Anyone ever driven cross-country before?

[edbermac]

I'm near Boston and am thinking of driving out west to a national park like Yellowstone; it's around 2800 miles (don't like flying) Just wondering how
long I can stay on the road without getting punchy; will take around 38-40 hours total over 3 days; around 13 hours per day driving(!?!)

[Initech]

1. Not sure. I'm planning a road trip as well, but I'm going the opposite way.

[jpgray]

2. I've done sixteen hour driving shifts

It fucks you -up-. Seriously. Not to mention the food will be lousy most of the way unless you pack sandwiches or summat.

[Arugula Latte]

3. I did it (San Francisco to DC) and I'm so glad I had that experience.

You will never forget it.

Yes, it can be tiring, and there is a lot of bad food between you and Old Faithful, but it's a great thing to do at least once in your life.

[ForrestGump]

4. Thirteen hours should be do-able,

though we're all different in that. And driving 13 hours one day and spending a few days or a week at your destination is a different animal than driving that long every day for three days.

A good idea might be to go for a few 500-mile/eight-hour forays more locally, because driving long distance is -- in my experience -- something that gets easier the more you do it.

Good luck, and please be careful out there.

[struggle4progress]

5. You really can't do 2800 miles in 40 hours of driving. First, you have ..

to stop for gas regularly -- and second you damn well ought to stop regularly for your own safety as well, if you aren't an experienced long distance driver.

On open roads out west, you might average 60 miles an hour, reckoned by dividing your total distance traveled per day by the difference of your beginning and end time -- if you completely ignore speed limits; but in the eastern half of the country, I wouldn't count on averaging more than 50 mph, even ignoring speed limits. The problem is that stops will really eat up time: a restaurant will cost you an hour, a rest area pit-stop and stretch will eat up fifteen minutes. I personally need such stops at least every one to three hours just for sanity.

A ten hour day is about as much as I can take. This isn't the best time of year for long-ass-haul driving because of the short days: if you've already driven eight or ten hours, driving after dark can be quite tiresome -- and when you get tired, you're a lot more likely to make mistakes.

If I were going to drive 2800 miles, I personally wouldn't count on less than 50-some hours of travel time, making allowance for regular stops, which with 10-12 hour days would take me four or five days of rigorous driving to do.

If you've got two weeks, and are willing to plan to enjoy the road trip -- that is, you can map out between here and Yellowstone enough places you want to see so everyday you can drive a few hours, hang out for a chunk of the day somewhere you actually want to be, and then put in a few more hours driving -- it might be worth it.

But for a straight shot to Yellowstone and back, do the math. You're gonna spend something like $450 on gas and the wear-and-tear on your car is ultimately going to cost you (say) $0.50/mile, not counting the nights you spend in motels and the meals you eat on the road, so the real cost of the driving trip is probably a few grand -- and for that, you get the pleasure of spending more than a week doing nothing but driving back and forth across the US. I'd fly and rent a car at the other end.

[pokerfan]

7. If you want to see the countryside

you could probably rent a sleeper berth on AmTrak. I've done that before and it's great. You can sit and look out the window, sleep (duh), read a book. Stretch your legs at the various stops.

[pinniped]

6. No, but I want to drive from SF to Boston this summer.

Or:

I will drive to Canada.

[enigmatic]

8. Taken Greyhound across the country many, many times

If you're into that sort of road trip it can't be beat, but everyone should really drive across the country once in their lives. Take your time if possible; there's alot of places btween Bostoin and Yellowstone to go exploring.

And of course, music never sounds better than on the road...

[jpgray]

12. The point about the music can't be said enough

Some of it seems virtually made for endless high plains states. Or for mountain driving.

[u4ic]

9. Many times

actually, I should point out I was the passenger; we used to travel cross country when I was a kid. Started out in Toronto, ended up in Calgary. Did that about 8 times.

It used to take three days, 13-16 hours of driving each way. I wouldn't recommend it.

Take your time, and enjoy the travelling. We rarely did.


For long distance driving, I bring along unfamiliar (and loud) music along with my regular stash. It can help me jolt awake if I start to feel drowsy or on auto pilot. Take frequent breaks - stop and walk/jog for a bit, to get your blood circulating. Don't neglect eating; keep your blood sugar stable.

