Taking Loonnnngggg Trips, Driving a really really long way Options

[boater]

We are not full timers, but we have taken several trips of over 3000 miles each. i do all the driving. generally we try to do about 300 miles per day, stop early and after the second day stop for a day off. works well for us. Whats the hurry, and we see a lot of interesting places that would go by if we didnt stop for a day. after all many of us rv to see things and go places, not have a race to get there, besides many rvs are not rated to travel over 65 mph due to tires.
I feel that if you try to make this length trip without a day of rest, you will not enjoy yourself when you get there -too tired.

[Butch]

JJ,

Just a few words about our most recent travels, like yesterday. We have made this same trip several times over the last nineteen years. We left Kennebunk Maine at 10 to 10 Sunday morning for a return trip to our home after spending 24 vacation days in various parts of Maine. Normally a 5 to 6 hour trip @ about 165 miles. After having made several stops, lunch, bathroom breaks for us and our pup, we had made the trip out of Maine, across New Hampshire and started into Vermont on route nine at about the four hour mark. Only two hours to travel and we will be home. West of Brattleboro at about eight miles, the approach to Hog Back Mountain, we came to a stop, and was informed, by a Vermont State Police Officer, that an accident had occurred on the mountain, the roadway was closed, and would be for hours. We would have to turn around. Could not make a u-turn in the space so unhook the towed, back around to make the turn, hook up the towed and drive back to Brattleboro, down I-91 to Greenfield, Massachusetts and travel west on route two over the Mohawk Trail. A very slow route to say the least, curves, switch backs on the mountain climb, and the very steep decent on the other side. After seven hours I was very tired and frankly had enough driving for one day, but was about an hour and fifteen minutes from home. We chose to stop at a campground we have used previously and spent the night. A rest we all needed, and we continued our return home this morning. The point I'm making is that unforeseen circumstances and or conditions beyond your control changes ones plans, luckily we had built in an extra day. The detour was almost seventy miles, and two hours longer.

[DXSMac]

Boater and Butch, that is kind of what I thought. Driving an RV is not the same as driving a car and stopping at hotels.

JJ

[riggarob]

[quote name='Butch' date='Sep 25 2007, 12:38 AM' post='8450']
JJ,

Just a few words about our most recent travels, like yesterday. We have made this same trip several times over the last nineteen years. We left Kennebunk Maine at 10 to 10 Sunday morning for a return trip to our home after spending 24 vacation days in various parts of Maine. Normally a 5 to 6 hour trip @ about 165 miles. After having made several stops, lunch, bathroom breaks for us and our pup, we had made the trip out of Maine, across New Hampshire and started into Vermont on route nine at about the four hour mark. Only two hours to travel and we will be home. West of Brattleboro at about eight miles, the approach to Hog Back Mountain, we came to a stop, and was informed, by a Vermont State Police Officer, that an accident had occurred on the mountain, the roadway was closed, and would be for hours. We would have to turn around. Could not make a u-turn in the space so unhook the towed, back around to make the turn, hook up the towed and drive back to Brattleboro, down I-91 to Greenfield, Massachusetts and travel west on route two over the Mohawk Trail. A very slow route to say the least, curves, switch backs on the mountain climb, and the very steep decent on the other side. After seven hours I was very tired and frankly had enough driving for one day, but was about an hour and fifteen minutes from home. We chose to stop at a campground we have used previously and spent the night. A rest we all needed, and we continued our return home this morning. The point I'm making is that unforeseen circumstances and or conditions beyond your control changes ones plans, luckily we had built in an extra day. The detour was almost seventy miles, and two hours longer.

Butch, how interesting. I'm sitting here in NH, reading these posts to my co-driver wife. At 1st we both said "300 miles a day, at 51 years old, give me a break" But as we read your post we have been in a similar situations. We shoot for 400 MPD. Sometimes it's 350, others it's 450, depends on the circumstances. I'm 58, DW is 52, and both retired, sooooo....., unless it's a "gotta get there" mode, we average 400 MPD, and are pretty much ready to turn on the TV, then hit the rack. Also, our pet is a cat, so no stopping for her, OR either driver for bathroom breaks. Crazy subject, but fun.

[Butch]

riggarob:

We have found that hours behind the wheel, experiencing all types of conditions, are more important to us than the miles travelled. We try to travel five to six hours per day, and then pull in for some down time. Of course I'm 68 years old, and tire more easily than those days of the past. We do enjoy the travel days, and have always like to drive to wherever. Happy trails---enjoy.

[DIRTDIGGLER]

My wife, 2 small children, and myself are new to RVing but we have quickly learned that everything we seem to want to do is a looong way off. We don't like to totally wing it but with the kids and never knowing what we may stop to look at, we had a hard time planning our stops as one day will would go 600 miles with no effort and the next day we would do good to go 200. We have found the perfect solution for us = we got a Garmin Nuvi GPS and I bring my laptop. About an hour from the time we want to stop (usually around 4:00), my wife searches the next couple of towns on the GPS for campsites, we then get on the laptop (connected via wi fi or cell phone) and read reviews on the campsites coming up, check out the campsites website- pick one, call them to confirm and then hit "GO" on the GPS= all while without leaving the truck and when using the cell phone for a modem while flying down the road. I cant tell you how well this works for us as it lets our travel distance be flexible and still find a safe/good place to stay. The GPS really saves on turning around and we are not afraid to go to the campsites a little off the beaten path which gives us many more options.

