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Fantastic question u/ardnassac115, and I'm glad you asked it. For some background on me, I'm 25 and used to work full-time in a pretty serious career before deciding to return to graduate school full-time. This lined up for me, and is probably one of the few times in my life I'll be able to do something this long and live-changing. When in my life will I have the holy trinity of time, energy, and money again? I had budgeted through grad school to 1.) make sure I could go through grad school without working, and 2.) make sure I had enough leftover to do something like this before returning to work. I still live at home and my major monthly expenses are student loans, car payment/insurance, and a cell phone bill. I budgeted to make sure the cost of this trip, in addition to those expenses, could be covered while I was gone before returning to work. I hope that answers your question regarding saving up.

Planning the trip was difficult at first, but became easier over time. I've never done anything like this in my life and I had no idea what I was doing. The most important thing is to first decide how long you want the trip to be. Everything else comes afterwards. I decided 6 weeks because it'd be enough to see a lot while not killing me financially. Next, I knew I wanted to see national parks, but had no idea how. This helped me immensely. It's an "optimal route" to see all the national parks in the lower 48 states (note there have been two new NP additions since: Gateway Arch NP and Indiana Dunes NP). In what I'm sure is a cardinal sin of this sub, I took the fastest, most direct routes in the interest of time rather than looking for scenic routes most of the time. I cared more about time in the parks than pretty views from my car (although there were many). If you look at the order of my route and the route through that link, you'll notice it's very similar. After, I just started researching parks and seeing which ones I want to see the most, and which ones I could skip for now or save for the future. Once I had that down, I opened up an excel sheet and google maps and started actually mapping each day, how long the drives would be between destinations, what I wanted to do, where I'd sleep each night, and how long I'd spend at each destination. How long was decided during the research part on the parks I decided to see on this trip. For example, parks like Rocky Mountan, Zion, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon all got 2 essentially full days because they were so big that I didn't think I could do all the things I wanted to do in a single day. Parks like Badlands, Great Sand Dunes, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Carlsbad Caverns, Gateway Arch, and Cuyahoga Valley I knew could be done in a single, very packed day. To preface that, I'm in shape and did a lot of hiking at a pretty unhealthy (read: fast) pace, allowing me to do a multitude of trails each day to get everything. I'm not going to lie, it took me a ton of effort to route my trip and make sure it was within the time frame. I essentially made an itinerary for myself. It's not as rigid as I'm making it sound, as the only thing really holding me to schedule was reserving campsites or AirBnBs. Otherwise I'd be able to do that research a few nights prior and alter as I needed. On the flip side, when it's 7PM and you don't know where you're sleeping that night, that can be a scary thing if you're not used to it.

I want to emphasize my planning of each day at parks too. I touched on that above, but this blog, where the authors spent 52 weeks doing all 59 (at the time) national parks for the centennial in 2016, was extremely helpful. The pictures, descriptions, and other info were so valuable. My friend's dad caught wind I was doing this trip and lent me three national park guides: Fodors, National Geographic, and Lonely Planet. These were the most important for actually planning my days in parks, with Fodors being by far the most useful, National Geographic also being good, and honestly not much help from Lonely Planet. Just an FYI, the links are for the exact copies I used, but there are newer versions available that you should get if you look into it. A note on this - it saved me a tremendous amount of valuable time when I got to parks to already know exactly what I wanted to do. If I had extra time and could do stuff I didn't know about, that was great! But on packed days it helps to know where things are in each park and how reasonable your "want to do" adventures are for the time frame.

For road trip prep I had to buy or borrow some things I didn't have and got the rest from my house: sleeping bag, sleeping pad, bed comforter, tarp, tent, knife, bear spray, pepper spray, a road atlas, a lantern, an abundance of snacks (clif bars, larabars, peanut butter crackers, etc), national park passport, a good cooler for water/food, camp stove and bowls, matches, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and some other things that I'm surely not remembering. A good, solid backpack and some good water bottles are necessary. Multi-tools are useful. Don't forget some engine coolant and wiper fluid just in case. Don't forget to stop for an oil change if your trip is long enough. For clothing I put a suitcase in the back seat of my car and lived out of that between laundry. Also had a box with some of the above items in it along with toiletries and other essentials like baby wipes, phone charger, electric razor and charger, nail clippers, sandwich baggies, and a few other things.

