The Process Before the Flight

The excitement mounts as the time for take off nears. My stomach takes flight first, buzzing around and making me giddy. I can't keep this stupid grin off my face.
I have a secret. The people around me don't know I'm about to take off. I'm about to step out on the road and be somewhere entirely different tomorrow. They can't see the wings that've sprouted from my back and are proceeding to stretch for the iminent use.

Is it cliche if I think that The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the book of course, I've never seen the movie) was onto something? But there are some things, like a towel, that come in very good use and you wish you'd brought.
Of course some of us go without bringing towels. They're a bit bulky and if you plan on washing you'll likely be somewhere with towels available. Sometimes it's not the case however. I used to have to wash my hair with a Burt's Bees shampoo bar in the sink at the bus station and dry it under the hand-blow-drier thing (what are those called, by the way?). I could deffinitely have used a towel then. Especially considering it was snowing outside.

So most considerations should be to basics you take for granted and the environments you plan to travel through. If you don't know, try to cover your bases.

I've managed to link up with someone headed for New York City. Amazingly enough, he's able and willing to take me all the way there. This isn't something you get by sticking your thumb out generally speaking. This is somthing you get when you post on craigslist, and even then, this is rare. His name is Ennis, and since I'll be going through several states with him, I'm sure it's only proper to introduce him. Or let him introduce himself.
Ennis and I looked at the map, and we've decided on a route which runs south through the desert. I've never seen the Grand Canyon, so we're stopping there along the way. Of course the desert means two things. Extreme heat and sun block. It would mean extreme cold as well during a different time of year....

Ok, enough rambling. I have things to do before I go...