Getting Ready

The official countdown clock tells us that our summer cross-country tour will begin in exactly two weeks and 24 hours. I started counting down about 6 weeks ago, making lists of all kinds of issues and errands that needed to be resolved or completed by the time we leave. I've had to pare down the list a few times, letting go of some of our grander plans, such as "end world hunger" and "clean garage." Yet some of the items that remain, while simple and attainable, seem trivial, such as "flea med for cats" and "$100 - Boris/VCR rpr." Others seem simply impossible; just thinking about a visit to the Verizon store for a replacement phone fills me with angst - on a cellular level, if you will.
Paul and I learned so much on our tours in 2006, and we hope to apply our hard-won knowledge on this 8,000 mile thrill ride. Here are a few nuggets any traveler might be able to use:
1) Bring wine (we knew this before but it bears repeating)
2) Put everything in plastic bags. Soap, shampoo, food, clothes, everything.
3) Reserve your own hotel room if you can. Anyone who books a room for you is thinking of their convenience first and yours second. That doesn't mean they'll put you in a crappy motel, but it doesn't mean they won't either. We look for "value" hotels (not motels) that have a central lobby, luggage carts, automatic front doors and an elevator, and no visible indoor/outdoor carpeting. Believe it or not, it's also good to ask if the hotel is undergoing or about to undergo renovations. We stayed in a hotel in Michigan that was under construction, and we had to move three times to get away from the noises and smells, but still got no relief. When I heard a few weeks later that Bobby Hatfield of the Righteous Brothers had died on the road in Michigan, I knew immediately what city and what hotel. And I was right. True story!
4) The four most evil words in any musician's lexicon are "Oh, by the way." Run, don't walk, if you hear these words. They're often followed by "my nephew plays the didgeridoo and he's bringing it to the show tonight," or "we couldn't find a soundman or a P.A, but we think the acoustics are great in here, don't you?" "the opening band broke all their equipment playing too loud - can they use yours?" "There's no hot water," you get the idea. "Oh, by the way" is supposed to soften you up for the killing blow that follows.
5) Try not to become addicted to the TV in your hotel room. (I'm saying this more for my own benefit. We gave up our television last year when we moved and now we're extra vulnerable to the pretty lights and colors and "Seinfeld" re-runs when we're on the road.)
6) Bring your own pillows. Also bring your own Kleenex, soap, shampoo, Italian seasonings, plates, forks, spoons, Q-tips, tea, salami, and corkscrew, among other things. I may post a complete list later just for amusement.
7) To paraphrase the Duchess of Windsor, you can never have too much underwear.
8) Pay bills in advance and have someone check your mail in case the US government comes a-callin'.
9) Don't forget to schedule a day off now and then - oops! Well, maybe next time...