Let's see, I am also going to take my car (1990's Subaru Legacy, 167,000 miles) to the dealer and tell them to have their way with it. It probably needs all of the gaskets replaced (slowly loses oil), and who knows what else. It went through a period of leaking coolant before I got the *mumblemumbleihaventthefaintestideasomesortofpump* replaced, so I have extra oil, wiper fluid, jumper cables and coolant in the back seat. I check the air every couple weeks at the gas station. It might even be worth getting one of those car-starter battery packs that lets you jump-start your car without another vehicle.
I still have to figure out what I'm going to pack. I'm stopping in ND for a week for a RAVS trip, so I don't want to have stuff that can't survive possibly sitting in the sun for a week. My parents are going to ship a bunch of stuff (including my cat
🙂 ) to me once I'm in Cali, so I just need the basics. A couple suitcases of clothes, camping and birding gear, maps, podcasts, phone charger.
I am going to take my time - how about you guys? I have several friends I'm going to stop and see, and I'm planning to drive only 1 day out of every 2 or 3, since I'll be all by my lonesome and I want to see the country anyway.
ImaJerseyGirl, what general route are you planning to take? I'm going north, then west because of friends/RAVS/climate. I'll meander a bit through WV and KY, then go straight north through Michigan, hang out in northern MI for a few days (look for Kirtland's Warblers!), then head to Minnesota to visit a friend, then RAVS, then probably hang out on the upper Plains for a few days. I really want to do some birding in the Black Hills. Then, through Montana and hang out for a bit in palouse country, then on to Seattle to see my uncle. When I feel like it, I'll drive down the coast to Davis. I'm expecting to take about a month total, first week of July to early August.
One tip I got on another board is to give someone at home or near where you're traveling an itinerary with the day's route, then check in with them each morning and evening. That way, if you get stranded somewhere with no cell phone service, they know where to send someone to find you. When planning your route, have a list of hotels, etc., on the way. I'm considering getting a cheap GPS system for the trip, but, as I learned in Iowa, there's no substitute for having a physical map and directions when the GPS freaks out and says that your destination does not exist.
Spare car key - I once had a piece of a key break off in my trunk lock. While I was still able to open the trunk for a while by putting the other fragment in and turning, I had to wait for my parents to mail me another key before I could drive the car. Having a spare key makes finding a locksmith a little less inconvenient if it breaks or gets lost (I have nightmares about dropping my keys down storm drains, but maybe my paranoia is justified given my level of klutziness).
First aid kit! Gauze, vetrap, Neosporin, Benadryl, and ibuprofen ought to cover most contingencies. Tweezers for splinters and ticks. Saline for irritated eyes or flushing small wounds when there's no sink. If you're like me and you are prone to sprained ankles, roll gauze + Vetrap + Elastikon + "air cast" = almost complete immobilization of joint, enough to keep limping along for a while. (TMI - Roll gauze first keeps the vetrap from irritating your skin when it's a long day and your foot starts sweating.)
😀
All right, I'll stop my obsessive road trip rambling for now.
I'm so clueless when it comes to cars. 