Woooo, that was a long winded post! There is so much to think about and plan when doing something like this, and I'd be lying if I said a great deal of work didn't go into my plan. If this trip had been shorter, a lot of this wouldn't be necessary. Six weeks though, that's a long time away from home, completely on my own. Having never done something even close to this, I felt I needed to do a lot of this prep work to make sure this went as smoothly as possible. It did go very smoothly too, but I attribute a lot of that to planning. I hope that this essay response helps you understand the pre-trip process I went through a bit better. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have!

My wife and I have camped pretty extensively across the West and a bit around the East (we’re just down from you in NE Ohio). First, I have to say that the Western US is where the natural beauty of North America is at its best, so spend as much time as you can out there!

We started camping around with a really basic and cheap Coleman Redwood tent that definitely did what we needed. We didn’t do trips as long as yours though, and we found some disadvantages for camping in the mountains and on the Great Plains. At first we used an air mattress and two cheap Coleman sleeping bags. We threw all our little stuff in plastic bins you buy at Target or Walmart, which kept rodents out of our food and random sundries like lighters, dish soap, duct tape, cooking fuel, etc. separate from our eating utensils. It makes it way easier to load/unload everything from the car onto a picnic table or wherever to use them. We cooked over our campfires using the grill on the firepit and cast iron skillets my wife found at thrift stores.

We camp mostly the same way now, but we learned a ton from our first Western road trip—most especially that it’s extremely cold to sleep on a bare air mattress, especially at high elevations in the mountains where temperatures approach freezing at night even in July. It’s also cumbersome to set up an air mattress, since you need the blower and batteries to inflate one, which is annoying when you camp in super remote places or you get to camp when everything is already closed. Therefore here is the gear I’d recommend for sleeping:

• Get a small tent—sleeping in a car is not comfortable, especially if it’s full of your gear. Small tents stay warmer at night because you have less air space to heat up with your body, and less surface area for heat to escape. We upgraded from our Coleman 4-person to an REI Half Dome 2 Plus which fits the two of us and maybe a little room for shoes/flashlights/water bottles at your feet and vestibules outside to keep stuff like boots/shoes dry. Get a footprint for it too, so you have easier setup than with a tarp, and so it doesn’t channel rain under your tent.
  
  
• Buy a blow-up camping pad—we got Therm-a-Rest NeoAir sleeping pads that are human inflatable in 1-2 minutes (no batteries needed) and are lined with Mylar, which reflects your infrared back at you to help you stay warmer. You could use an air mattress and lay a space blanket down between you and your sleeping bag, but it’s much more cumbersome. We also found these pads were more comfortable as well as easier and faster to set up. They are also super small and light, and work well for backpacking, which we eventually want to get into. Get something that suits you, but don’t feel like you have to buy it right away. You could upgrade during your trip at an outdoor equipment store after you get a couple weeks of camping experience under your belt. These things were pricey, but they were worth it!
  
  
• Buy a cheap sleeping bag, and ignore the temperature ratings. Read the reviews of each bag and see what people say about the one you’re interested in. You can get more expensive ones that pack smaller and are lighter, but they aren’t necessary for staying warm and comfortable. We haven’t upgraded from our Coleman Green Valleys, which are rated 30-50 degrees but get a tad chilly in the 30s if you’re not wearing extra layers (which you need if you have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night).
  
  
• Get a set of Mylar-lined base layers—these things are A M A Z I N G ! We stumbled into a Columbia store when we were in Portland and got a set on sale and we never leave home without them now! They are comfortable for hiking or sleeping, and keep you so much warmer than long underwear ever could.
  
  
• Wool hiking socks—but a bunch of these—because you’ll never want to wear any other socks again if you get decent ones. I found a whole bunch on clearance at Dick’s Sporting Goods one September and I wear them summer or winter, because they are über-comfortable and keep my feet dry whether it’s hot or cold. They keep your feet much warmer when you sleep too.
  
  Besides the sleeping gear, we’ve also added a little camp stove we got at Aldi. It’s super small and light, and saves us the trouble of building a fire to cook things up in our cast iron skillet. The only problem is that some places out in California don’t sell the butane cans the thing takes for fuel—so you might want to buy a cheap propane stove instead, since you’ll probably get a lot of use from it. Definitely make sure you learn the wonder of the potato! You can make them in so many ways that are awesome and they’re wonderful for energy.
  
  As far as wild animals go, learn how to camp in bear country—there are tons of vids from the National Park Service about this, and they will increase your confidence. We’ve done tons of trips with plenty of camping in developed campgrounds and have had zero problems with them. Just follow whatever local rangers tell you, and you should be fine. To abbreviate, never bring food into your tent, so the smell of food doesn’t sink in—and keep your food and eating utensils in hard-sided vehicles out of sight or in a bear box (a big cabinet at most campsites). Bears are attracted to scented items—even a stick of gum, a tube of toothpaste, or dish detergent can get them rummaging through your tent.
  