It should be quite the adventure. :)

[Zookeeper]

10. I've driven cross-country quite a few times....

but mostly took my time and explored sights and backroads on the way. Those were great times!

However, driving 13 hours a day, for three days, would be grueling. Depending on your age and stamina, I think you'd be too tired for fun once you arrived in Yellowstone.

Is there someone with whom you could share the trip and driving? Or could you take three weeks to meander on your way there and back? You don't want to drive across the northern tier states between about November and April, if you can help it.

How about taking the Canadian railway west, then renting a car to drive down to Yellowstone?

[chknltl]

11. two words:

Ho Jos

Take yer time and smell the flowers along the way. There will be a great deal of other beauty which will get missed by zippin along at 70mph. That's my advice at any rate. I know that it is sad that folks don't have a great deal of time on their hands and wind up plottin out vacation time in order to maximize their stay at this place or that... I wish to offer up that there is a great amount of really cool stuff between points "A" and "Z", the stuff memories are made of if one has the time and inclination to slow down and check it out. Have fun however and wherever you wind up.
c

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

13. Planning to do so in September

to visit my parents in southern Cal. Planning NC to Southern Cal, through Denver, meandering to Arches National Park, Bryce National Park and Grand Canyon National Park. We'll be staying with the folks for a couple of days and then we'll head north to Seattle, Yellowstone, the Badlands and back to NC.

We are planning for 16 days. For the first part of the trip, my husband and I will be driving in 6-7 hour shifts. Hubby loves to drive at night (we used to live in NYC and we made the NYC to NC trip many times at night) and I have driven by myself for 12 hours straight without a problem. In other words, we are hoping to get through the 'boring states' (apologies in advance from those who hail from the 'boring states') and then take it a little easier.

We are planning on taking along sandwiches and other home-made easy-to-eat foods, thus limiting our stops for gas and, since we'll have our two dogs, potty breaks for all of us.

If you are interested in doing something like this, there is a forum I highly recommed at www.roadtripamerica.com/forum where you may get suggestions on where/how to go from point A to point B.

I also bought Streets & Trips, the MSN software, which allows you to plan your trip with stops in between. The software also allows you to set your driving hours and routes. It has been invaluable to us in our planning to see what we can and cannot do. At first, we thought about taking Amtrak but Amtrak is quite pricey if you want to get a sleeper, and, more importantly, we want to take our dogs (my parents love our dogs more than they love us, it seems!).

Good luck and have fun on your trip!

[krispos42]

14. Book on tape will get you through

Get something you've wanted to read but haven't gotten around to. I listened to The Davinci Code on tape (well, mp3), most of the first book of the Lord of the Rings trilogy (12 of 15 tapes; library didn't have the last three), and I enjoyed South to Java quite a few times going from CT to IL.

Maybe some Stephen King. The 'Gunslinger' series is a good read.

Also Clive Cussler writes a hell of a good story. You could do Harry Potter, too. Maybe Dean Koontz or Tom Clancy.

I have some in mp3 format if you want, as long as you don't ask any questions about where I got it from! :-)

If you get a good book on tape, you can just set the cruise control, pop a can of Diet Pepsi, and let the miles whiz by effortlessly.

I once did CT to IL with only two stops: one in far western PA and on just south of Chicago. I had a cooler full of soda, and a good supply of chips. Took 14 hours, IIRC. 1987 Thunderbird. Had really comfy seats and a 22-gallon gas tank.

I also once did CT to South Dakota. Four people, luggage, Christmas presents, in a Dodge Neon with no cruise control. 28 hours, stopping only for gas and, once, the Ponderosa buffet in Illinois someplace.

Did I mention one of them was a 6'2" Marine? And I'm almost six feet myself? My ex and her sister were 5'0" and 5'2", respectively, so as long as I didn't sit in front of or behind the Marine, we were okay.

The rear windows frosted over (on the inside) in eastern Pennsylvania and stayed that way. It was a very cold Christmas season...

[Jimbo S]

15. I've done a couple

But I'm in the upper midwest, so not technically cross-country.

Depends if you are alone or with a partner.
Depends if you have cruise-control.

