is 2500 +/- each way road trip pratical in 10 days?

[TCBob]

Considering trip next yr to AR from Oregon. Enjoy road trips, but is it praticle for 3 +/- days at destination? In TC?
There was a day when we would drive straight through swaping drivers as needed. But I think they are in past. Google looks like 30 hrs drive time, so I am thinking 3x10 hr drive each day. A few days at destination and hot foot it back. So I am wondering if that is even pratical?
heck, I get off on rabbit or squarl trails just going to the store.....still think it would be fun. Comments?

[BillL1356]

I would say go for it.

We took two 5000 mile trips past year. The first trip was a swing from PA west to WY, CO and NM and the second a loop around TX with a 5 day stay in Big Bend. Both trips were 21 days and while somewhat rushed we still had a great time. Our trips are more about the journey rather than the destination.

Costs, all in, were about $0.55 per mile, which included fuel, meals, groceries, admissions, camping fees, etc. Our longest day driving was about 500 miles and once west of the Mississippi the stress of driving drops way off.

Good luck,

Bill

[Crazy_Creek]

If that is all the time you have then....yes...go...if you think you can handle it. You will never regret it. You may regret not going.

We did 7,000 miles in 14 days.


Mike


Check out our trip...

[JoeChiOhki]

Ten days? No.

My rule for 2200 miles one-way was fourteen days minimum, and I did the run from Salem, Oregon to Chicago, Illinois in 33 hours (36 hours on the way back) doing tandem with my brother, where the vehicle only stopped long enough to use the restroom and get gasoline and had ten days to spend with family as a result.

Nowadays, anything east of Western Montana/Wyoming, and I need at least 1-2 months.

[Kayteg1]

If you really want to know how far human body can go, pick up one of those log books for commercial drivers at any truck stop.
Somebody already made extensive research how much man can drive without endangering everybody around.
From what I remember they will allow driving 10hr for 5 days and then mandatory 2 days break.
If you consider doing that - you better make sure you get paid well.

[Dave_Pete]

Ahhh - the open road! Just you and the sun, and the birds! And the rest of that traffic on the Interstate, especially at those freeway access points in the major metropolitan areas where every wanna-be racer and their horse is in, they're out, they're here, they're there! And then just like that they're gone.

And in between those major metropolitan areas there are the truckers, who had a bad experience with a four wheeler once (or once every 15 minutes - everyday) so now they ride your donkey at every chance they get and pull out to block two lanes with their partners in crime while YOU have to slow on the hill for miles instead of them down-shifting, like they have to do anyway in another 30 seconds or so. And now we learn they are sleep deprived too while they text and weave!

Yes - nothing like Route 66 and the Lincoln Highway and the Great River Road to bring solace and freedom to man!

Or am I thinking backpacking?

[TCBob]

Thank you to everyone that posted. Rethinking this a LOT! Your insights appreciated.
This was a possible family reunion destination. I'm going to encourage my family members to consider mid US or fly elsewhere!
Thanks again for input!

[Bedlam]

We do one 4000-5000 mile road trip each year but take 2.5-3 weeks to complete it. We also do one shorter 2500-3000 mile trip each year that takes 9-10 days. Bob's GF rule is pretty close to what we follow.

[zb39]

DWeikert wrote:
I've always enjoyed long drives and have made numerous trips from PA to Montana (~4500 total miles, including miles in Montana) spending 3 days each way on the road driving solo, but I generally allow for more than 10 days for the overall trip. With multiple drivers, piece of cake. But only those making the trip can really determine if 6 days on the road for 4 days on site is worth it. From past experience I will say the drive out is not a problem as anticipation keeps you going. The drive back you just want to get home and that is the one that takes its toll.

X2, I agree, Is it worth it to you. If yes, go for it!

[bob_nestor]

My GF has a rule "never take a trip when the time to get there and back is longer than the time you spend at the destination." Sounded silly to me at the time, but there's some real good logic there I think. We did a trip from Dallas (picked her up in Denver) to the Oregon coast and back in about 14 days one year though and that's when her rule became mine too.

[DWeikert]

I've always enjoyed long drives and have made numerous trips from PA to Montana (~4500 total miles, including miles in Montana) spending 3 days each way on the road driving solo, but I generally allow for more than 10 days for the overall trip. With multiple drivers, piece of cake. But only those making the trip can really determine if 6 days on the road for 4 days on site is worth it. From past experience I will say the drive out is not a problem as anticipation keeps you going. The drive back you just want to get home and that is the one that takes its toll.

[jefe_4x4]

I don't see anything good about the proposed trip. Of course it all depends. Of course it's my perspective. It depends on how bad you want to get to your destination. If the 'trip' is the destination, you need more time. You will have approaching no time to 'enjoy' having a truck and camper. If the destination is the destination, then why not fly or drive a car and motel-it.
Then again, last year we needed to get back from a funeral at Sand Point ID, to Nevada City, CA, about 900 miles. (there is no direct route) We left Sand Point at 3 a.m. and drove the whole way in one day arriving the same day @ 11:00 p.m. Here's the reason we even attempted the drive: We were in Jeanie's 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. It made a world of difference compared to trips in the 10K pound, noisy, smoke belching wind break.
In 2003 we did the bucket trip to AK, covering 32 days: 9000 miles. We camped in the camper the whole time. The little secret was we traveled in spurts: sometimes only moving 100 miles; sometimes covering a 300 mile stretch. Oh, and the last 15 days were in almost constant daylight. It's easy to have Jeanie's famous, "Tequila Sunset" even if the sun does not go down
I'd get another plan. I keep hearing the lyrics to Paul Simon's 50 ways to leave your lover; "make a new plan, Stan".
jefe

[Alschott]

Every two years we head down to Dallas from Connecticut, wife always wants to make it in 3 days or less. Of course, she's resting while I drive. When I get there, all I want to do for the next 24 hours is rest/sleep and stretch my legs to get rid of the aches. I'd rather take the extra time and enjoy the scenery (and have the wife drive if she is so impatient to see the kids).
Plan on extra time looking for gas stations that are open in the wee hours of the night.

[hedgehopper]

When I was in my 30s, I once drove my VW Squareback 1000 miles by myself in a day. Nowadays, 200 or 250 miles a day in the TC, changing drivers every hour or two, feels more comfortable.

[Steve_in_29]

jimh425 wrote:
Comparing regular trips to being in a truck/TC doesn't seem at all comparable.

I have done the 1000 mile CA-to-CO trip with my truck/TC as well and the only difference is that it takes one more stop for fuel and another hour of travel. I can travel just as fast with the TC as without it with the only caveat being that I burn more fuel to do so. Hence the extra fuel stop.

The CA-to-TX-to-CA trip was in truck pulling a trailer loaded with a car and then empty trailer on return, so is comparable to truck/TC. Though I would actually have been slightly faster with TC as CA doesn't limit speed to 55mph for a TC like it does when pulling a trailer, so that would have knocked an hour off each way.

[bighatnohorse]

No, it's not practical.
What's in Arkansas anyway?