  And whatever you do, don’t rush and try to see everything in one trip! Spend a few days in the best places, and assume you will be back to see more someday. I don’t feel like I need to drill this into your head all that much compared to most people, but don’t expect to see even just the Western US in 2-3 months.
  
  As far as destinations, make sure you hit Yosemite (my personal favorite), Yellowstone/Grand Teton, Glacier, and Olympic if you’re going in summer months. If you’re going Sept/Oct or Apr/May, then definitely hit Zion, Arches, Grand Canyon, and anything else in Southern Utah, Southern Nevada, or Northern Arizona. And buy a book, Your Guide to the National Parks, as it makes researching and planning so much easier!

Okay, the servers went kaput here at work, so I got a chance to look at your route some more.

For the east coast, I'd probably go US 1. I've not done the east coast highway yet, but all the reading I've done on it says it's quite pretty. (You also might want to give this a read: http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-American-Road-Trip/dp/0813527414 ). And really, if you're almost all the way down to the south part of Florida, you might as well push through and see the Keys

From the east end of Tennessee, I'd go west to Memphis and south along the The Great River Road. The Jack Daniels distillery is a really cool tour, Graceland really is worth a stop even if you're not a huge Elvis fan and the Blues Highway has a bunch of R&B and Blues sites and clubs to stop at. That gets you down to New Orleans like you originally planned. (Here's some shots I took when I drove that neck of the woods a couple of years ago: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonyjcase/sets/72157627567128155/ )

Not much experience driving Texas and Oklahoma, so I'll skip that. Utah, on the other hand - I concur with GameHenges - Moab is mindblowingly beautiful. Also, Zion and Bryce are astoundingly beautiful parks. Well worth a day each stopover each. And since you're in that area, I might throw a stop at Four Corners in too. Yeah it's tourist trappy, but it's still fun if you're going past.

From there, I've already covered US 101, so lets look at from Washington back to the east coast. Once you get to the puget sound, I would hop a ferry from Kingston to Edmonds and hook up with Highway 2 instead of driving I-90. The drive through the mountains is stunning, Levenworth is a fun little town, and it's a more interesting drive through Eastern Washington. Plus go check out Grand Coolee Dam's laser light show, if you're in the neighborhood come nighttime.

edit
Sorry, forgot that you're hitting Rainier. Ignore the ferry advice and go Highway 12, which goes RIGHT past Rainier. You'll miss Levenworth and the Dam, but the drive through the Rockies is pretty cool too.

Highway 2 also sets you up nicely for Glacier National Park, too. From there, down to Highway 14 should get you through the interesting parts of South Dakota (be sure to hit Wall Drug) and back home.

First of all congratulations on deciding to do this. This will be an awesome experience. Here are a few thoughts:

-Since you'll be near LA you should drive a portion of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). This is the highway up the coast of southern California - very beautiful.

-Since you'll be near Vegas you'll be within a few hours of some of the most beautiful parts of the country (IMHO) - that is the Grand Canyon in Arizona and southern Utah (Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, etc.).

-Not too far east of southern Utah is Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. Here you'll find the cliff dwellings built by the Anasazi nearly 1000 years ago.

-I agree with /u/IONTOP that a small car would be best. However, make sure you have one with decent power and good range on a single tank of gas. You'll be driving through the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, which are amazing, but more fun with a V6 versus a four cylinder. Also, in the western states you may be on stretches of roads with ~300 miles between towns so you don't want a car that only does 200 miles on a tank of gas.

-As you travel through the southwestern United States you'll find yourself in the Navajo Indian Reservation (a.k.a. Navajo Nation). This is the largest Native American reservation in the US and is semi-autonomous from the US government. This can be a fun cultural experience if you decide to make it one.

-If you're into caving there are a lot of options in the Arizona, New Mexico area. See /r/caving for advice and suggestions.

-Buy a large Rand McNally Road Atlas of the US. I'm sure you'll have GPS, but sometimes it's fun just to look at a big map of your surroundings to find interesting things to do. It'll also be a good backup.

-If you don't mind camping then there will be plenty of parks along the way with public campsites. Pack a small two man tent and a sleeping bag and you'll always have a cheap place to sleep. In addition to National Parks and State Parks you'll also find some privately owned campgrounds. One really common chain of privately owned campgrounds is KOA. You can find KOA campgrounds everywhere in this country and they're cheap and reliable. However, definitely stay in the parks if you can - much prettier.

