Too many miles?

[brebar]

Hello everyone. I am new to the RV experience, I just purchased a new Tracer 240 TE. I have planned a trip from Michigan to Glacier NP. I reserved all the camp sites along the way.

My question is, did I "over do it", as far as miles between campsites?

The first three days I am going to be driving 516 miles from Holly MI to Lake Gogebic MI, then from Gogebic to Devils Lake ND, 491 miles. Then from Devils lake ND to Shelby MT, 650 miles. most of the way we will be traveling on US. 2.

I recently read in "The RV book" by Mark Polk that I should try not to travel more than 350 miles per day. (I planned the trip before I bought this book)

I planned the trip so that we can stay at Glacier for 6 Days and relax and tour the park.

Any opinions or scoldings would be appreciated:h

[colliehauler]

brebar wrote:
Ok...!! First, I would like to say THANK YOU to all the folks that responded to my OP. I learned allot.

I have my work cut out for me trying to re schedule my trip out west. I will try to cut those 500+ mile days in half. My wife and I have only three weeks to take this trip. I'm retired but she is not, so we have some restrictions for time.

I'm realizing now, that this trip is maybe too ambitious for first time RVers. The original plan was to go to Glacier for 6 days...Yellowstone for three days and then to Badlands for 2 days.

BTW I have not even been inside this TT for more than 20 minutes. I have never pulled anything more than a 12ft aluminum fishing boat. Pulling this thing through the mountains scares the heII out of me. Backing this thing into my drive way is a big deal!!

Sewer hoses, surge protectors, white, grey, black water tanks, weight distribution hitches, batteries, rv parks, propane tanks, leveling, backing up, getting a flat tire, slide outs, dump station etiquette, getting water, TV and TT and tongue weights, storage, MPG, calibrating tank monitors, and many more things, trip planning, it's really over whelming.

Thanks again, and I will try to visit the archives to get questions answers rather than bore you with the same old stuff. I may also discover that it's not as difficult as it seems to me right at this time.

We will be camping in my backyard to test all of the systems on board before we go and we will be taking a few short trips (less Than 60 miles) before we embark on our first RV vacation.

Thanks again everyone, you are awesome!!!

Some times less is more. If you drive to much you will have a miserable trip. Like someone said get off the road early and let the kids get rid of energy. Have a relaxing supper, your on vacation. Don't try to cram to much in. Learn to enjoy the trip. For a quick overnite a wally world will work but don't cram to many high mile days in a row.

[chracatoa]

You also have to be prepared for traffic jams (accidents or rush hour) and/or emergencies/problems with your TT/TV/Hitch. You'll have no margin for error if you want to do 500-600 miles a day.

ETA: I see that it's 250 a day now. Much better!

[campincandice]

Have your DW learn to drive your rig! She can split the driving with you, and if there is ever an emergency she will know how. We change drivers every 3 hours, which gives us the opportunity to cover many more miles in a day.

[Drippin]

Living in Texas, where everything is bigger, it takes a long time to get out of the state. We regularly do 500 mile days for a couple of days to get to areas that we then start the slower pace for the balance of our vacation. Then a big push of 1K over 2 days to get back. I do this on my own as my DW does not like driving with the TT in tow.
So my $0.02 is to limit yourself to 500 miles or so if driving solo and maybe another couple of hours if you can share the driving.

[JohnG4706]

brebar wrote:
Ok...!! First, I would like to say THANK YOU to all the folks that responded to my OP. I learned allot.

I have my work cut out for me trying to re schedule my trip out west. I will try to cut those 500+ mile days in half. My wife and I have only three weeks to take this trip. I'm retired but she is not, so we have some restrictions for time.

I'm realizing now, that this trip is maybe too ambitious for first time RVers. The original plan was to go to Glacier for 6 days...Yellowstone for three days and then to Badlands for 2 days.

BTW I have not even been inside this TT for more than 20 minutes. I have never pulled anything more than a 12ft aluminum fishing boat. Pulling this thing through the mountains scares the heII out of me. Backing this thing into my drive way is a big deal!!

