dryers that you can use for a small price, or possibly a laundry service.  Airline luggage weight limits are crazy these days!  Pack as little as you can for the trip out so that you have room for your treasures on the way home.

 5. Practical Stuff

On a long road trip, there are certain things you need to keep in the car as a matter of necessity:

1. A case of water – doesn’t have to be chilled, but have water (not just soda) in case you get stranded or come across a stranded motorist who needs water.
2. Toilet Paper – there are plenty of rest stops on the road.  They aren’t all stocked well with toilet paper.  Just sayin’.
3. A warm blanket – the nights get cool in the desert.
4. First Aid Kit – doesn’t have to be elaborate, but have some bandaids and antiseptic on hand.
5. Contacts – have a friend back home that you text or email every day to let them know where you are, where you’ve been.  This is especially important if you are traveling alone.  If you don’t check in, your friend will know to make inquiries.

 6. Electronics

We have lots of electronics nowadays.  These days we have electronic devices to help us manage our electronic devices.  Laptop, iPod, iPhone/Android, kindle, cameras… There is so much that we use on a daily basis.  But let’s consider a couple things:

Are these really necessary?  If I were leaving the country, I’d leave my laptop and ipod at home.  I’m visiting a new place, seeing new sights, meeting new people!  Most electronics will distract me and separate me from the experience.  An “I”-pod is not a “we”-pod – it doesn’t make new friendships with others.  And unless your cell phone is your camera, you’re on vacation!  Put the phone away.  Reconnect with the human race.

I will give one caveat here: bring the cell phone, but pack it away.  Better yet, leave your fancy cell phone at home and buy a “burner phone” when you arrive.  It’s cheap, it works on the local mobile system, and you can throw it away at the end of your trip.  If you break down on the road, get lost, have trouble of any sort – you’ll want to have a cell phone for easy communications.

What if these things are lost?  Remember the rule above – don’t take what you can’t bear to lose.  I’ll be backing up my computer and cell phone before I leave home.  If I lose the electronics, at least I won’t lose the data.

So why am I bringing it?  I plan on blogging frequently while I’m on the road (shameless plug to get you to visit me again!) and I’ll be downloading my pictures daily.  My car is 15 years old (seriously!  15 years old!) and doesn’t have a great radio, so I plug in my ipod to listen to my tunes while I’m driving.  (Yes, I am that person who rolls down the windows and sings along with the music at the top of my lungs.)  And, finally, reading my kindle at night helps me relax before going to sleep.  So I have enough excuses to warrant bringing all this stuff with me.

 7. An Attitude for Adventure

I’ve had folks tell me some pretty harrowing stories about events that happened on road trips – from flat tires, to flash floods, to getting lost and finding yourself in a town that you are pretty sure breeds serial killers.  But none of that has ever happened to me.  Well, I’ve had flat tires – and gotten to meet some really nice people who pulled over to help me!  And, well, I was in a flash flood once – which made for a great story at the next family dinner!  But I’ve never gotten lost.  Well, except for that time I missed the interstate and decided to drive back roads across two states and got to see some of the most beautiful country God has placed on this earth!

Route 66 is a Grand Adventure!  This is the road trip to end all road trips!  Let go of all your preconceived notions and just let the experience happen.  I’m looking forward to telling you all about the amazing people and places as I wander through my favorite country in the world!

See you soon!