If thinking of this trip as one huge solo RoadTrip is giving you cause for concern. think of it as several shorter trips instead. And treat it as such. For example, on your first day, Raleigh to Nashville is a significant drive at 540 miles. But Raleigh to Great Smoky Mountains is only a little over 300. So treat this as a drive to the National Park. When you get there, reward yourself. Get out of the car, enjoy the scenery. take a hike in the fresh air. Stop Driving. After you've had an hour or so to recharge body and soul, make another short drive of around 230 miles to Nashville. Do the same each day. Find some place, even if it's only a small town, to take a real mental break from the driving aspect of the trip and enjoy the relaxation, sight-seeing, learning, and especially the enjoyment aspects. Less work, More fun.

Your choices for where to stay between Kansas City and Denver are a little limited, but towns that are approximately half way between them and have choices of places to stay for the night include Salina, Russell, Hays, and WaKeeny, with the edge going to Hays. Between Denver and Salt Lake City, your choice of overnight stop will largely depend on which route you take. If you take the Interstate route of I-25 north to Cheyenne and then I-80 west, Rawlins, WY is your only choice. If you go by the more direct, but largely non-Interstate route of US-40, Craig, CO and Vernal, UT are your only choices, but neither is really close to the halfway point. To be honest, Denver to Salt Lake City is not that much farther than Raleigh to Nashville, and you could probably make this segment in one day if you pace yourself and take a few 'mental health breaks' from driving during the day.

I've rented from just about all the major and mid-major rental car companies, and haven't found that much difference between them. So you can make your decision strictly on price and feel comfortable that it will be a solid transaction. Just be sure to read all the fine print regarding geographic restrictions, taxes, and any add-on charges so that you're comparing apples with apples and you'll be fine

AZBuck