Driving from New York City to Los Angeles: Pre-Planning, Part 2
I’m trying to put together a list of things I will need in the car as I drive from New York City to Los Angeles. The goal is to not have much. I’m hoping to ship some of my belongings. In fact I’m hoping to shed a lot of my things before the trip. It seems so liberating to just let go of my stuff. 90% of my belongings just seem to sit around. Why not sell it, get rid of it or just leave it on a high note? I feel having more things means having more chores. More stuff, less time. I bring a backpack into work with me every day. Its full of wrinkled papers, a book I never read, and a water bottle. Good riddance.
That being said, here’s a preliminary list of things I’m thinking of packing in the car for the 5-8 day drive:
Car Items
- fluids (oil, window washer blue juice, brake fluid, coolant)
- tools (vice grips, wrench, screw driver, and probably a few other things I vaguely know how to use)
- spare tire (already have one, just need to give it air)
- jack & tire iron (sounds like a cool TV show)
- foot pump
- tire gauge
- that spray-on tire repair thing in a can
- iPod adapter/tunes/audio books
- TomTom GPS (perhaps programmed with the voice of Luciano Pavarotti)
- empty gas can
- jumper cables
- maybe a portable car jumper
- 1988 VW Fox Repair Manual (for the mechanic in case something goes awry)
- spares of: bulbs, fuses, relays, coolant hoses, radiator stop leak, quicksteel, clutch cable (I have no idea what some of these are but the nice folks at VWVortex recommended I bring them)
- gallon of water
- bike rack with bicycle (?)
- some sort of “worse case scenario” book about cars (anyone recommend one?)
- road atlas
- AAA card
Food/Kitchen on the Road Items
The budget for this trip is going to be on the slim side, so I want to eat well, but as cheap as I can. I also want to have a lot of food in the car to save cash and eliminate any roadside impulse buysP.
- peanut Butter
- bread
- water
- cooler
- apples
- carrots
- canned soup
- canned beans
- rice
- skillet/pot with lid
- mug for tea
- tea kettle
- chamomile tea
- chocolate bars
- marshmellows
- graham crackers
- canned beans
- Indian food packets
- bananas
- MRE’s (?)
- pasta sauce (in a plastic container)
- vegetable pasta
- sausage
- A mix of cashews, walnuts, peanuts, almonds, and chocolate chips
- hot sauce
- Some kind of grill or hibatchi (excessive?), brickettes, lighter, lighter fluid (too dangerous to have in car?)
- cheese puffs and pretzels.
- dish soap
Cat Items
- some sort of portable litter box
- cat litter
- cat food (wet and dry)
- a couple different harnesses and leashes
- a carrier to take Mozart out of the car
- a barrier to keep Mozart in the hatchback
- blankets, bedding
- scratch post, toys, and drugs to keep him happy
- nail clipper
- a gallon of the water from home (I heard this helps when removing cats from their usual place)
- treats
- water bowl
Jeremiah Items
- clothes for 5 or 6 outfits
- fleece for cool days
- jacket for cool nights
- hat
- spare contacts
- new glasses with something to eliminate glare
- cell phone
- laptop
- audio gear
- tooth brush, shampoo, beard trimmer
- 3 towels
- 14 pairs of sox
- notebook
- camera
- bathing suit
- tent
- sleeping bag
- pillow
- head lamp
- 1 pair of boots, 1 pair of sneakers
- gloves
- flashlight
- rope
- tarp
- matches
- knife
- grabber (to pick up trash along the way)
- stamps for postcards
- list of planned stops for camping, phone numbers for reservations, phone numbers of ranger stations
- cash and coins for tolls
- sunglasses
- sunscreen
- hat
- 1 tie
- soap
