How many miles have you towed in one day?

[Frank55]

We are planning a trip to Yellowstone next August. I want to go about 550 miles the first day. My wife says thats too far. What do others think?

[K-9_HANDLER]

16 hours with trailer
24 hours without
To maximize days the we can spend at destination

[4x4ord]

I might have the record. One very long day I flew from Calgary AB to Knoxville TN where I picked up a new truck. After purchasing the truck I went out for a very late supper before driving all night to Paris Tx where I installed a B&W hitch in my truck. Immediately after finishing the install, which I did in a Napa parking lot I headed down to Emory to pick up two gooseneck trailers stacked piggy back, one on top the other. From there I drove all the way to Des Moines Iowa. In Des Moines I picked up a third trailer which was stacked on top the two goosenecks and ended up spending a good part of the morning at the Ford dealership having my truck checked out for a noisey turbo. I then headed on to Mitchel SD where I got a room for the night. So the first day was a long one....I got up at 5.00 am to catch my flight and hit the pillow at 11.00 pm with just shy of 2000 miles on the truck......66 hours later. The next day I drove the remaining 1100 miles home....on day two I did a bit of shopping while I had a paintless dent removal place remove numerous dents in my truck after driving through a hail storm. As well on day two I spent hours at the border importing the truck from the US into Canada....I think day two was nearly 40 hours long. My neighbors are a husband and wife tag team that drive from north of Calgary AB all the way down to Miami Florida and back every week. I believe it is 6000 miles in 6 days....they spend a day at home before doing it all over again.

[Dave_Mck]

1170, three times

[Grit_dog]

memtb wrote:
It’s quite easy for those of us, who are retired or have abundant vacation time to impose our travel limits on someone who isn’t as blessed! The OP stated that, he was only going to “push” the first day! With limited time...he’s driving past what his family has already seen, in order to give his family more time in Yellowstone. I’m guessing that he’s a fairly young man....unless he waited “very” late in life to start a family. So his desire to “cover ground” the first day (while everyone is well rested)..... seems “pretty darn smart” to me!

Bingo. I take these conversations as life lessons as to how not to portray myself when I get older and start believing that my "opinion" is the only RIGHT opinion.
The original question should be considered tongue in cheek. There are 1000s of different personalities, schedules, skill levels, comfort levels, geographical locations, time constraint reasons, etc to even begin to think there is a "right" answer.
We may go 100 miles or 1000 miles in a day depending on the day, the mission, the sites, etc.
I just ran the better part of 1000mi a day towing, twice, to WI and back, because thats what was the order of the day. Took 8 days to go 2200mi to AK because that's what we did. Last year's family trip was 2000miles in the first 2 weeks, virtually no miles for a week and 1800 miles in 2 days to round it out.

[Lantley]

intheburbs wrote:

It also depends on the driver(s). I'm a former road warrior, and I love driving. Not many things make me happier than when I'm behind the wheel. I know a lot of people that don't like driving, or even if they like driving they don't like driving/towing an RV. People like that should not be driving long legs without a break.

I'm also very relaxed when behind the wheel, even when towing. .

You know that part of your post really hit home with me because I enjoy the drive and the tow as well.
I also enjoy the challenge of backing the RV into just the right spot.
But I've come to realize I enjoy just sitting in my folding chair doing absolutely nothing, but relaxing even more than the drive!
I enjoy the drive and make the most of it.
But my real goal is to simply relax and smell the roses.

[intheburbs]

I've done 700+ a few times on our cross-country treks. Most of the times I've done it I've been alone, with the family flying in to meet me at the destination.

With the family in tow, 500-550 is usually the limit.

This past summer, we towed the trailer to Yellowstone. Covered 5400 miles in 2.5 weeks, with four legs at over 600 miles in a day, and one 500-mile day.

My family has grown up on road trips, so they don't mind 10 hours in the truck. It helps that it's a Suburban, and we have captain's chairs in the middle row. Plenty of room for the five of us.

It also depends on the driver(s). I'm a former road warrior, and I love driving. Not many things make me happier than when I'm behind the wheel. I know a lot of people that don't like driving, or even if they like driving they don't like driving/towing an RV. People like that should not be driving long legs without a break.

I'm also very relaxed when behind the wheel, even when towing. If you're white-knuckled and tense behind the wheel, for whatever reason, more than a few hundred miles in a day will seem like an eternity.

[NamSniper]

DW and I are headed to Gallup, NM on the 19th. That's 586 miles. Doing it all in one day at the DW's request. Going to see the Grand Kids for Christmas and she's anxious. Once we get over Raton, there isn't much problem.

