Road Tripping Essentials

A Guide for the Career-Minded

By Audrey Sniezek

Plan ahead of time for what you will need. Ask yourself for each item you buy if it will fit in your van or somehow be useful for the trip. If it doesn’t apply to the trip, then is it really worth getting?
Tip: Ask for gift cards rather than presents at Christmas or birthdays.

Current Vehicle(s):

Coming out of the professional world, we both had nice vehicles -- unlike back in college when getting rid of the beater was ok because you always knew you could get another beater later. The problem with nice cars is that they cost more money and having that kind of money for a new car coming back from a trip like this felt unlikely. At the very least more risky. I have enjoyed my car and would not want to part with it for anything, except that I have to keep insurance on it so my friend can drive it around for me from time to time or risk letting it sit unattended in someone’s garage.

The longer I travel, the more I think about selling my vehicle. From time to time I have stopped back and driven it. The feel behind the wheel, the knowledge that it is mine, and everything else about the car reminds me how much I enjoy the vehicle. At the same time, storage options are thinning and over time the car is going to be expensive to maintain. I’m not sure, yet, when I will return to the work force in full, but until then, I remain uncertain of my vehicle’s final fate. One thing is certain, if I do sell my car, I will buy a hybrid. Fuel is too expensive and given the option, it seems silly not to advantage.

Some things to think about:

Insurance

Can you put liability only on your car? If so, might want to consider selling it. Is the cost of liability insurance more over time than what you car is worth or what you are willing to spend when not having a solid source of income?

Who will drive it or take care of it, if anyone, while you are away? If someone will take it out from time to time, then you must keep the vehicle fully insured and add that person to your insurance policy.

Can it sit without being driven for the time you plan to be away? If so, then dropping your vehicle insurance down to comprehensive only is a good way to save some money.

Where to store it?

Storage:

Storage units can cost a lot of money. When taking this route, consider if the units are secure, temperature controlled and if the company is credible. Some quick searching on the better business bureau will help with credibility. Best to ask around for best storage companies in the area. If a car will be stored for a long time, generally, it is put on blocks, fluids drained and the battery disconnected. To help protect the vehicle from dust particles, a protective cover may be placed over it.

Friends garage:

While this is a generous offer from your friend, or family member, now you must consider if the vehicle will be driven while you are away. If so, you will need to maintain full coverage, which may be another added cost to you. Consider your friend’s storage conditions, trust worthiness of friend and how often the car will be driven. Also, no one wants to over stay their welcome. The same goes for the generosity of friends and family. While they are being helpful and supportive of your upcoming trip, just remember that a vehicle takes up space and can become burdensome over time to those helping you.

  • Current Vehicle Summary
    • Insurance
      • Update insurance level (e.g. storage, comprehensive only)
      • add driver if stored with a friend or family member who will drive car
      • sample: add driver, full coverage, Nationwide ($580/ 6 month)
      • sample: stored, comprehensive only, Nationwide ($56/6 month)
    • Storage
      • Fill gastank
      • Store on blocks
      • Disconnect battery
      • Drain fluids if storing for a long time
    • Accessories
      • car cover for storage ($230)

Road Trip Vehicle

This is a hard topic to take on here. I’ll do my best to describe what we considered for our needs and then add a thought or so about other options, but this will certainly not be all inclusive. There are many ways to travel. Depending on your financial stability, road needs and comfort tolerance your option for travel may be different from ours.

During our time leading up to the trip, we explored various options for traveling. I had a sedan, he had a 4x4 truck. The 4x4 sounded great, but there was no way 2 people could live out of that for months at a time, not without killing each other or camping at destinations. We opted out of the camping idea and hoped whatever alternative to the truck would keep us from killing each other anyway.

One day, while exploring a crag in Utah, we drove past a Volkswagon Eurovan. Mike pointed out that this was the vehicle we needed for traveling. Up until that point, I could not wrap my head around a good road trip vehicle, primarily because I hadn’t seen many that weren’t full on campers. He thought it was a good vehicle because it was a van setup with camper utilies like a stove and refridgerator. You can drive across the country park discreetly, sleep, cook and camp all within the same space. Many of our friends travel in vans and a van sounded like a good idea. With this as a benchmark, I began my studies. 

