TURNS OUT, THAT WHOLE "LESS IS MORE" THING IS TRUE.
Now that I've been on the road for nearly six weeks, I wanted to share some of the things I purchased along the way that have been absolute game changers for my travel. And to share which things I thought I would definitely need that I definitely did not. Less is more!
The Essentials I Purchased Along the Way
One great thing about being on the road is that you don't buy much because you don't need much AND you don't have anywhere to put it. But, I have purchased a few things that have been absolute game-changers for me. If you ever take a little adventure of your own, definitely consider these for yourself. Even if you don't take a little adventure, I suspect you'll appreciate a few of these anyway.
AllTrails Pro
Normally I don't spring for the paid version of an app, but this has been a godsend! AllTrails Pro allows you to download maps of your trails in advance and then, when you're out in the wilderness, you can track your location via GPS in relation to the map. I don't know how that works either. What I DO know is this has saved me countless miles of wandering down the wrong fork of a trail and, twice now, has ensured I slept in my bed at night and not in the woods. :)
iPhone 12 Pro
Shortly before I left Virginia, I upgraded my iPhone 8 (finally) and splurged on the iPhone 12 Pro. The camera alone was worth it! The picture quality is amazing (as you've seen) and the battery still lasts all day, unlike my 8.
Also, for those who know me, sit down for this: I even bought a case. Good call, Shana. I've been doing a lot of QA to see if it was worth the extra $40 and so far, it has been worth whatever a new screen costs. Times five.
National Park Pass
The America the Beautiful National Park Pass is $80 for the year and I got my money's worth out of it in less than two weeks.
Second Computer Monitor
Thank you Lori for recommending this Lepow 15.6" HD monitor - it has been a lifesaver for work! It is a little bigger than my laptop screen, super easy to set up (just plug it into your laptop), light-weight, easy to transport, and has a magnetic cover that doubles as a stand. I can't imagine not having it on this trip.
Pur Water Filter
This 30-cup Pur Water Filter has been put to great use in hotel rooms and in houses without water filters. Makes the water taste so much better and saves me from buying and trashing countless water bottles. And even though Deb made fun of me for buying one so big, I'm glad I did because, as it is, I have to refill it every 1-2 days!
Cell Phone Holder for the Highlander
My car back home has a little spot on the dash that holds my phone just perfectly so I can easily follow navigation. The Highlander does not. Bought this nifty little cell phone holder and it works like a charm!
Cargo Cover for the Highlander
Ever since someone broke into Brianne's car in Troy, NY in the summer of 2000, I learned to never leave anything in plain-sight in your car. Now that I am carrying around my most essential possessions (old dusty hiking boots, anyone?), it's even more important to not have them stolen. I ordered this cargo cover on Amazon and it works perfectly to keep all my possessions hidden, especially when I'm moving from one location to the next.
Neoprene Water Bottles
I bought two 48-ounce Neoprene water bottles to take hiking with me. Someone on the trail said I should have bought a camelbak water bladder instead because it's easier to have a straw to drink from than to take your water bottle out every time. They are probably right, but I could only think of my water tasting like plastic with the camelbak. For now, the water bottles are doing the trick.
Libby
Libby allows you to borrow and read ebooks and audiobooks from your local public library for free. Just download the app, login with your library card info, and you have the ability to check-out audio books. This has been awesome for keeping me company whenever I'm driving to and from hikes, and given that I've already logged a lot of miles, I've also logged a few books as well. If you want new release titles, you're better off paying for access via Audible, but there are still plenty of relevant and recent titles on Libby and it has worked out great for me.
Cooler
After not finding what I wanted at Target or REI or even online, I stopped at Walmart one day and found the perfect little cooler for just $16! I would share the link except I can't find it on their website.
It is a soft-sided 30-can capacity cooler with a hard plastic liner to prevent leaks. It is the perfect size to comfortably pack frozen chicken breasts, salads, apples, and anything else I need to pack in to a hotel for the week, or to transport leftovers from one place to another. There are mesh pockets on the sides to store extra napkins and plasticware instead of throwing them away. And the top has a zipper pouch for storing my salt, pepper, olive oil, microwave popcorn, and other odds and ends that don't need cooling. Love it!
What I Should NOT Have Packed
My packing strategy was mostly on point. Having two bags has been nice. I originally anticipated using one as a "closet" to leave in the car, and just taking in whatever is seasonal or essential for the week. Ha! That strategy was foiled after three trips to the car on day one.
I now use the big suitcase for all my clothes. The little suitcase for shoes, toiletries, cords, chargers, etc. It is working out great.
Unfortunately, each suitcase holds extras I don't actually need. If you ever go on an extended trip like this, I can't stress enough how less is more. For every item I stressed about whether to pack, I am SO GLAD I left it behind. Even so, here are the items I was absolutely convinced I would need and, so far, absolutely have not.
Ski Parka and my Medium-Weight Puffy Jacket
The month before I left Virginia was COLD, snowy, and icy. So of course I packed a ski parka (can't even imagine needing this now), my white medium-weight puffy jacket (haven't worn it once), and my trusty ol' red light-weight puffy jacket (I suspect you've seen this in my pics a time or 272).
I distinctly remember Brianne questioning the need for so many coats and despite my flawless logic at the time ... well, she was right.
Even though I've hiked in 20-degree weather, it's better to wear layers anyway and my red jacket has been more than adequate. Both my ski parka and the white puffy jacket are smooshed together into a pancake in a big vacuum-pack ziplock bag, permanently stored in the back of the Highlander. I suspect they will stay that way until I return to Virginia.
TBD on whether packing a rain jacket was extra. The one time I could have used it, I left it behind in the hotel room. Of course.
Sandals
The only shoes I've worn are hiking boots, sneakers, and my Rothy's. I did NOT need to bring gold and silver sandals to "dress up" those sundresses.
Speaking of Sundresses...
I did wear a dress to mass on Easter Sunday and one other time. Otherwise, I've worn jeans. (Sorry, Jesus.) So maybe ONE sundress was justified. And once summer is officially here, maybe I will be thrilled to swap out jeans for a sundress. But for now, three seems unnecessary.
Street Clothes
As far as street clothes go: I've worn my jeans and sweaters and t-shirts. I've pulled out the sport jacket and dressy cami for client calls (complete with stretchy pants and fuzzy socks), so those are definitely essential. But I haven't worn any of the other regular shirts I packed. And that jumpsuit that can be dressed up or dressed down? I can't for the life of me remember now why I thought that would be a good idea...
And for the record: I have worn ALL my activewear clothes, which also couple nicely for business casual during the day. :)
Keep It Clean Stuff
I *may* have gone overboard on wet wipes. I have DOZENS of them. Maybe hundreds because they seem to multiply. I mostly use them to wipe my hands and the table before eating out, but I rarely eat out. And occasionally I wipe down doorknobs and light switches in hotel rooms if their cleaning standards are suspicious. But yes, I could have definitely packed fewer wet wipes. Again, I do recall Brianne questioning that ...
In contrast, my hand sanitizer utilization rate is at OCD level. I bought a pump bottle to keep in the car. I use it every time I get in, and already, it's almost gone.