-The National Parks have an entrance fee so if you're planning to go to a lot of them you should consider buying a National Park Pass, which will get you into all of them for a year.

-Since you'll be driving a long way through many different climates in a rental car be sure to pack a tire pressure gauge and an ice scraper/snow brush.

Have fun and be sure to post pics once you're on your way!

On a side note - our friend from Sydney stayed with us last week and just flew back home. I hope to visit your beautiful country some day.

I am also a not particularly threatening young woman who's done a fair amount of cross-country and weekend trips solo.

First- stay aware of your surroundings, and try to hide expensive stuff either in the trunk or under not-exciting looking things. I keep a lot of my stuff in opaque rubbermaid-esque tubs. (This also helps for organization). I travel with a cooler and prefer to make my own meals- so long as you don't mind picking up ice every once in a while, you can make some pretty robust sandwiches and have good snacks, etc. on the way.

I recommend that you keep a few things with you (some especailly if you're going through the desert)

1. Oil, coolant, etc. This depends on your car- I drive a subaru outback that burns through oil annoyingly quick, and have had to top off low oil numerous times on the road. I keep a funnel and 5 quarts in my care usually. I've never needed coolant, but I've also not done the route you're taking during the summer.
   
   
2. Water jug: (e.g. something like this. Fill it up at rest stops, campsites, etc. Came in handy driving through the desert in Nevada last summer.
   
   
3. Power pack & jumper cables, I have [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N3142JE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). Charges via usb so you can make sure its powered up while you're actually driving, or at hotels/motels, etc. This thing has already more than paid for itself in times I've had to jump a vehicle (myslef and others).
   
   
4. Tire repair kit (slime with compressor, for instance), and some basic tools, duct tape etc. I personally am not particularly competent in basic auto repair, but, there are some things that someone else might be able to help you with if they have even the most rudimentary of tools.
   
   
5. Atlas. Most of the trip sounds like it'll be pretty straight forward, but a large chunk of the country also as pretty terrible service. [this one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0792289897/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1) also has some national park maps and locations of free campgrounds marked.
   
   I've never had any issues travelling solo, stopping at rest stops, truck stops, etc. That said, I recommend avoiding rest stops at night and instead going to well-lit gas stations (Pilot, Flying J's, Love's, other travel Plazas) if you can.
   
   I've also never had issues travelling to weird road side attractions, touristy things, or hiking trails by myself, and would recommend stopping at as many of these things as you can. Travelling solo is awesome because you get to stop exactly where you want for as long as you want to. If you see some random attraction that you want to see on the side of the road, go check it out.
   
   Regarding the move-- depends on how much you're attached to any of your things. When I moved to Houston for an internship, I bought a queen size frame and matress online (13" box spring/memory foam that compacts into a small box for free shipping with prime), and brought only what I could fit in my outback. I took a uhaul back to TN afterwards. Travelling cross-country is way less stressful when you're not worried about people stealing things, so if you can- I'd recommend starting fresh with what you can. Just keep in mind that that can end up being pretty pricy.
   
   Didn't intend for that to be a huge word wall. Hopefully something in that is helpful!

Well, the single bad experience was with Airbnb. Basically, the host said he can't host me anymore - without an explanation. I dropped my suitcase in the morn and went out. At night (9pm I think), he said he has changed his mind and I shouldn't come back. He wouldn't answer my calls or texts anymore. I complained to Airbnb, who gave me a choice and I accepted credit towards the night's hotel + some more. I found a CS host the next day kickstarting my CS experience - which is why that first CS host was like an angel :) FYI, I've had good Airbnb experience since then.

I generally rent a car for long road-trips to national parks, which is when I car-camp. I don't have to worry about cleaning and stuff. I also carry a therma-insulation pad, a quilt, a blanket (if it's cold) & a pillow. Fold down the back seats, and you can stretch all the way to the trunk lid (I'm 5'9"; 6'5" - you might have to bend a bit, haha). Put down the mat and then a layer of quilt that you wrap around from your side to cover yourself. I've had amazingly good sleeps... maybe I was tired from all the hiking but it's super comfy :)

Also, since you're facing the rear, the shelf behind the rear seat headrests becomes very useful. If I have my Mac, I can watch a movie while falling asleep/having dinner but you obviously attract attention. Connect that to the car's Bluetooth and you have a beautiful setup of great tech in the middle of a very dark sky. I like to be as rustic as possible when I'm traveling but it's OK to dip into some tech luxury :) I'm working on more ideas to best setup my camera to take timelapses of the stars. Right now, I put it on a tripod and let if face out the window coz I'm scared of keeping it outside (had an incident with raccoons nibbling on the tripod legs). I'll probably end up using a suction cup mount on the roof.