Some of the roads we would travel would need a four wheel drive vehicle, thus, I looked at Sportsmobiles. Their models were comparable to the Eurovan, although with the added 4x4 feature the price quickly steepened out of my range—even a used Sportsmobile was too pricey. We didn’t want a camper and were not prepared to invest in building out Mike’s truck or customizing a van, which left me looking at Eurovans in the area.

After researching and test driving some vans, I knew that the Eurovan was the vehicle we wanted. The van could sleep 4, 2 in the pop top and 2 in the van, and had all of the camper amenities we needed: stove, refridgerator, sink, fresh water tank, and the interior could be arranged to seat 4 for dinner or cards. There was ample space inside with a pantry, medicine cabinet, under seat storage and a closet. If only it came as a four wheel drive!  

Alas, despite lacking the 4x4, the Eurovans were known to be a bit under powered for their weight. For this reason, I set my sites on anything 2001-2003. These years had an upgraded engine that added an additional 30HP to the system. A noticeable pep step. Unfortunately, the newest models were hard to come by and sometimes outrageously priced. I ended up settling for a 1997, but haven’t really minded the lack of power as much as I thought I would. In the end, the downside to the van remains the lack of four wheel drive. The next biggest detraction that makes me want to look for alternate transport is the clearance under the van. The propane tank sits under the frame between the front and rear tires on the driver’s side. Some terrain is impossible for us to cross because we worry about ripping the tank from the van.

Other options researched and discounted:

Truck camper

Pros:
      • 4x4 comes with the truck
      • Dismountable camper
      • Full camper amenities

Cons:

      • Heavy
      • Fuel consumption
      • Camper equipment not easily accessible from within cabin of vehicle

Pop-up camper

       Pros

Cons

 

 Property:

As in any other circumstance, the sale of your home is a big decision. Even bigger than deciding to sell your house, is the desire to sell it by owner rather than through a real estate company. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but the key here is to allow enough time before your trip to settle these affairs AND pre-empt any post sale issues. If selling as owner and whenever possible, allow about 2 months prior to leaving (at a minimum) to allow the dust to settle and gain comfort in the transaction. If using a real estate agent, be sure to understand what support you will get if you choose to leave before, during or after the sale closes.

Why didn’t I sell my property? You have to look at the market to make the best decision for yourself. In my city, the housing market was growing. I had an ARM that would become adjustable in 2 years. I figured I had a year and maybe a bit to figure out if I wanted to come back and live there and I had a good bet that the market in my area would be on the rise and hence the best investment choice for my money.

For renting your property, decide whether to do this on your own and how you would handle the implications of this. One of the largest concerns is supporting your tenants while not being in the vicinity. Since I am assuming you are not a real estate investor, this type of problem is quite new to you. If you have ever been a renter before, you can imagine the types of requests and responsiveness your tenants will want from you. To protect yourself and keep your tenants happy, it is recommended to set up a support system to act on your behalf while you are away. This person or set of persons should live in the same city as the property and be willing to take on the responsibility of tending to the tenants the same as you. I found a friend who could cover for me and a backup person for just in case scenarios.

Be upfront with perspective tenants and anyone who signs your lease. Let them know that others will be handling these types of requests and be sure to give them as much information as necessary to get what they need as quickly as possible. The point here is to keep them happy!

Information about leasing and managing property remotely is available in stores or your local library and is a bit out of scope for this writing. As a traveler looking to rent their property, there are some unique problems you will face that these books may not cover. For instance, how do you get paid if you won’t be in town to cash a check, let alone in one place to receive the check via the post? Solution: ask your bank if they accept checks in your name sent to their branch. My bank was able to accommodate this and now, my tenant sends all rent payments to my bank instead of directly to me.

What about paying your mortgage? Easy. With internet banking, I set up a regular bill pay to my mortgage company. Each month, the payment is withdrawn on the same date and I make sure there is money in the account from which the funds will be withdrawn.

Why didn’t I use a rental property? Having just left my job, it wasn’t clear to me where my trip funds would come from except my savings, and I wasn’t sure how far I could stretch my savings. This lead me to believe it was best to avoid any monthly charges. And, in my opinion, after researching companies in my area, I found a number of fees that seemed unnecessary and useless for me. I didn’t trust the time and care such a company would put into my property. I figured I could do a better job so long as I had done well with recruiting and landing a good tenant.

Not all situations have happy endings, however. I have heard horror stories about people leasing without a property management company and learning their tenants have done unspeakable things with the property. Some things I was told to beware: illegally subleasing, housing more people than the home can fit, stopping payment and abandoning the property, squatting without payment, and thoroughly destroying the property.

