What real-world strategies do you use for long EV trips with the charging network?

[George64]

I'm planning a cross-country road trip in my new electric vehicle this summer, and while I'm excited, I'm genuinely anxious about the reliability and availability of public electric vehicle charging infrastructure, especially through more rural stretches of the Midwest. I've mapped out a route using a few popular apps, but I keep reading horror stories about broken chargers, long wait times, and confusing payment systems that could leave me stranded. For seasoned EV travelers, what's your real-world strategy for planning long trips around the current charging network? How do you identify and have reliable backup options, and what essential gear or memberships do you carry to handle the most common issues you've encountered at public charging stations?