The thing with tents is that you have to search for a campground. Sleeping in the car gives you flexibility but you do have to air the car out in the morn :) Also, pitching a tent in the dark & by yourself is a pain. Also, it's less scary to sleep inside the car alone... LOL

I also have to mention the biggest issue is the proximity sensors in the keyless-remote in modern cars. While you're sleeping inside, you're still within the allowed proximity of the door's unlocking sensors. So, anyone can walk upto the car and open it... when you're asleep... in the middle of the night... without emergency cell coverage... in the middle of nowhere... I always make it a point to disable the convenience feature & keep a 7" Ka-bar next to me before I fall asleep.

Adding to the excellent comment from /u/Zen_Drifter ...

> tire plug kit

Not gonna hurt, but personally I wouldn't bother. They're a PITA to use without having the wheel off the car, at which point you should just swap it for your spare (which you should check, along with your jack and related tools) so you can get to a service center where they should dismount the tire at patch it properly.

Fix-a-flat works as well or better, and is 10x faster which is really important if you're sitting on the shoulder of a 70+mph road! Just make sure to tell the service people about it before they monkey with your wheel. Only down-side is the risk of pressurized cans in high temps, but it's never been a problem for me in 30 years of South Florida temps. (car interior regularly reaches 180°F)

As stated, a 12V compressor is extremely valuable. Not just for emergencies. It'll save you $1.50 in quarters, free you from hassles of faulty equipment, and let you be someone's hero when they really need it.

> washer fluid

This is a tremendous waste of space, and you risk spillage. I used to carry the 4oz bottles of concentrate, but they're increasingly difficult to locate. I've found an even better option is Tablet or Powder concentrates. Be aware these are non-antifreeze! (but you can just dump in a $0.50 bottle of isopropyl to solve that)

> zip ties

Harbor Freight has cheap "larger" sized ties - like 1/4" wide and 3' long - which are particularly useful for holding plastic inner body panels away from tires after damage. (collision with another car, terrain, or fauna) That can mean the difference between a drivable car and waiting for a tow.

I'd also add a bunch of important stuff:

• One of the 12V LiFePo "jump packs" that are all over Amazon these days. Very convenient rescue for a nearly-dead battery, and can be used to charge your phone too. But it may not give you enough juice to start from completely dead, so you still should carry jumper cables.
  
  
• A decent tire pressure gauge. You don't need a high-dollar dial indicator suitable for NASCAR, but you shouldn't trust the super-shitty stick-style keychains either. I like digital ones for convenience, and for ~$10 you can do pretty well with them.
  
  
• Reflective triangles and a safety vest. Also a decent headlamp and/or flashlight, preferably with disposable lithium batteries.
  
  
• Mother fuckin' fire extinguisher - and make sure it's somewhere you can get to it pretty quickly. Stop a big fire while it's still small. But also be aware the chemicals may damage stuff in your engine compartment. (way better than the whole car burning to the ground though)
  
  
• At the very least, a couple of the mylar "shock" blankets. They're super cheap, small, and can save your life if you get stuck waiting out a freak snow storm or something. But ideally some warm clothes, and a blanket or sleeping bag.

Last year, my SO and I did the exact same thing - gave up our NYC apartment (Cobble Hill) and left on a 6 month, 15k road trip that took us all over the US. A few unordered notes about what I learned that may be useful:

• Take a tarp, tupperware and a chiller/cooler/refrigerator. We ate so many meals in city parks, national parks, etc along the way - easy way to see a place and save food money. We splurged on a $45 canvas tarp on Amazon which was amazing - comfy to sit on, looks cool and is seriously the manliest thing I own now. We also spent about $100 on a coleman Chiller which keeps things about 40 degrees cooler than the environment - not for keeping steaks, but great for sandwiches, camp dinner leftovers, etc - get creative about what you can make ahead of time (esp if you stay in a place with a kitchen).
  
• Car trash can - I had a genius idea (if I might say so myself) that was a minor thing with big benefits. I got a cereal container with a flap lid and put a trash bag in it. Boom - car trash. Makes it easy to keep the car from looking like 2 crazy people live in it. I added velcro strips to the bottom to keep it in place.
  