Some things to help you in the event you face one or more of these behaviors: have access to an attorney, have the lease reviewed by an attorney before having a tenant sign the lease, research your rights as a leassor, get renter’s insurance for the property (this will cover the ‘thoroughly destroying your property’ issue if you covered the property adequately), and finally, have someone check in on the property from time to time to preempt problems or catch any issues early.

For your belongings not going on the trip with you, you might opt to rent out your property furnished and save on storage costs. Maybe your property has storage in it that you can use at no cost to you, and which will be inaccessible by your tenants or other unwanted persons. If left no other option, consider loaning furniture to friends in need of furniture or finding a proper storage unit. Again, with storage units, compare prices, check security options, temperature controlled option, long term rental discounts (or other discounts that may apply), and accessibility options. You want to be sure your power of attorney or close friend or family member can get into your unit without you, in case you need access to something while out of the area.

Packing is a great time to filter ones possessions. Often, in the many moves I have done in my life, I have found numerous items that I could get rid of or sell. These typically are things that just take up space but add little to my life by keeping. Sometimes, there are things that I decide I can do without just to reduce the amount of stuff I have. There are also things I find that I want to pass on to someone else: books, clothes, cds/dvds, etc.

To sell things quickly, try ebay, craigslist, or hold a yard/garage sale and post the ad in the local newspaper. Giving items to charitable organizations like Goodwill is tax deductable. Be sure to itemize the list and include resale value for each item donating.

Food was probably the hardest for me to sort through. I enjoy baking and had a lot of baking ingredients from flour and sugar to spices and unique seasonings or mixes. I tried my best to find homes for these. A suggestion for all of that extra food that I did not take on myself is to donate the food to a food bank. I felt disgusted at all of the food I ended up throwing away. On an upside, I learned a lesson that has me buying food in usable quantities rather than bulk, despite the alleged savings one gets by buying in bulk. I think I am saving more money by purchasing only what we can eat than by stocking up on food because we tend to waste less and eat all of our food when we have just enough.

With your property sold or rented, you need a place to stay until your trip begins. My suggestion is to look for temporary housing. Some companies specialize in temporary housing options. I went with a room in an apartment where one lessee needed someone to cover their rent for a few months. It was perfect for my situation and the price was reasonable. Sometimes, family or friends are available to take you in for a bit. Whatever you chose, remember, you are in the beginning of your trip. You will quickly start noticing all the things you need or want that you previously had available to you. Start taking notes. This is the time to sort out what you packed that you need/don’t need/still need to get.

When I did this, I was still working full-time. I had to maintain my work clothes and normal life while still beginning my road trip life. Therefore, I kept some boxes and supplies that I knew would be going to storage before departing. When packing the last of the things, I had a fair idea of what needed to be purged to storage and what supplies we still needed to get. In fact, some supplies we figured out at the start of our trip. We simply loaded the van and then headed off to Bend, Oregon to meet some friends. There, we stripped, sorted, and repacked before heading off again. Items we purchased were bins, seat covers, and radio with Aux input.

Once you’ve sorted out where your belongings will live, you need to sort out where your physical address will reside. A PO box works well for collecting mail. P.O. boxes in my area had a waitlist that even a year into my trip, I have not heard one come available. A friend’s or family member’s home is a good alternative if they reside in a state and county that you favor. This is useful for tax purposes. You don’t want to change your physical address to Ohio if you have property in Washington. Next thing you know, you have to research tax laws for out of state property ownership, not to mention having to file state taxes in Ohio where there are no state taxes in Washington. Oregon, for example doesn’t have a state sales tax, but do you want to take up residence in Oregon? It only costs $1 to change your permanent address online with the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL).

Finally, but not least important, insure your belongings. Whether they are part of the rental agreement, in storage, or in use by friends, insure them! Check with your insurance company to see what percent is covered for items in storage versus in the unit being used by tenants or with you at your temporary housing (renter’s insurance should cover this). Some companies won’t insure property (100%) that the owner is not in the presence of regularly (i.e. not in the home). Some companies will. Be sure to check what belongings on you during your travels are covered and to what percent. You may need a personal articles insurance policy to cover specific items of worth, like your camera.