Sewer hoses, surge protectors, white, grey, black water tanks, weight distribution hitches, batteries, rv parks, propane tanks, leveling, backing up, getting a flat tire, slide outs, dump station etiquette, getting water, TV and TT and tongue weights, storage, MPG, calibrating tank monitors, and many more things, trip planning, it's really over whelming.

Thanks again, and I will try to visit the archives to get questions answers rather than bore you with the same old stuff. I may also discover that it's not as difficult as it seems to me right at this time.

We will be camping in my backyard to test all of the systems on board before we go and we will be taking a few short trips (less Than 60 miles) before we embark on our first RV vacation.

Thanks again everyone, you are awesome!!!

Just a few suggestions... You've indicated you've only spent 20 minutes inside your new TT so obviously you haven't towed this TT any distance yet. Are you sure you have the right hitch and setup? WD and/or anti sway. You're traveling a long way it would be even worse if you don't have the right setup. Crosswinds, etc. You want to know before you start rather than mid-trip.

No one has suggested this, but it might be a consideration. You're retired and the wife has a three week clock. Travel with the wife going, she can be your copilot and helper in CG's etc. By the end of your trip you'll have a better feel as to how well you handle the TV and TT and how you handle the driving. To save time and maximize your time at Glacier, let your wife fly home. This would allow you time to travel at your leisure. If it takes 4 to 8 days, you're retired...relax and enjoy.

With this trip under your belt, both you and your wife will have a better idea as to your daily limits.

Keep us posted and enjoy.

[Swedish_Steel]

As people age there is general agreement that life seems to speed up. Days run together and months pass quickly.

To an extent, this feeling can be attributed to the tacit acknowledgement that there are fewer years remaining to accomplish all of those goals and objectives that we set for ourselves in our youth. Bonnie Raitt captured the sentiment well in her lyric, "Life becomes more precious when there is less of it to waste."

A more cerebral explanation is that as we age we have fewer "brand new" experiences than we did when we were young. I can vividly recall each of the months that I spent in the Marine Corps in the late 1960s. I have crystal clear, easily visualized, recollections of going to school and starting a family. During that facet of my life nearly every day brought something new.

Ask me what I was doing in April of 1981 or February of 1989 or all of 1993 and the images become more occluded.

Look at it this way, OP, years from now, however this adventure unfolds, you are very likely to look back and laugh heartily as you and your family recall the "crazy" first long distance trip you ever took in an RV.

"What were we thinking?", someone will enjoin. And you will fondly remember, with crystal clarity, the summer of 2014.

Cheers, my friend. If I sound a bit envious, perhaps it is not coincidental.

[westend]

I can drive long distances, have done it many times. I usually do it like Bid time, drive while the others sleep. At night, there is less traffic.

One thing I noted, you plan to drive US2 a majority of the way. Wrong, get on I-94 and put the cruise on. Minnesota has the nicest rest stops in the country but there is little else to see so that 240mi, shot from Mpls, MN to Fargo, ND is a 65 mph conveyor belt. Same for everything from Fargo to the turn off for US 2 at Glendive, MT.

Happy travels and go easy.

[alexleblanc]

It really depends on the length of the trip and what you're trying to accomplish. Most of our summers we will go stateside for one week early in the summer, usually either Portland ME or the Boston MA area, I tend to leave Friday night, make it to the border (about 4 hours) and sleep there for the night, this allows me to do the 4-6 hour drive the next day and be at my destination early in the day, do groceries and setup at my own leasure. On the way back we tend to get up early and get the 7 to 10 hours of driving done in one day. I'm on the road by 6:00 and home by supper with fuel and food brakes in between to keep the kids happy. On our longer second vacation, I tend to get to the border Friday night and then Saturday drive for about 8-9 hours or a little more than halfway - Mostly we end up somewhere north of Virgina for Vacation and spend 4-5 days then slowly head back with 3-4 day stops in between.
We get to see a lot and enjoy quite a bit of country while really only doing one or two longer stints. My 3 and 5 year old are used to this and great to travel with.