• Co-habitation: spending so much time with anyone is a test of a relationship. We never had blow out fights but of course there were times that things got testy. I realized a few weeks in that each of us having an hour or so a day that was solo time went a long way. Obviously our schedule didnt let us have this every day but when you can, split up for a bit in a city or just recognize that the first hour of coffee/reading in the AM is "me time".
  
• Co-habitation Part 2: after 3 months of staying with friends, camping and staying with AirBnB hosts, we realized it had been a looooong time since just the 2 of us had a place to ourselves. So I recommend once a month or once every 6 weeks, splurge a bit and rent an AirBnB where you get the whole house. Even if its just for 2-3 days, that break in "shared space" living will give you a nice mental break because having to wear pants for weeks in a row really takes its tool - everyone deserves a pantsless break.
  
• Entertainment: get podcasts/audiobooks. Music is great but on a day when you have to drive 12 hours (things are so far apart once you cross the Mississippi), that last 3 hours is a lot easier when you think "oh, it's only a This American Life, and 2 RadioLabs away!"
  
  
  We also worked throughout our trip but I think remote work/travel tips would probably require a whole post unto itself.

I traveled the country for 4 months this summer and have a few things that I found really useful that I'll be taking on my next trip.

A few things I took with me that helped:

• Hammock There were a few times where I couldn't find a good/cheap/free place to camp so I threw up the hammock wherever I could find some trees. It was awesome for the south because it was crazy hot and let the breeze in.
  
  
• 2 Rubbermaid bins one for clothes, one for cookware/books/miscellaneous items
  
  
• Plug-in cooler Saves on ice and keeps things like eggs and cheese perfectly cold. (Mine ended up breaking and not cooling after 2 months, but I bought it from Costco and returned it for a full refund.
  
  
• Storage Bin This might have been the best decision I made when it came to gear. I have a 2004 Honda Civic, and as you can imagine it doesn't have much room. This was perfect because I could fit all my dry food in the bigger bins and things like batteries, a first aid kit, mini flashlights, etc. in the top bin.
  
  
• National Parks Pass I went to as many national parks as I could and this saved me tons of money on entrance fees and got me free camping at Teddy Roosevelt National Park.
  
  I don't know what kind of gear you were thinking, if you were thinking more camping gear or what, but these are things that I would totally travel with again. You're gonna have the best time, safe travels!

Some of these might not be exactly what you're looking for .. but I've done several thousand miles in the last 2 months and these come to mind:

Sounds cheesy, but a paper map of the USA is great to have if you're sentimental and like to "mark up" your travelled routes with a Sharpie. There's no digital substitute for hanging one of these well-worn unfolded things with multiple colors scrawled all over it and everything.

Clean wipes for the hands. You will occasionally come across a dirty rest area that doesn't have a working faucet, or have to handle something yucky... Have em handy.

Rain-X. Drown your windshield and windows in this stuff, it is super helpful on long journeys through rainy areas. Have a bottle on you. I've been able to significantly wear down a fresh coat of Rain-X after only 700mi or so, simply by driving through torrential downpours for a few hours.

Air travel pillows. The ones you get at airports. Awesome!

Lighter-to-USB power converter, more than one if you have more than one 12V outlet in the vehicle.

A decent pair of binoculars -- especially if you're going through the western US, is great to have. Saves you having to use those sucky telescopes they charge 50 cents to use, and you get stereo vision.

Knotbone bungee straps for your storage area: http://www.amazon.com/Nite-Ize-KBB9-03-01-KnotBone-Adjustable/dp/B0037H3K3C ... Great for tying stuff down so you're not constantly listening to your larger items sliding across every time you make a sudden turn. These are awesome. (edit: check to see that you have D-rings to attach these to in your car.. sometimes they can be hidden under panels).

do not use wal mart parking lots. They have 24hr security an the security will kick you out. Source: big road tripper. I use hospitals when I have to. I try my best though to enjoy my drives over making them into some marathon dash. Ill drive back roads and camp off back country roads dirt where no one goes ever. Also in my past I would recommend getting an "adventure atlas" even if it is just this one: http://www.amazon.com/National-Geographic-Road-Atlas-Adventure/dp/0792289897 It will have information on camp grounds and specific details on outdoor recreation. This is incredibly valuable. I use maps from http://www.benchmarkmaps.com/ they provide detailed information and can give you a heads up to things you never knew existed. Also use this website before hand: https://roadtrippers.com/welcome?mode=explore

It sounds like your flying into Denver that kinda sucks because after transportation costs and lodging you will spend the most on food. if you drive yourself you can start stockpiling food for the trip now while you still have an income.