I went from Portland, OR to Milwaukee, WI in three loooong days. Add a couple more for Boston.

Assume an average of 66 mph for driving mid-country. Slower for going through the mountains.

Take a rest break every 90-120 minutes.

Take turns driving, catnaps while not driving.

[LSK]

16. driven halfway numerous times

Chicago to Boston
Chicago to Maine
Chicago to Florida
Chicago to Colorado

I can usually do 10 hours on the road or so. Have you considered taking a train?

[mike_c]

17. I have-- but I took several weeks to do it....

It was great-- I'd love to do it again.

[bearfan454]

18. Heck yes - several times

I drove from Austin, Tx to Northwest Ontario 3 times. Also Chicago to Texas several times, and Texas to Tampa Fla.

[1gobluedem]

19. No, but I want to

I'm itching to take a long road trip this summer.

[skygazer]

20. I've done it several times

Last summer, I drove close to 8000 miles, from California to Minnesota for my daughter's wedding, out to Vermont to see friends and family and back to California ducking down into New Mexico and Arizona.

Took me, in a liesurely fashion, stopping at Yellowstone and other places, 4 days to get to Minnesota, another 2 to get to Vermont and 6 to get home again.

I tend to average 5 days from Vermont to California. Very do-able.

[TransitJohn]

21. Wait until May

the roads are absolutely awful here this time of year...even for we locals.

[Gormy Cuss]

22. You can do it, but unless you're spending weeks in the west, it may not be worth it.

We did thirteen to fifteen hour days coast to coast and I didn't want to see the inside of that car again for a month. The most critical part of the plan is to scope out towns or places to stop for the night before you hit the road, and carry a cooler with food to get you through those times when you're hungry and there are few good choices near the highway. Knowing roughly where you'll be staying and having some comfort food makes a big difference.

I think it will take you more hours than 40 to go that distance. You'll be hard pressed to average 70 MPH on the first day in the East and when you get close to the park it will be slow driving. I'd guess that 45 hours of driving is a realistic plan.

[KitchenWitch]

23. This is just me, but I would not drive more than 7-8 hours per day

Road fatigue is a huge thing.

If you are sharing the driving, 6 hours each is a good thing to aim for. But if you are driving that long, you end up missing a lot, as far as neat stops along the way.

[KitchenWitch]

24. Oh, and XM or Sirius radio is a MUST!

Seriously.

In August, we drove from Minneapolis to Orange County California (we moved) and the XM radio saved my bacon from having to listen to crap I don't like. And it beats changing CDs every hour or so.

[Deep13]

25. I get punchy after twenty mintutes.

After 20 hours in the car with my mother I wanted to strangle someone.

I drove to Disneyworld from Worcester and back in 1991. Also from 1991-about 2002. I used to drive back and forth from Cleveland to Worcester at least once a year. That was about 12 hours each way. It is not bad if you can switch off with someone. Pretty damn rough alone, though.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

26. I've done

Detroit to LA and vice versa as well as Seattle to Detroit and back. Without artificial stimulants (who me? :)) I'd recommend no more than 10-12 hours a day on the road. I like to start about 4:00am! That way I can get off the road in the early afternoon spend most of the driving time in daylight.

[YDogg]

27. All at once?

:-)

I've driven from central FL to NM and Denver and back in one trip over a couple of weeks, with time spent at various locations. On other trips I've spent as much as 12-15 hours in the car, but I don't recommend it ... try to work a handful of stops into your drive, perhaps a ten minute break every 2-3 hrs, at least.

I <3 long car trips.

[alarimer]

28. Several times

I drove from upstate NY to California, from California to Florida and from Florida to Texas. Each time I was moving to a new job so I was hauling lots of crap with me. California to Florida took about 4 days. I drove 10-12 hours a day. I tried to stop by 7 pm so I could eat and find a good place to stay and just relax for a while. I tried to be up and on the road by 7 am too. This was exclusively interstate, so the speeds were higher. Weather was not a factor at the time I did, although I was traveling to California in Winter, I chose to take a southern route. I started heading south once I crossed the Mississippi and ended up on I-20. On the way to Florida I also did a southern route, this time I-10 from Riverside, CA to Tallahassee.