[memtb]

All58Parks wrote:
We will often get 600 to 700 miles in on our first day, to get us away from home and past all the stuff we've seen a bunch of times, then slow down. My family, (Wife, 8 year old son and 11 year old daughter) actually really enjoy the driving days. We spend almost the entire day talking, playing word games, telling stories, using Google to research and read about the places we go through, etc. It's great family time, and even though I do all the driving, I look forward to those days.

Here's an example of why: A few years ago we drove by an abandoned farmhouse along the interstate in eastern Oregon, and my son asked "Dad, who's house was that?" I quickly responded with "Emily", just the first name that came to my mind. What ensued was nearly two hours of everyone in my family making up a story about this fictional family that lived in this house, what they grew up to do, what their kids did. We incorporated towns and landmarks that we were passing into the story. My daughter drew a family tree to keep track of all the people that we were making up. It was a great time, and years later we look forward to passing that abandoned farm house every time. There are even a couple of recurring family jokes that come from that story.

A long day of driving does not have to be grueling, and it does not have to be boring.

It mostly about attitude.

All58Parks, Great Story! In life “attitude” often determines your direction. I was born and raised in the Deep South. When I got a job transfer to Wyoming, many of my co-workers were in disbelief. Some questioned, “What are you gonna do in all that cold and snow”? My answer, “I have two options, I can sit, looking out the window at the falling snow, and feel miserable, OR, I can look out the window at the falling snow, and think, WOW...I’m going skiing tomorrow”!

I hurry when I need to, stop and smell the roses when I can!

[All58Parks]

We will often get 600 to 700 miles in on our first day, to get us away from home and past all the stuff we've seen a bunch of times, then slow down. My family, (Wife, 8 year old son and 11 year old daughter) actually really enjoy the driving days. We spend almost the entire day talking, playing word games, telling stories, using Google to research and read about the places we go through, etc. It's great family time, and even though I do all the driving, I look forward to those days.

Here's an example of why: A few years ago we drove by an abandoned farmhouse along the interstate in eastern Oregon, and my son asked "Dad, who's house was that?" I quickly responded with "Emily", just the first name that came to my mind. What ensued was nearly two hours of everyone in my family making up a story about this fictional family that lived in this house, what they grew up to do, what their kids did. We incorporated towns and landmarks that we were passing into the story. My daughter drew a family tree to keep track of all the people that we were making up. It was a great time, and years later we look forward to passing that abandoned farm house every time. There are even a couple of recurring family jokes that come from that story.

A long day of driving does not have to be grueling, and it does not have to be boring.

It mostly about attitude.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

memtb wrote:
It’s quite easy for those of us, who are retired or have abundant vacation time to impose our travel limits on someone who isn’t as blessed! The OP stated that, he was only going to “push” the first day! With limited time...he’s driving past what his family has already seen, in order to give his family more time in Yellowstone. I’m guessing that he’s a fairly young man....unless he waited “very” late in life to start a family. So his desire to “cover ground” the first day (while everyone is well rested)..... seems “pretty darn smart” to me!

Someone gets it. Great post Todd! Thank you!

[Passin_Thru]

I've done 970. Started out in N Va, 4AM went to MCO, picked up my wife at 7 PM and drove another 70 miles to NSB. Even slept an hour in SC. Carry 130 gal of fuel and Eat on the run. Now I'll do 590, to Elizabethtown Ky and the next day to Ky Lake, take a day off and fish then go to OKC.

[memtb]

It’s quite easy for those of us, who are retired or have abundant vacation time to impose our travel limits on someone who isn’t as blessed! The OP stated that, he was only going to “push” the first day! With limited time...he’s driving past what his family has already seen, in order to give his family more time in Yellowstone. I’m guessing that he’s a fairly young man....unless he waited “very” late in life to start a family. So his desire to “cover ground” the first day (while everyone is well rested)..... seems “pretty darn smart” to me!

[ssthrd]

filrupmark wrote:
We have a 300 mile limit. By the time you get ready to leave , drive 300 miles and setup that's about 3:00 in the afternoon. That leaves a little time to enjoy instead of going 600 miles having a few issues and arguing because your tired . Vacations are for enjoyment.

Ditto

[DinTulsa]

I have done 600 on a couple of occasions, it makes for a long day. If it were just me I could drive 8-900, but with a 5yo that's not happening.

[Crabbypatty]

500 with a travel trailer in 10 hours and if I didnt have to do it again I wouldnt, at least down the east coast. Its tough driving. However I understand that towing a fifth wheel is easier. Still 10 hours in the saddle is enough time as it s also the journey not just the destination.