Medical

You may not be thinking about getting injured or needing medical care while on the trip, but you may find yourself needing some. Depending on your medical coverage, you should find a clinic or hospital nearest you that will service you under the coverage you have. I am not a sickly person but I have been known to catch a cold or two that won’t go away or that has taken a turn for the worse and ended up with bronchitis or even pneumonia. Worse, now, I have a pre-existing condition that I need to monitor and because I am a woman there are potential feminine concerns that could need attention.

When I set off on this trip, it was the first week out and we were in Oregon climbing. Things couldn’t have gone off better.We were with friends, we were psyched about our trip and the weather was gorgeous allowing us plenty of days to climb. Then, mid-way through the week, I got sick. I had not yet signed up for medical coverage and had no way to get antibiotics but it was clear that I had an infection and it was overtaking me something fierce. We were planning to set off across the country in only 4 days. At the rate at which I was progressing, there was no way I was going to be well for the trip. Even worse than that was the knowledge that I may not be able to climb and I had one climb I wanted to do before we left. What did I do?

First, before I left seattle, I did all of my routine maintenance. I got my annual exam, which included a complete physical. I made sure to plan for vaccinations. Note, when planning for vaccinations, if you opt for the Hep A/Hep B combo vaccination called TwinRix, you need to plan 6 months from the 2nd shot before getting the 3rd administered. I realized this a bit too late and was 1 month off in getting the last shot before I left Seattle. Don’t despair if you don’t get it all before you leave. My solution was to find a health clinic in the area and get the last shot administered when it was due. It’s one more thing to think about while on your trip, but at least you are not at a loss. Finally, I asked my doctor for anything that would help me on the trip should I contract something terrible and be at a loss for immediate medical care (in this case I was concerned about the water in Mexico). He gave me a prescription for an antibiotic to carry with me in case I needed it and a prescription for malaria pills that I will take with me when I go to South Africa.

If you have a regular physician, you should know or find out if you can call them to call in prescriptions for you wherever you are. When I took the antibiotic for my infection, I contracted a yeast infection, which is a common side effect for women who take antibiotics. A simple call to the physician and a trip to the pharmacy was all it took to get the cure for that. Similarly, after using the antibiotic that I had on me, I made sure to get a refill of it and have some on hand in case of future emergencies.

I made sure to sign up for extended health insurance coverage offered through my company and will not travel without it. It may not be a treatable cold that gets you down, but accidents happen. One of my friends actually sprained her ankle really bad when out on a run. She stepped over a branch and landed awkward causing the sprain. Her ankle ballooned up and she couldn’t climb for several weeks. No one plans for these unfortunate events. In Australia, I had back issues that I went to be treated for and when I returned to the states, I was reimbursed 100% from my insurance. You can’t beat coverage! Be sure your coverage accounts for the travel and activity that you will be doing. For example, Mike bought an insurance policy that explicitly covers rock climbing.

Always keep proof of vaccinations, medication information and allergy information on hand and in a safe place. Keep a copy with your power of attorney or close friend/family, or emergency contact person. In the event of an emergency, this person should be able to quickly relay this information. It is also handy when requesting visas to other countries. Or when traveling in other countries and having to claim medications through customs.

The following briefly summarizes some important things to think about regarding medical, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, and dental insurances. I’ve added some information about what my policies allowed for reference.

Medical:

My medical allowed for an 18 month extension where I paid the premiums that the company had previously been covering, which are tax deductible. I had exactly the same coverage as I did when working for the company, which means I have awesome coverage! Some things for you to consider when thinking about medical coverage: Do you have a history of medical problems (annual flu, recurring infections, prone to catching colds easily), if so, it may be worth extending at the high cost. Another thing to consider is if you are increasing your chance of getting injured or catching something foreign because of increased travel or increased activity. If there is a change to your normal pattern, then you may not be able to judge adequately whether continued coverage will benefit you. A conservative approach, and certainly my recommendation, is to continue coverage for at least 3 months and then consider switching to something else. If you have a pre-existing condition, you may want the security of having insurance you can trust. At the same time, you are now on a countdown and will need to find alternative care when the 18 month timeline runs out.

 Life Insurance:

Typically, you have 31 days after termination for extension. Do your assets cover your debts? If so, maybe you don’t need life insurance. If not, it’s something to consider should anything happen to you while traveling. This should minimally be taken out in amounts that will cover your debts.

