Another Mile, Another Day

[jdc1]

Putting road conditions aside, how many miles/hours a day are you truly comfortable driving?

I always leave the task of long distance trip planning (5 or more days) to my wife. Then we haggle (usually for an hour or less on a 2,000 miles trip)about drive-times. I can still drive 6-700 miles a day, but not with her and the two small dogs. The dogs would eat me during the wee hours, with guidance of my wife. I myself would love to do a 200 mile 4/hour a day drive with a $100/day limit on site and food. That leaves me relaxed and ready for the next leg of a two week trip. And leaves me with change in my pocket. The $100/day limit use to include site, food and fuel. That was when fuel was $1.25/gallon, and meat was $4/pound.

So, what is your idea of a relaxing drive time and expenditure rate?

[DavidandDayle]

We try to divide the trip into 2-hour stretches. DW starts in the morning because she's more up and awake and I'm better at navigating. Usually we aim for 4 stretches, but often only do 3 (she gets more driving!) We try to be in the campground before 4:00; definitely before 5:00.
We managed New York to Toronto in one day last fall.

[profdant139]

There are usually two phases to our trips -- the "mileage" part and the fun part. So, for example, when we go to Utah from Southern Calif., we streak across the desert for 450 miles in one day, in order to get to the fun part.

Then things slow down -- we camp for a few days in one spot, move a couple hundred miles to the next spot, etc.

When it comes time to get back home, we shift back into overdrive and streak for home.

This pattern could be a result of geography -- Southern Calif is bordered by desert on the north and east, and DW is not a desert person.

[goducks10]

Depends. No not the type you wear although I could drive longer with them. 🙂
It depends for us on the road. Freeways 400+. Highways maybe 250-300.
On hwys running 45-60 depending on the curves, hills slower traffic etc, we don't get as far.
Out on the interstate where you can set the cruise at 65-70 and only need to stop for gas, potty break, etc we can go 6 hours plus and not feel like we're going nowhere slow.

[doxiemom11]

We also do 200 or less if we can, but prefer 150 or less. Our shortest move was 35 miles away. We are full-time and not in a hurry. Also travel US and state highways.

[TxGearhead]

I've done straight through from Houston to Walsenburg, CO. and straight through from Bristol TN. But my preference is planning per Google map on 5 hours which becomes 6 hours with fuel and lunch stops.

[ken56]

In my younger days when time was limited I was a get there guy. The wife hated it because I could do 14+ hrs on the road and I refused to get a motel room, (didn't have the trailer then) rare instance when we did. I am retired now and the wife has retrained me to leave at 9ish and off the road by 3pm. I am much happier now. I try to avoid the interstates also because the secondary roads through the small towns are way more interesting and we stop to see the sights whatever they may be. Google knows everything.

We use RVPARKY and start looking for a park on our route or close to it around 2pm and call ahead for availability and have never been shut out of a campground. Granted, some CG's have not been even close to 'luxury' but filled the need. Never felt unsafe.

[mdcamping]

I find myself trying to keep my planned trips under 300 mile, staying mostly on the east coast and living directly between Boston & NYC everything is multi lane busy interstate if you want to get anywhere.

Age has a lot to do with this, when I was younger, I could handle the 8+ hr trips. Now I find myself tiring sooner, combine that with constant heavy traffic I find myself shorting up my trips

Mike

[docsouce]

I too am with the 150-225 miles per day, interstate avoiding, camp set up by 200pm posters. I jump on the interstate to escape this east coast madness after that it's back roads,small towns and Mom and Pop Campgrounds as much as possible.

[johnhicks]

We started out in 2009 doing 500+ miles. We've shortened to around 150-200 miles; our shortest jaunt CG to CG was about seven miles across the river. We were just giggling, because of this thread, that we spend hours putting things away to travel maybe an hour.

We travel US and state highways so there's always something to see.

[Veebyes]

Rarely more than 4-5 hours & rarely much interstate unless there is little choice.

Part of the day's entertainment is to get into a CG in plenty of time before the high mileage people arrive all tired, irritable & ready for parking follies.

[GravelRider]

I'm still a couple decades from retirement, so if I want to see things far from home, I've got to do long days. So far the longest day I've done is about 450 miles towing the trailer. If it were just me, I could have done double that (not comfortably, of course). However, I've got young kids, and they're always the limiting factor. Usually about 4-6 hours of driving time is about what we get out of the girls before they're really unhappy.

[memtb]

Time aspect: it depends upon the desired outcome. Do we have a destination with narrow window? If so, many miles and hours “in the saddle”! If a leisurely trip.....drive with comfort in mind!

Expenses: Fuel.....it is what it is, we just accept it as a “necessary evil”! Food......except for perishable items, we can go for 5 plus weeks on what we carry. Plenty of storage space for canned or dried goods and a 5 cu ft chest freezer for frozen foods......minimizes our “on the road” food expenses! memtb

[ferndaleflyer]

Wild Bill----Because I can and not a thing to see on the way. I will do that again this year.

[LanceRKeys]

With the trailer, probably 500-600 would be about it. Without it, maybe 1100-1200.