On the Road

Getting your family and all your gear out west is a huge project. Renting a car and camping gear after you fly in sounds great until you look at the numbers. The price is out of control, and half the time the rental gear is either beat up or missing something important. That’s why I drive our own car and haul everything myself.

The move that works best for us is for me to drive out with all the gear, while everyone else flies in on a budget airline like Frontier or Spirit. Your family can pack light—just backpacks—while you bring all the real camping stuff, kitchen gear, bikes, and whatever else you need. They skip the long drive, and you avoid baggage fees and rental nightmares. It saves a ton of money and makes things way smoother.

On western roads, particularly off the Interstates, speed limits are often 70 MPH, people pass aggressively in dangerous spots, and you need to stay alert. Use cruise control and keep with the flow, but don’t push it. We nearly had a head on collision in the Tetons this year because someone was trying to pass in the opposite direction around a turn.  Something like this will almost certainly happen to you on your trip, and you have to be ready for it.

Honestly, driving out there solo can be peaceful. I usually drive about five or six hours at a time, then I’ll pull into a rest area and just sleep for a couple of hours in the driver’s seat: engine running, AC on, seat reclined. Nothing glamorous, but it works. I take frequent breaks to stretch my legs and keep from going stir-crazy. A seat cushion is huge for not going numb on those long drives. For passing the time, nothing beats a good podcast. Find some long ones on topics you care about, let your mind wander, and just let the miles go by. 

 Hotels, Laundry, and Ice 

 When you’re doing hotel stops, call ahead and confirm the laundry is working. That’s honestly the most important hotel feature on these trips. Bring at least $40 in quarters because you’ll need them for laundry machines. Ice is critical too—grab as much as you can from hotel ice machines for your cooler. 

Once you hit higher elevations, the weather cools off and the humidity drops. Now you can sleep outside or in the tent comfortably. Services are sometimes far apart, so fill up on gas before it gets low. Check your roof straps and bikes at every stop. Weather is unpredictable, so keep extra layers, a rain jacket, and a hat handy. You might go from roasting in Kansas to freezing at night in Wyoming.

Keep your normal routines as much as you can. Eat meals at regular times, keep everyone hydrated, and stick with your usual habits and medications. Explain to the kids what the trip will be like—this isn’t just a road trip, it’s exploration. The flexibility and the chance to see so many places is what makes it great.

Pack easy meals and snacks for the road. If you’re carrying frozen meals, dry ice is a game-changer—just be sure to plan ahead and search online for where to find it, and always keep the car and cooler ventilated if you’re carrying dry ice inside. Here’s the trick: put your frozen food at the bottom of the cooler, then lay a towel over it, and place the dry ice on top of the towel. Cold air sinks, so this setup keeps everything frozen longer. The towel keeps the dry ice from making direct contact with the food. Make sure your cooler’s drain valve is cracked open just a bit to let out carbon dioxide gas, or you could end up with a mess—or worse. Also, make sure your car is ventilated when you’re driving with dry ice, because carbon dioxide buildup in an enclosed car is dangerous. Don’t sleep in your car with dry ice inside and the windows up.

You probably won’t find dry ice at every grocery store, but you can search online for “dry ice near me” and find sites that list where to get it. Most cities out west will have somewhere you can buy it.

When you finally meet up with your family, the car will be ready and the adventure really begins. The drive out is part of the experience, and if you set yourself up right, you’ll actually enjoy it.