Mention to friends that you are about to embark on a cross-country drive and they have two reactions. Their eyes light up. “How exciting! That is my dream trip,” they say. Perhaps they have read Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road'” or perhaps they like the idea of not being hindered by security lines, bad airline food, and the indifferent service. Alternatively, you see the eyebrows go up and a look of dismay crosses their face. “Why?” they ask. “Are you mad? It is so boring to drive.” Irrespective, for us it is an opportunity to experience, photograph and truly appreciate the vastness, diversity, and beauty of the United State. So here we go — 3,293 miles from New York to San Francisco and then back again. Join us!

As you can see from the map, we have chosen to drive west via the so-called “southern route.” It is, after all, still winter, and the possibility of blizzards along the way is not excluded, especially in this time of wacky weather. Family commitments in California mean that we will only have two weeks to complete the westward journey but we could spend a month or more crossing the country.

We have been preparing for this trip for some time and would like to share a few tips should the freedom of the road tempts you. Careful research about where you want to go will ensure that you don’t miss anything. This is especially critical if you are traveling at peak season. At the most popular spots, such as the Grand Canyon, reservations are required and spots sell out months in advance, even in the so-called “Off Season.” We plan a route that will let us drive a reasonable distance every day whilst still having time to stop and visit interesting spots along the way.  On the other hand, this is an adventure so it is pointless planning too much. Some of the most serendipitous moments are the ones you don’t expect.

A visit to the AAA office provides us with a detailed booklet filled with maps and information about the different areas. We also renew our annual membership so that we can call for backup if necessary. We make sure to let someone known our itinerary. Even though we have a navigation system, we pick up some good, old-fashioned maps for those places where there is no coverage. There is something quite nostalgic about an open map.

Our vehicle also needs preparation. Although we service it on a regular basis and the roads are excellent, we double check that the fluids in the car are where they should be that the tire pressure is appropriate and that our lights and windshield wipers are functioning (we actually find a problem with the windshield wiper that would have spoiled our trip if we had not caught it.). We also check the pressure of the spare tire and make sure that the jack and the tire iron are actually there. As a matter of principle, we always fill up our car when the gas tank reaches half full. You never know how far the next gas station might be. A check of the first aid kit reveals several products that are beyond their expiration.

In spite of our best efforts to keep things to a minimum, the pile of luggage grows and has to be thinned out. Think carefully about what you need to pack so that your car is not overloaded and pack it in such a way that you don’t have to haul everything out to reach what you need on a daily basis.

Since neither of us is partial to fast food, a small 12 V car fridge ensures that we have fun, wholesome snacks and drinks. We carry a carton of extra water, just in case. A satellite radio and iPhone loaded with music will provide entertainment.

Our driving route is divided into 8 stages:

• New York City to Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
• Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia to Nashville, Tennessee
• Nashville, Tennessee to Little Rock, Arkansas
• Little Rock, Arkansas to Weatherford, Oklahoma
• Weatherford, Oklahoma to Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Albuquerque, New Mexico to Flagstaff, Arizona
• Flagstaff Arizona to Ridgecrest, California
• Ridgecrest, California to San Francisco, California

Now there is nothing left to do but pick up a tall cup of coffee, put on the sunglasses and star the engine! California here we come!

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