[mastercraft]

We just took a trip to Montana from GA. It took us around 4 days at a little over 500 a day. We had limited time to get there. If I do it again, I would still drive the same distance, but every 2 days we would spend an extra night. That is what we did on the way back and I was more refreshed. I just don't like doing the hookups so frequently with the trailer so I would rather drive a little farther and do it less. I, like Cheryl do not unhook from the vehicle. We put the stabilizers down and go to bed. Too much work to unhook and hook up each time.

[RLM]

We are not full timers, but we have taken several trips of over 3000 miles each. i do all the driving.

RE: doing all the driving. I like driving the rig, but do need breaks during the day's drive. You didn't mention if your copilot is capable of driving and setting up the rig. If not, I would suggest that. One of these days while on the road, you might get ill and need the copilot to take over in order to move you and the rig to a safe location or campground. It happened to me and thankfully my wife was very capable of handling it all.

[DXSMac]

Butch, how interesting. I'm sitting here in NH, reading these posts to my co-driver wife. At 1st we both said "300 miles a day, at 51 years old, give me a break" But as we read your post we have been in a similar situations. We shoot for 400 MPD. Sometimes it's 350, others it's 450, depends on the circumstances. I'm 58, DW is 52, and both retired, sooooo....., unless it's a "gotta get there" mode, we average 400 MPD, and are pretty much ready to turn on the TV, then hit the rack. Also, our pet is a cat, so no stopping for her, OR either driver for bathroom breaks. Crazy subject, but fun.

If I didn't have the pet (cat) with me, I would drive 400 miles. But I stop to let the cat out of the crate to stretch it's legs. Also, I'm a solo, I don't have a relief driver! Plus, I can't drive in the dark, don't see too well. I had perfect vision when I was younger, but the "night" thing is an issue with me.

JJ

[Tom and Patty]

We travel back to St Louis from Fresno at least once a year. 1955 miles takes us two and one half days of driving. Our first day is usaully 800 to 900 miles, second is around 700 miles. I stop when I'm tired at a rest area. No one wants us to pull in beside them at 1:30 AM. We don't stop at campgrounds on any trip when we want to make time.

[gwbischoff]

We travel back to St Louis from Fresno at least once a year. 1955 miles takes us two and one half days of driving. Our first day is usaully 800 to 900 miles, second is around 700 miles. I stop when I'm tired at a rest area. No one wants us to pull in beside them at 1:30 AM. We don't stop at campgrounds on any trip when we want to make time.

900 miles a day?!?!

Are you flying one of the new Airbus A380's?

How does that work out? 90 mph for 10 hours? Two drivers, 9 hours apiece averaging 50+mph?

[DXSMac]

We travel back to St Louis from Fresno at least once a year. 1955 miles takes us two and one half days of driving. Our first day is usaully 800 to 900 miles, second is around 700 miles. I stop when I'm tired at a rest area. No one wants us to pull in beside them at 1:30 AM. We don't stop at campgrounds on any trip when we want to make time.

900 miles a day?!?!

Are you flying one of the new Airbus A380's?

How does that work out? 90 mph for 10 hours? Two drivers, 9 hours apiece averaging 50+mph?

I wanna know too! I'm a solo! The last time I drove 900 miles in one day, I was "only" 42, I'm 51 now, NO WAY! Well, maybe I could in a car, but NO WAY in an RV when I'm a "solo."

JJ

[Lindsay Richards]

I think the comment about my wife learning how to drive the coach is great, but I can not get her to do it. I even offered to have her take the driving course from Lazy Days, but no dice. She says she could do it in an emergency. Lets hope it never comes up. I don't ever like to fly 900 miles in one day. We usually hit 200 if we are lucky. Have done 1600 miles in 4 days getting back to a family emergency, but it liked to kill us both.

[BBear]

900 miles a day?!?!

Are you flying one of the new Airbus A380's?

How does that work out? 90 mph for 10 hours? Two drivers, 9 hours apiece averaging 50+mph?

I guess it depends on one's definition of a "day"...there are technically 24 hours in a day and one could easily go 900 miles in about 19 hours, averaging 50 miles an hour.

My brother goes from PA to Florida driving straight through in about 21 hours...of course being a long-haul trucker, he's used to that type of driving.

[gwbischoff]

900 miles a day?!?!

Are you flying one of the new Airbus A380's?

How does that work out? 90 mph for 10 hours? Two drivers, 9 hours apiece averaging 50+mph?

I guess it depends on one's definition of a "day"...there are technically 24 hours in a day and one could easily go 900 miles in about 19 hours, averaging 50 miles an hour.

My brother goes from PA to Florida driving straight through in about 21 hours...of course being a long-haul trucker, he's used to that type of driving.

There are things I really like doing that I wouldn't want to do for that long...

I know we all have times where we need to be somewhere but that can't be fun. It sounds like a recipe for disaster.

H@ll, it's hard to keep your average speed up if you just take a pee break..