I used to bring all sorts of fishing gear with me when I traveled. It used to be free to fish in the ocean. Now I would have to pay almost everywhere. So scratch fishing tools.

I used to bring rubber tubes for the tires. Not now.

I used to bring a pair of silk undies and a plastic hose to filter and obtain gasoline. I don’t think there will be any rusted barrels that I have to suck gas out of. Boy. Traveling in the USA is easy.

I used to have a set of spark plug gappers. Not this trip.

I used to carry a spare head gasket, gunk to pug up the radiator and lots of rubber hoses. Not this trip. (All of these suppositions are based on getting a truck like the one I have been driving the last 7 years, a Toyota Tacoma 4wd.)

I suppose I will have the rockhounding tools. What vehicle/home tools will I need? A hammer? Nails? Screws and drivers? Saw? I can think of uses for sandpaper, glue, velcro, wrenches and sockets (woops … the Toyota is all metric, so new tools are in order), screwdrivers and odd bits of wire. I can’t forget WD40 or my favorite vicegrips. I still want to have the machete, but why (other than it took a struggle to get it from Mexico on the Greyhound)?

I have a tool that lets you know if an electrical current is live. I am so scared of electrical stuff I have not used it in the 15 years it has been in the tool box. Guess that doesn’t have to go on this trip.

One of my favorite tools is a speed square. I cannot think of a single use for it, unless I want to build a house. Shoot. I will miss it.

A measuring tape?  Duct tape?  I think so. This tool list requires more work.