October 12, 2024

The car is nearly ready.  It’s a 2024 hybrid SUV, and I’ve already got almost 12,000 miles on it. We put on 4200 miles during a trip to Maine, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. The rest of it was back and forth to Carlisle, PA and mid-coast Maine. The shop manager t’sked at me for neglecting to get my oil change at 7500 miles.  I think we were in Canada then, and on a schedule.  Not that that was top of mind.
I picked up some tire chains, in case it snows out West and they are required.  I got a dash cam, hoping to record some awesome road footage, and maybe a Bigfoot crossing the road (I just found out that I need to upgrade the camera, so I can stream it and connect to my phone). I got a ‘donut’ spare tire, which did not come with the purchase of the car, and wont fit in the spare tire compartment because there are hybrid car gizmos in there instead. There is roadside assistance, but we will be on some pretty lonely roads, and I’d hate to wait for hours if I don’t have to.  I got a trailer hitch installed, in case I find something I need to haul back (just kidding—that’s for hauling things in the future). I got a sunshade for the front window since we will be heading into the desert states, not to mention Florida.  
We’ll be bringing other comforts, like a portable grill, a tiny solo stove, lots of watercolor supplies, binoculars, a digital telescope in the hopes of getting some cool pictures of the heavens.  It can hook up to my IPad so mom can see the images better.  Her sight isn’t good enough to look through an eyepiece. Recorded books to listen to while we eat up the roads. Wine to share with friends when we stop.
Our path will range from New York, where I live, to Cleveland, where Mom lives, to Key West, since we haven’t been there-well, she has, but for only a few hours—then heading to New Orleans, across Texas, up into southern Utah, to Vegas, baby, then Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Nashville, Asheville, then back to moms house. There will be many stops and we will be able to visit friends in most places we go.  
Chris