Also, in my experience, dont get too carried away in the over all "mission". If you don't make it to SD who cares. Do what you want when you want and be as free as you can. If you stay shackled to some schedule your going to have a bad time. You will be like "but I got to leave my lake camp site so I can drive to my next destination" if you like where you are stay until you are ready to leave. You are at your destination already: freedom from your everyday life. You will enjoy the trip more. Trust me. Try to find places that cater to multiple activities. You actually dont have to drive very far to get to hiking, fishing,and backpacking. you can literally do all of that in the same place generally. Keep that in mind and try to minimize how often you move location.

Im on a massive road trip now, been out 5 weeks. Im in CO and I havent drove more than 75 miles in the past 2 weeks. I have only spent one night in a hotel and ahve done: rock climbing, white water, desert hiking, backpacking, mountaineering and off road jeeping.

Do not fall into the thoughts that you have to move. you dont. everything you want to do can be found easily in the same place out there.

Last year a buddy and I took a 1300 mile trip around Colorado /r/dualsport ride on a Husqvarna 701 and a Yamaha WR250R. Here's a photo of the gear from last year.

This year we are adding one person (riding a monster, brand new, KTM 1090 Adventure R) to the crew and moving a little farther west to see some of the amazing sites in Utah. I put together a 1500 mile route, and will tack on White Rim Trail (if we can get passes) and wander around in Beef Basin for a bit.

A few of my friends have started using Polar Steps, so I've setup a trip and will try to keep it updated. I also maintain a simple website and will post photos on my flickr account.

Now, on to the fun, because sorting out gear and packing is half the fun of a /r/motocamping trip.

I'm involved in volunteer search and rescue (/r/searchandrescue) so a lot of this gear comes from my callout pack and extended incident command packs. The more experienced riders will notice that I'm lacking any tools, spares, tube slime, etc. I'm fortunate enough to be riding with 2 other riders that are packing all that jazz.

Two mottos:

1. buy once, cry once
   
2. high speed, low drag
   
   motorcycle
   
   

• Yamaha WR250R 2018
  
• Dunlop D606 tires
  
• heavy-duty tubes
  
• Tusk rack
  
• Tusk handguards
  
• Rox Speed 2" risers
  
• Seal Savers
  
• Moose Racing skid
  
• HaloCam front+rear dashcam
  
• IMS 3 gallon tank
  
• Double Take enduro mirros
  
• Edge2 fender eliminator
  
• USB charging port
  
  navigation
  
  
• Garmin 64s - Most Garmin's allow OSM maps. Free, crowd-sourced maps are a huge win in my opinion.
  
• Garmin inReach Mini - in the event I "full send"
  
• OSMAnd+ - Open Street Maps offline maps
  
• GaiaGPS - offline satellite images, private/public property maps, USFS road maps and topo maps
  
  photgraphy
  
  
• Sony a7iii
  
• Sigma 14mm f1.8
  
• F-stop Navin - mounted on my chest, holds my Sony a7iii
  
• Lowepro Toploader chest harness
  
• Lance Camera strap
  
• 3x Sony batteries
  
• Osprey ultralight dry sack 6L
  
• GoPro Hero 6 Black
  
• 6x GoPro batteries
  
• GoPro battery charger - charges 3 batteries at a time
  
• GoPro ND filters
  
• various GoPro mounts
  
  medical and hygiene
  
  
• SAM splint
  
• NAR Hyfin vent chest seal
  
• NAR rolled gauze
  
• QuikClot clotting gauze
  
• thermal blanket
  
• 3x hand warmers
  
• triangular bandage
  
• medical tape
  
• wound seal
  
• NAR tourniquet
  
• Leatherman Raptor medical shears
  
• basic meds
  
• basic bathroom supplies
  
  wearing
  
  
• Forma Adventure boots
  
• Fox v2 VLAR helmet
  
• REV'IT! Wind Jacket
  
• 100% Accuri Sand - the "sand" model helps with wind blowing on my eyes and drying contacts out
  
• grey smoke lens
  
• Mammut Neon Light 12L backpack
  
• Nonoise ear plugs - I know they are a bit pricey, but I've worn them 5 days in a row over 1500 miles and didn't even know they were there
  
