I've been going out West for about 15 years now, usually Nevada but also Utah.
A couple of important lessons I learned are:
1 - fuel is not as available as on the East coast; Watch your fuel gauge and make decisions based on your range. I fill up every morning, even if the tank is still above 3/4
2 - do not rely on your GPS to lead you to a fuel station - they may have closed down and are not longer in operation.
3 - take 1 full days worth of food and water
4 - do not rely on your GPS to take you to the nearest "town", some "towns" are nothing more than a railroad crossing with one building (usually abandoned !!!)
5 - listen to the locals
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To the OP -