I drove to Atlanta and back from Texas over a long weekend in October. I made it from Atlanta to Texas in about 16 hours. I did not stop much except to eat and gas up. Traveling on the interstate was faster (speeds limits mostly over 70). Louisiana was slow because of all those bridges over the bayous, where the speed limits were 60 or less.

[uppityperson]

29. Is your goal to get somewhere or to take the trip?

If your goal is the end, take Amtrack. If your goal is the trip, take longer, go 8-10 hours a day, stop and see things along the way. In that part of the country, stop by Black Hills (see the touristy 4 heads on the hill, also go see CrazyHorse and camp in the badlands), don't forget Devils Tower and Custer's last stand, all in the same area. Cody, WY is fun too. Lots of stuff around there.

[edbermac]

30. I'll probably train it.

Damn I wish I wouldn't freak out if I had to fly. Flew to Texas and back a few years ago; 5 hours each way of white knuckle terror. Even the nights before the flights I was in a sweat. And this was before 9/11.

:scared:

[uppityperson]

32. Amtrack is not cheap, but is a fun way to go. If you can afford it, get a tiny

sleeper room. I have done it sitting in the general seating area, get quite tired. Went cross country once with a tiny sleeper room and loved it. You get to eat meals for free with sleeper room.

[Beausoleil]

31. Try the Alaska highway

We went From Dallas to Anchorage, minimum 9 days @ 500 mi/day. That is a trip we'll never forget. Of course we saw the most beautiful scenery in North America, but we had to have a good idea where we were staying every night. Road trip of all road trips. Anything less is easy now.

[S n o w b a l l]

33. LA to Indiana and back...

twice. Just me and my dog. It's 2k miles and it took me 3 days.

I loved it, but I wasn't in any hurry, drove from around 8:00 am to dark, never more than 9-10 hrs and stopped at every tourist attraction on the way...Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest and every cheesy souvenier shop. There are some great rock shops along the way and I bought some things I cherish now cause of the memories behind them...some beautiful petrified wood bookends, a globe made of black onyx and semi-precious stones, some quartz bookends & other really unique stuff.

So, if you've got a little extra money to spend, lots of time, can lose yourself in music while you're driving and aren't an impatient driver, do it. I'd love to do it again. I usually stayed at Best Westerns since most of them were always nice with a pool and restaurant and allowed my dog, an 80# Akita. They're everywhere along the route too so you don't have to venture far off the road.

I also think I enjoyed my trips so much because I was alone and could do whatever I felt like. So, along with everything else, I'd seriously weigh the traveling companion too.

[Rosie1223]

34. Are you driving by yourself?

We took 3 days to drive from Illinois to Yellowstone. But with 3 teens in a mini-van I couldn't take more than 9 hours a day.

[sarge43]

35. I did the run a couple of times.

At about Hour Eight, things went weird. It gets especially strange when you hit the Great Plains; there's little or nothing to look at.

Frankly, unless you have at least one co-pilot, don't try 13 hours. You'll be punchy and spot welded to the car seat.

[Redneck Socialist]

36. Well, I did Seatle to Chicago in 36 hrs once

I wouldn't recommend that though.

Three, four days would certainly be reasonable, but probably not a lot of fun.

[Awsi Dooger]

37. I do it every summer

Las Vegas to the northeast and then to Florida, before returning to Las Vegas.

By far the easiest thing to do is get in the right lane and do about 65-68 with the cruise control on. You won't be wasting mental energy and frustration that way by having to pass frequently. I love it when I've found just the speed to keep me steady and alone in the so-called slow lane and let all the idiots zoom past. You can't believe how many patrol cars are stopped in the grassy median or next to overpasses these days. The cars soaring past me have to break when they see the cops. It's hysterical. I usually keep track of how many are pulled over shortly after zipping past me.

I keep Subway sandwiches in the car, something like turkey that has staying power. Keep it out of the sun. Also I like to freeze orange juice the night before and drink it while I drive. It's awesome when the ice is partially melted, in little bits. When I eat healthy on the road I can drive for long stretches and still feel great.

That's pure crap that stuff like Serius radio is a must. You'll barely use the radio. Driving cross country is a joy, taking in the changing landscape. The last thing you want to do is clutter your mind with a political program or the same damn songs everyone else is listening to.