Pretty cool, but wouldn't see much/

Once I retire, I want to take the LONGEST route! I want to see it all!

I'm not retired but have had the privilege of taking my kids on two LONGGGGG vacations and a ton of short ones which allow them to claim 36 states. Just the two long trips add up to about 14,000 miles counting the sight seeing at our destinations. The shorter trips, almost always to some new location would easily add up to well over 50k miles if not closer to 100k.

And unlike NJ, my route for the day is usually following the GPS set to "Shortest Route", which I often refer to as "Fun Route" since it often times puts me on some seriously small back roads, sometimes which I find don't exist. Makes for a fun trip to some really interesting things most people will never see. But my overall trips definitely don't take the shortest route.

We travelled 7000 miles round trip and hit mostly the middle states from California to Missouri/Arkansas and back. It was a trip to visit relatives so it took 5 weeks.

that routing sort of surprised me.
bumpy

You certainly would be missing out on a lot. We prefer to explore on state thoroughly. We've full-timed for 16 years and still haven't seen it all! :)

Took us 7 yrs FT to make 6 trips across US

UP/Down/Diagonally/Zig-zag/Back-forth majority on secondary/back roads (as little Interstate as possible).
Longest travel day......346 miles
Shortest travel day.......4 miles
Avg. travel day.........250 miles

Avg. 'adventure day' (sightseeing).....150 miles

Started filling in the map in 2001; finished in 2009. Total mileage - approx. 30,000 (includes about 120 miles on ferries) and have camped in all but five states. The eastern seaboard was finished first - the rest of the Lower 48 was done in three extended trips totaling 99 days. Would do it all over again in an instant.

I too hope to take the longest route!

I was really surprised to see that it could be done in less than a week.

We were about 75k by the time we drove to 49 of 'em (#50 is a TOUGH commute...I didn't count those air miles!). Obviously we weren't in a hurry - did that over about 9 years. Now on the 2nd round!!! ST