• Road iD - blood type, date of birth, allergies and wife's contact info
  
• gloves
  
  sleeping
  
  
• Kammok Roo Single hammock
  
• Twisted Root Cloudburst rainfly
  
• Big Agnes Hitchens UL 20 sleeping bag - ultra-light, ultra-compact, I carry this for winter SAR activities
  
• ALPS Mountaineering compression sack - medium size, I use this in place of the Mosko Moto tail bag because it fits my sleeping bag, rainfly and hammock
  
• REI Flash sleeping pad - insulated is important
  
• Osprey ultralight dry sack 12L - used for my sleeping back, inside the ALPS compression sack, to ensure my sleeping bag stays dry
  
  inclement weather
  
  
• winter riding gloves
  
• Olympia Horizon rain pants
  
• rain jacket - cheap, no-name, fits over riding jacket
  
• face mask - ski/snowboarding style
  
• windbreaker - for over riding jacket, cheap no-name brand
  
• smart-wool base layer
  
• fleece jacket
  
  food
  
  
• 2.5L Osprey Hydraluics LT - inside the Mammut backpack
  
• GSI Pinnacle Soloist pot
  
• Light My Fire spork
  
• UST Delta Stormproof lighter - this actually failed to work on my trip last year to Colorado, but I think it was because we were at altitude
  
• [Primus Micron trail stove](primus pocket rocket) - mine is an older model
  
• Primus fuel cannister
  
• 4x backpacking dinners
  
• 4x backpacking breakfasts
  
  motorcycle
  
  
• 2x Primus 1.5L fuel bottles - unleaded fuel is important
  
• funnel
  
  clothing
  
  
• 1x riding pants
  
• 2x shirts
  
• 3x pairs of socks
  
• 3x underwear
  
  luggage
  
  
• Mosko Moto Reckless 40L saddlebags - I did 1500 miles through CO last year with these and absolutely loved them. A key feature for me is that I can snag the "sleeves" and run under a rainfly and setup my entire camp. Other brands, all your gear is in a bag, on the bike, so you have to stand next to the bike while you setup camp. Also important for when staying in hostels.
  
• Mosko Moto Pico tank bag
  
• Rok Straps
  
  misc
  
  
• Moo cards - I carry these for dropping in geocaches and sharing my photos with people I meet.
  
• Zebra H600Fc - recommended in /r/flashlight by /u/Zak
  
• 2x USB cable - multi port - these are nice and short, and can charge both micro-USB and USB-C devices at the same time
  
• Leatherman Skeletool
  
• flip flops
  
• shorts
  
• t-shirt
  
• 10x rechargable AA's

Just random notes -

• go to the library (or buy your own) and check out guide books like National Geographic's Scenic Hwys or Road Trip USA to get ideas for scenic drives along your route
  
• if within your diet, Memphis BBQ
  
• maybe go no farther than Hot Springs the first day
  
• example of scenic highway you can find in those guide books - Talimena
  
• maybe Amarillo, TX, for the second day - Cadillac Ranch, Palo Duro Canyon SP nearby
  
• Santa Fe for food and museums the 3rd day; maybe overnight here or continue on to some place like Durango - lots in the Santa Fe area like Bandelier NM, Jemez Springs Mt Trail, Valles Caldera that you can check out while in Santa Fe or on your way to next destination
  
• Now you're entering a stretch where you wish you had more time. You could do Mesa Verde NP, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, Dead Horse Pt SP, Goblin Valley SP, Capitol Reef NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Zion NP, Cedar Breaks NM, Snow Canyon SP but that would take a week; instead take as many scenic highways as you can - UT24, UT12, UT14, and more if you look. Hate to recommend not actually stopping at any of the national parks but you really don't have time - so take notes for your planning your next vacation; you can search out some cool restaurants on these scenic roads too. like Hells Backbone Grill; maybe overnight in St George for the 4th night (lodging near the National Parks is expensive and likely booked)
  
• maybe head to the Mammoth Lakes area for the 5th night
  
• You don't mention time of year for the trip, but if Tioga Rd is open (generally early June), take that and swallow the Yosemite entrance fee (unless you've already purchased a National Park pass for $80 that's good for a year); if Tioga Rd not open, then go up to Tahoe area before heading to San Francisco

That sounds like a great opportunity for a cross country road trip! I would suggest buying a portable air compressor and battery jump so you're not stranded in a remote area. Here's one that should work fine https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HRYR7MF/

Have fun!

The NatGeo Scenic Highways & Byways is a good book for making plans.

I would do a bit of local camping first to see what works for you and what doesn't.

I have one of these things.

Works pretty well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0792289897/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1