 AD&D Insurance:

Again, you have 31 days after termination for extension. This is a personal choice, similar in thinking to the above Life Insurance notes.

 Dental:

You have 31 days after termination for extension. Depending on the quality of care your teeth have received or are in need of for the future, you can decide if regular cleaning and care are necessary for your future. Personally, I pay cash for a cleaning once a year and opt out of the x-rays and doctor visit. My teeth are in really good condition so this option seems reasonable for me. The money I spend on dental care is tax deductible.

Travel documents

Going on the road requires that your travel documents are up to date. Traveling into Canada or Mexico requires a driver’s license and certified copy of your birth certificate or a valid passport. With the requirement moving to Passport entry only, it would behoove you to get one before heading off on your travels. Even if you think you won’t be visiting either of these wonderful countries, you never know how the wind will blow once actually out on the road. Plan to get your passport well in advance of your trip. This requires going into a passport office with a proper passport photo and form of payment. Typical time for processing is about 6-8 weeks, 3 weeks if you pay extra for expedited processing. Cost is about $97. http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html has all of the information you need. 

If you already have a passport, be sure it is not expiring while you are traveling. Renew it well in advance. If you travel a lot, you probably already understand these nuances, but don’t forget that if you are running out of space, you need to send your passport away to get additional pages added or to have it renewed. Also, there may be a time frame to submit your passport for renewal. Check with your local passport office for specifics. Don’t put this off to the last minute. I have had friends get stuck or delayed while passports where shuffled to get renewed

Once you have your passport, make a copy of it. If your passport should get lost, having a copy of it will make it easier to get a new one. Also carry a certified copy of your birth certificate. Your driver’s license along with your birth certificate are valid identification and can be used together to verify your citizenship. Keep copies in a safe place. Personally, I keep a copy in a safety deposit box (tax deductible) where my power of attorney can access it and on hand, but in a safe place in the van.

Finally, be sure your driver’s license is up to date. You can renew your license up to 90 days prior to expiry and up to 30 days after expiry without any additional fees. Typical cost to renew a license is about $25. You can request extensions if your license will expire but you will be back in state to renew it within a specific time. You may also be eligible to renew by mail. The following  dol website has more information on this (but is specific to WA). Check with your State to see what applies for you. Be aware that renewing by mail may invalidate your current license as valid photo ID because your new license will not have a photo of you on it. Extension license paperwork needs to be carried in addition to your current expired license but it is still a valid form of identification because the combination keeps the license valid.  

Legal Housekeeping

With anything you do in life, there is risk. The risk of traveling means you are away from home and away from things that are important to you. Family and friends and only help you as much as you have created a way for them to help. For instance, in a pinch, and without access to your finances, you may need someone to go into your account and get money on your behalf. Unless they are already on your account, they will not have access. To get around this, a Power of Attorney is handy.  

If you have property (leasing it or otherwise cared for), investments, debts, something in storage, etc., then you have a need for someone to look after these things on your behalf should you find yourself in an emergency situation. The emergency could also be medical, should you become temporarily incapable of handling your affairs, someone can be named to handle them on your behalf.  

Setting up a Power of Attorney is easy, but usually requires an attorney or someone to certify the documents. Filing a copy away in a safety deposit box is generally a good way to ensure they are kept safe. Having a copy on hand is useful, but not necessary. If done through an attorney, they often file them in their office and hand out a card with their information on it. You keep this card with you at all times and in the event of an emergency, someone can find it and contact them.  

I have a list of important information that I gave out to one person I trusted. This information has all of the information for my accounts, including pass codes and account numbers. There are important people and phone numbers in there as well. It’s my one stop for all of my life’s matters in one place. This information is stored in my safety deposit box that is accessible by my power of attorney.  

Setting something like this up may take some time, but it is invaluable should you need it. As a backup to my main contact, I have 2 other power of attorneys named. I briefed them each of their role and only went over the most important things with the one I hoped could cover for me in my absence. They are also the person who could take out emergency funds to cover rental necessities in the event something drastic happened (like the furnace blew up). I have an obligation to fix such a problem quickly and the only way to guarantee that is to have someone nearby who could help out. 

Although grim to write about, you should think about what you want done with your possessions and investments should something fatal happen to you while traveling. Thinking about this beforehand allows you to have control over what you want with your things. It also alleviates the burden of family or friends guessing what they should do during their time of grief. A will covers all of this and is best done with an attorney who can guide you through  

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