My vote is I wouldn't do more than an average of 450 miles a day on the longest of travel days as I think not being a professional driver i'm not used to it. If I was retired, i'd do 200-250miles a day max while averaging no more than 55mph, a nice a relaxed pace (not bad for a 30y-o!). I love getting up early and getting some good driving in and being done very early in the afternoon - seems like the towing is always easier when the air is colder, the coffee is flowing and i'm perky!

[ryanb-72]

We have taken one long trip every summer for the last 4 years. It is not uncommon for us to drive 500 miles in a day. This years plans for our yellowstone trip are from San Antonio Texas area to Yellowstone in three days.
Our first day of travel will be strictly driving to get there 550 miles. We will have lunch in the camper at a fuel station. Dinner will be at campground pre- prepared and hit the bed as early as possible. The second days plan is to get up early and leave by 6:00 to get to Fort Collins by early afternoon. This will allow us sometime to explore and take a break from the road it is somewhere around 400 miles. We will eat out that evening and find a park or some kind of entertainment for or daughter to stretch her legs a bit. Day three will be another early get up and long day on the road approximately 600 miles. It will be hard the last day but we should roll into Yellowstone before dark.
This is our way of spending as much time in yellowstone as possible. this will likely be the one and only time we make this trip with our daughter and are really looking forward to our time there. We have made other trips with stops along the way to take breaks from driving with a visit to a park for a day in route to our destination. This just isn't one of those trips so we will drive to get there.
I do all of the driving and my wife and daughter are generally good passengers. I do enjoy driving although after 10 hrs or so it gets to be a pain. I guess what I'm getting at is every trip is different some will require long drives and some wont. For us it all depends on the old work schedule and how far we want/need to go.

Good luck with your trip! Stay safe and enjoy the road!
Ryan

[Thom02099]

brebar wrote:
Hello everyone. I am new to the RV experience, I just purchased a new Tracer 240 TE. I have planned a trip from Michigan to Glacier NP. I reserved all the camp sites along the way.

My question is, did I "over do it", as far as miles between campsites?

The first three days I am going to be driving 516 miles from Holly MI to Lake Gogebic MI, then from Gogebic to Devils Lake ND, 491 miles. Then from Devils lake ND to Shelby MT, 650 miles. most of the way we will be traveling on US. 2.

I recently read in "The RV book" by Mark Polk that I should try not to travel more than 350 miles per day. (I planned the trip before I bought this book)

I planned the trip so that we can stay at Glacier for 6 Days and relax and tour the park.

Any opinions or scoldings would be appreciated:h

From the looks of things, it appears you've mastered "newbieitis" and are heeding the very good advice being given here. In reading the sequences here in this thread, you're willing to take a 2nd look at your timetable and take the advice of seasoned veterans who are looking out for your (and your family's) best interest. Being fatigued from overdriving and stressed with towing a new trailer for the first time...that can be a deadly combination. THANK YOU for reconsidering your timetable...other motorists will also appreciate it!

I drove a 2 lane road last year WITHOUT towing (in my Tahoe) going across Kansas and Missouri on US34, and was driving those 600+ mile days. Never, ever again. Getting too old for that, and it's just not fun. You're never going to go as fast as you think you will, there's always the unexpected, such as construction zones that you didn't know about, there's going to be a lot of truck traffic...factors that you can't foresee.

Like most everyone else here, I'm done with that!!! Time to take time and enjoy the ride!!!

[jmcgsd]

Another vote for keeping it to 300 miles per day max.

One thing I don't think has been mentioned - you will be stopping more often for gas, the number of gas stations where you can safely fuel,up will be less and the process will be more involved pulling that trailer. Don't wait until your tank is almost dry!

Watch your overhead clearance and don't get yourself stuck at a pump where it is impossible to exit.

Also IMHO if I had the time you do I'd opt for one of those parks and leave myself more time to explore it. I guess my choice would be Yellowstone and it's environs. The south entrance to Yellowstone leads directly to Jackson Hole and Grand Teton NP.

Enjoy the trip no matter how you decide to do it.

