I love it when an 02 owner takes their car on a grand adventure. Like Mike Self, I have thought about a Route 66 trip to the west coast. We have talked about a road trip retracing Morgan's Raid during the Civil War too. I've driven an 02 to Chicago, Eureka Springs, AR, Saratoga Springs, NY, Winston-Salem, NC, Asheville, NC, Hermann, MO and there was a road trip to buy my 73 2002 in 2017 between Denver, CO and Dayton, OH. Only once on such a trek did my 2002 require a tow. (due to a broken rocker arm & a cracked cylinder head)
Anyhow, thank you for sharing with us. Keep sending the photos and text from your trip! Good luck and have fun.
(I could never sleep in my 2002; just too big to try that in the first place!)