Where will you sleep?
I’ll be camping as much as I can, likely wild-camping in whatever nooks I find off the side of the road when it starts to get dark. I’ll probably roll into a motel every now and then when I want a hot shower and a roof above my head.
What will you eat?
I’m unreasonably excited about finding burritos in small towns. I’ll also have a minimal kitchen setup and am keeping a list of easy-to-prepare foods to carry with me, like peanut butter, tortillas, oatmeal, honey, dried fruit, and stroopwafels to have with my instant coffee in the morning.
Where will you find water?
I have carrying capacity for over a gallon of water, and plan to top-up daily at whatever gas station, mini mart or public fountain I find.
Are you scared about [the dangerous thing]?
Sure am! By the end of the night on my first backpacking trip a few years ago, I was alternately convinced that cougars, bears, mountain goats, and fellow campers were stalking my tent and out to get me. I feel like I have a much better understanding of the risks present during adventures in the Pacific Northwest, but there’s a whole new set of things to be worried about in the Southwest! I am taking some solace in the idea that many dangerous things will be hibernating this time of year.
What will the weather be like?
As far as I can tell, it’s going to be sunny! (That’s one of the main reasons for taking this trip when I am.) Nights are going to get cold (around freezing), but the days should heat up nicely after sunrise—at least getting up to 50ºF when I start out in New Mexico, and maybe going as high as 80ºF in parts of Arizona. I’ve heard there might be a pretty strong headwind from the coast, which I don’t think I fully appreciate yet.
What about COVID-19?
This is by far the aspect of my trip that gives me the most pause. I recognize that the pandemic makes this a very bad time to travel. I know that my actions can affect those around me should I become sick, or an asymptomatic carrier. I wish the US would have handled this better, that the vaccine would be distributed more quickly, and that I could teleport myself to the starting point instead of getting on a plane.
Ultimately, I weighed personal risk factors and public health with the very real mental health toll that the pandemic has had on me, and made the decision to move forward with my plans, taking into account how I can minimize my potential impact on the communities I’ll be traveling through.
I won’t be visiting the museums and visitor centers where I could learn so much about the rich culture, history and landscape of the area. I won’t be making friends along the way, or sharing stories with strangers at the bar. I will be ordering a burrito when I can, but to-go. And I will be keeping my distance, and wearing a mask and limiting time around others when I do need to interact.