[ddschuman]

When we go to Colorado on vacation, our first leg of the trip is roughly 540 miles. We are exhausted by the time we get to stop but we have been stopping in the same town on the first night of vacation for about 15 years (way before our RV time) and I guess it is just what we have come accustomed to. We do this because we plan only one overnight stop on the way to our destination so that we can have more time enjoying our stay in the mountains and arrive at a decent time without having to leave at daylight on day 2. It works for us. Going that far makes day 2 travel for us only about 5 hrs. We sleep in (not late, just set no alarm...after all we are on vacation :D), fix/eat breakfast, clean up, get dressed and hit the road by 10am. Depending on our stops along the way, this puts us arriving at our destination about 3pm. I am not sure we could enjoy driving that far several days in a row however, I understand that sometimes you do what you can to get more time at your destination. We do differently on the way home and usually drive about equal distance both days instead of pushing so far on the first leg. This is because we are usually in no hurry to return to reality. Lol

[michigansandzil]

brebar wrote:
Alright, I can see I made a mistake. A bit too ambitious trying to get to Glacier NP in 3 days from lower Michigan. I'll see if I can change the reservation schedule.

My experience reserving campsites in Michigan, at least the popular sites such as Ludington SP, is that, if you don't have reservations by Jan or Feb your not going to go there. We have also found from experience that sometimes there is not a hotel room for a 100 miles around these areas during the summer.

That is why I booked the entire three week trip in January.

Do you Rv ers do the same thing? Am I missing something? Am I being too structured here?:o

Fellow Michigander here.....
I have to agree with feeling like I always need reservations. In fact, sometimes people here will post about how they were the only ones in the campground and I wonder which state they are in. Even the small local campgrounds around here are full every single weekend from May-September and all week from mid-June to end of August. If it's near a lake? Forget it, you won't get into the campground without a reservation 6 months prior. Maybe it's different out west? Don't know, but I understand your perspective. I ALWAYS make reservations.

500-600 miles per day will be tiring, but I plan on getting to to Yellowstone or Glacier in 3 days. Absolutely. We're in our late 30s and have a max of 2 weeks off of work so we either go no farther than a state away, or we drive lengthly and uncomfortable stretches at a time.
I'm not of the mindset to wait until I have more available time so that I can "enjoy the ride." Who knows what will happen next year. Get out there and go see what you want to see.
Another option might be if you get tired, just stay put for a day and travel the next day. So have 2 days of 500-600 miles, then rest for a day at the campground, then travel the next day for another 500 miles to get to your destination.

Have a great time. Glacier NP is on my to do list.

[gmw_photos]

The key to high mileage days is to hit the road early and keep your fuel and food stops as short and efficient as you can.
You will be stopping more often for fuel than you might think since most tow vehicles have a fairly short range when considering the poor miles per gallon towing. Guaranteed you have days ( and days, and days ) of headwinds or quartering headwinds, and that totally kills your fuel economy, meaning more fuel stops.

You're going to need to hit the road early for sure each day.
Most people are not acclimated to rising very early day after day, and maintaining concentration for 10 to 12 hours solid, day after day, so it takes a toll, as some others have said on about the second or third day.
The first day comes fairly easy on enthusiasm. The second day high mileage day comes thru determination. The third day, a person can start getting punchy and irritable, which is unsafe.

I've done many high mile days over the years in cars, in pickups pulling trailers, and on motorcycles, but these days, with the camper in tow, I'm like a lot of folks who have already posted above, I like to ease into the day by hitting the road by 9:00 to 10:00, and stop by 3:00 to 5:00PM. That makes it to where I can set up and relax and enjoy the last hours of daylight, take a long walk with the dog, and enjoy a nice dinner. That winding down period at the end of the day for me leads to a restful sleep, which is obviously important for the next day.

[LeBout]

I'm one of those people who finds driving to be quite relaxing but sometimes pulling a TT is anything but! A full day of bucking winds or lots of big rigs pushing you around can really take its toll. I agree with everyone else that biting off less miles per day is best. We've never really struggled finding places to stay and have never felt the need to reserve a spot. Something always turns up. It's part of the adventure. 🙂