Longest trip within a day
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OVERKILL
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I've made the 1,528Km trip out east to my parent's place more than a dozen times I'm sure. I think the longest we ever drove was from our place in Ontario to attend my sister's wedding, which was down in Lunenburg, NS, this was around 1,800Km (1,100 miles). Around 18hrs behind the wheel, makes you pretty bloody tired. Was driving the Expedition.
When was young and foolish, a little over one day to go from northwestern New Jersey to northwestern Louisiana (maybe 1350 miles?), including a 30-minute nap in the car in Tennessee, and detouring off the Blue Ridge Parkway to climb most of the way up Mt. Mitchell. I was hallucinating during the last ~50 miles, which was neither pleasant nor safe. That was in August in a '72 Subaru with no air conditioning.
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I drove from 6pm-4am to baltimore. Took 3 hr nap in car, went in for court case, drove back another 10 hrs. This was in my old 02 dakota rt. I think i slept for 14 hours when i got home
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I recommend laying out your friends' locations (and thus your approximate routes) on a map.
Then seek attractions which lay anywhere near those routes.
Select from natural sights, National Parks and Recreation Areas, downtowns which intrigue you, museums (even if you go to a small, obscure one in a smaller city), a restaurant for lunch if you've seen it on TV.
Swerve off a line of travel to merely hit another state!
If you're out West don't bother going to Wall Drug. It's just a drug store.
Trips like these can become "once-in-a-lifetime" events because we never know what circumstances come our way.
Your time freedom may evaporate.
EVERYONE'S friends grow less able to accept you as an overnight guest to facilitate such a trip. It's inevitable.
I've done trips like this and think back on all of them fondly. My daily mile totals could be 350 to 500 but there have been plenty of 125 milers. On a long road trip a short day is quite restful.
Drive down a coast line and you'll stop to experience the setting, believe me.
The same goes for the High Southwest.
It won't kill you to check into a motel early on a lovely afternoon and write postcards and thank you letters.
Bring a sketch pad and some pencils.
My longest driving day was 861 miles from Wakeeny, KS to somewhere in KY, IIRC. I was in a rush. Kira
Then seek attractions which lay anywhere near those routes.
Select from natural sights, National Parks and Recreation Areas, downtowns which intrigue you, museums (even if you go to a small, obscure one in a smaller city), a restaurant for lunch if you've seen it on TV.
Swerve off a line of travel to merely hit another state!
If you're out West don't bother going to Wall Drug. It's just a drug store.
Trips like these can become "once-in-a-lifetime" events because we never know what circumstances come our way.
Your time freedom may evaporate.
EVERYONE'S friends grow less able to accept you as an overnight guest to facilitate such a trip. It's inevitable.
I've done trips like this and think back on all of them fondly. My daily mile totals could be 350 to 500 but there have been plenty of 125 milers. On a long road trip a short day is quite restful.
Drive down a coast line and you'll stop to experience the setting, believe me.
The same goes for the High Southwest.
It won't kill you to check into a motel early on a lovely afternoon and write postcards and thank you letters.
Bring a sketch pad and some pencils.
My longest driving day was 861 miles from Wakeeny, KS to somewhere in KY, IIRC. I was in a rush. Kira
I often drive 1150 Km (718 miles) in just over 11 hours.
For multiple day road trips I plan on no more than 1000 Km (625 miles) per day in 10 hours of driving. That way you have a few hours to eat and rest in the evening.
For multiple day road trips I plan on no more than 1000 Km (625 miles) per day in 10 hours of driving. That way you have a few hours to eat and rest in the evening.
Longest I have done was a round trip from Houston to OK City and back.
Drive up there with 3 stops, 450 miles, 7 hours. I dropped my daughter off at her grand parents, then drove home in 6.5 hours with no stops.
This was in a 2004 Hyundai Elantra. Long drive and not something I would want to do on a regular basis, but really was not that bad.
As other have said, if doing a multi day trip, 10 hrs is usually about the max.
Drive up there with 3 stops, 450 miles, 7 hours. I dropped my daughter off at her grand parents, then drove home in 6.5 hours with no stops.
This was in a 2004 Hyundai Elantra. Long drive and not something I would want to do on a regular basis, but really was not that bad.
As other have said, if doing a multi day trip, 10 hrs is usually about the max.
I have done Tampa FL to Hartford CT in one shot a couple of times. IMO it is not worth the toll it takes on my body. Now I do max 600 miles in one shot but try and keep it 500 or less. I will usually pick a tourist attraction about 500 miles away and get a hotel in that area to stay over night. BTW I drive a lot lately, my 2016 F150 is under 9 months old and it has 31,000 miles on it already.
