It’s winter and though we’ve yet to see snowfall, the signs are there. The season has changed. For that reason we’re doing what we always do this time of year.
No . . . not decorating a tree . . . we’re putting snow tires on the Subaru.
For close to three decades an all-wheel drive wagon has served us well. We don’t pamper our cars, they get regular service, but also put on lots of miles.
We subscribe to the adage ‘the journey is as important as the destination’ and these treks don’t always take the well traveled route.
To ensure a trip is roadworthy, there are bins, bags and crates carefully packed with essentials.
The high desert is a maze of two track dirt paths and we’ve navigated our share.
We mostly rely on paper maps to show landmarks, as well as numbered roads. Two cloth sleeves tucked into seat pockets are filled with USFS, BLM and USGS topo maps covering every corner of the state.
Some items are semi-permanently stowed; cooking gear, shovel, axe and bucket, water, first aid and simple auto repair kits. The changing seasons require some stores get shifted.
For winter we’ve re-stocked the hot cocoa mix and pulled out the bug spray. Our goal . . . a standard kit for the road.
In addition, there are camera cases, a drone, and at least one tripod. Extra socks, hats, and coats are packed neatly in a duffel, which winter necessitates.
You can’t forget sustenance. We don’t picnic in the classic cold chicken and potato salad sense.
Meals are small, pulled from a variety of bento boxes over the course of a day. We choose from a couple of coolers the smaller is good when we’re not hauling cold drinks.
We’ve developed these systems so at a glance you can tell the car is packed for the trip. Something may get left out . . . but it’s rarely of consequence.