I go on pretty long duration trips using an SUV, and pack quite heavily. The most valuable things carried are the camera bag, the film bag and the tripods. When I check into a motel I empty most of the things out of the car. The little that remains are hidden by a large black sheet, that when viewed through the heavily tinted windows is invisible. Without something light inside to reflect back, the assumption is that the windows are so dark as to be either opaque or the back of the SUV to be empty.
If I stop to eat or use a restroom the film and camera cases, if they don't come in with me, are steel cabled and locked to the car interior. The car itself is alarmed, has a GPS tracker and if moved without me, my cellphone receives a phone call stating so.
When I travel I prefer to stay at motor lodges, on the first floor and park the car right outside my room even if the car is empty. If it's not a motor lodge I again stay on the first floor and park the car directly out my room's window. When I am forced to leave my gear in the room it is locked and steel cabled to a secure and immoveable object in the room. The lights on and the TV playing, usually a TV show that has voices like the news. I try to make it appear that the room is occupied.
All other times the camera back pack, the film bag and one of the tripods come with me. That's nearly 100 pounds that I carry almost everywhere. It's no wonder I still lose 10-20 pounds on a trip. The loss of mobility that my gear causes is making me reconsider my shooting methods and whether or not I should be using my smaller formats.
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