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As a college student, 1000 miles in a day was possible! That was often 20 hours of driving. Ugh.
Today, I limit my distance to a maximum of 600 miles. That's still "all day" and leaves me time to find a hotel.
My favorite travelling vehicle is a Mustang GT. I find them comfortable, responsive, easy to drive and fun.
But, if given the choice, I'll fly my airplane!
Today, I limit my distance to a maximum of 600 miles. That's still "all day" and leaves me time to find a hotel.
My favorite travelling vehicle is a Mustang GT. I find them comfortable, responsive, easy to drive and fun.
But, if given the choice, I'll fly my airplane!
if your Travels take you near Springfield, Mo. I highly recommend The Best Western Route66 Rail Haven Motel.
mile or so south of I40, right on Route 66.
It's an old motorlodge from the pre interstate days, but it's been kept up, and the Kitsch was kept as well.
and the prices aren't terrible either.
last few times i made the trip to/from Dallas, I would stay the night there.(10hrs from here, 6hrs from Dallas)
BWrailhaven.com
mile or so south of I40, right on Route 66.
It's an old motorlodge from the pre interstate days, but it's been kept up, and the Kitsch was kept as well.
and the prices aren't terrible either.
last few times i made the trip to/from Dallas, I would stay the night there.(10hrs from here, 6hrs from Dallas)
BWrailhaven.com
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I'm driving from Minneapolis to Denver next Friday to visit my parents over Christmas, about 930 miles one way. I've done this trip numerous times. About 14 hours including gas stops.
If your destinations involve mainly interstate highway driving, then a thousand miles a day is possible and I've done this a few times.
You won't want to do more than one day of this, though.
Five or six hundred miles a day is far more comfortable for me.
You should also consider the short day lengths found at this time of year along with the potential for lethally bad weather. It doesn't get much worse than driving in treacherous conditions with other traffic in the darkness.
As unpleasant as domestic commercial flying can be these days, it's usually an easier mode than a long drive and can often be fairly cheap. It is as prone to weather related problems as is driving at least when originating in or terminating in the North.
You won't want to do more than one day of this, though.
Five or six hundred miles a day is far more comfortable for me.
You should also consider the short day lengths found at this time of year along with the potential for lethally bad weather. It doesn't get much worse than driving in treacherous conditions with other traffic in the darkness.
As unpleasant as domestic commercial flying can be these days, it's usually an easier mode than a long drive and can often be fairly cheap. It is as prone to weather related problems as is driving at least when originating in or terminating in the North.
Every couple of years we fly to Massachusetts to drive home one of our fleet trucks from our upfitter. We usually drive straight through stopping only for fuel and whatever you can get at a gas station...
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
My longest 24-hour trip was Detroit to Daytona Beach Fl. Been decades since I've done those Easter Break trips. I seem to recall the length being somewhere around 1200 miles.
Done several trips from Mississippi to Pennsylvania and back, about 1,000 miles. Done it in the old Frontier and Jetta. Both were comfortable enough, but any length of time in any vehicle and you will be sore. It was about a 13 hour journey, about the longest I'd attempt to do.
Worst trip was driving a 16' Penskee truck with the Jetta on the car hauler behind it. We were pretty much overloaded, so going through some of the Tennessee and Virginia mountains max speed was 35-40 floored. That was the same trip where the Equinox decided to light up every warning light in the dash. We were about to swap vehicles off the trailer. It took almost 16 hours for that trip.
Worst trip was driving a 16' Penskee truck with the Jetta on the car hauler behind it. We were pretty much overloaded, so going through some of the Tennessee and Virginia mountains max speed was 35-40 floored. That was the same trip where the Equinox decided to light up every warning light in the dash. We were about to swap vehicles off the trailer. It took almost 16 hours for that trip.
I've done over 1000 in a day, it is a very long day and I can't do it for more than one day...
Much more comfortable to back it down to 600-700.
Throw in rain/wind/snow/traffic greatly exacerbates fatigue.
Much more comfortable to back it down to 600-700.
Throw in rain/wind/snow/traffic greatly exacerbates fatigue.
I have driven my 2002 Ranger from NC to VT in a single day. It was somewhere around 14 hours I think. It really wasn't that bad, and would be better these days with more radio options. It was summer of 2006, and I don't think I have ever heard Josh Turner's song "Your Man" more in a single 14 hour stretch than that trip.
I got real fast at hitting "seek".
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