I have a question for you experienced long haul campers.

Jettech1 · June 2, 2023

13 minutes ago, UWSkier said:

My wife is also a non-driver when we're towing. She's Asian so any time she backs her car out of the garage without removing a side mirror, I'm proud of her.

Anyways, we go from Arizona to Wisconsin and back with our camper. Last year was the first attempt at this. I'd originally planned for 6-7 hour days but found that was a bit too optimistic. We found that around 5 hours of drive time if doing it in consecutive days was good, on average. There were some days that were "big push days" that would be closer to 6.5 and other days where it was a bit more relaxed and we'd do 4.5.

For stays, we found that most RV parks have availability for overnights. These were hit and miss in terms of location and quality, but they all had full hookups, so it was good to start each day with clean tanks (still towing with half ton, I try to keep weight down).

OMG, your first comment cracked my up. My wife has been in 11 car accidents, she's such a wonderful woman, took me 3 times to get it right but well worth it. I agree that staying at RV parks with hookups would be the best avenue, but....the Grand Designs have huge holding tanks and I know if we leave with 3/4 of a tank of fresh water, we are good to go for several days. We can dump our tanks at our friends house in Salem, NH no problem. We are heading to Cajun RV park in Biloxi this coming Thursday from Goodwater, AL where our camper is stored at at my Aunt and Uncles house. They are going with us which should be fun. It's 5 hours 300 miles from them so that will be a good way to find out if I'm dead after 5 hours or willing to go more.

Dr1ft3r · June 2, 2023

I travel for a living, so I'm a road warrior. My longest haul was 3000 miles without stopping to sleep. That was from Naples, FL to Boise, ID about 3 years ago. It took me 43 hours. I stopped about every 2 hours for gas and to relieve myself.

I'm not a truck driver and I don't use drugs (in case that came to mind). It did involve a lot of Red Bull though. I'm also in my mid-forties, so I'm not a spring chicken.

In other words, what you can handle depends on your constitution.

Jettech1 · June 2, 2023

4 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

My wife at 16 was 95lbs and 4ft 11 when we got married. She passed her driving test in my grandmothers 65 4 door Chevy with no power steering at 17 and 6 months pregnant. For many years whatever hot rod I had was her daily driver. It took her awhile to appreciate high performance vehicles, she’s a trooper. She can drive anything. I was always too stubborn to give up the wheel. One day my truck was in the shop I had her car. She needed to run an errand. The day she learned to drive a stick. She’s not one to be told she can’t do something, she’ll prove you wrong. She’s a daughter of a Master Sergeant and first born.

My first wife was 5' 98lbs. Drove a stick from day one. My second wife was 5'11 150lbs. Drove a stick from day one as well. Wife number 3, I know......don't judge please....is 5'4 125 and has driven a stick back in the day but gets in my truck and is like hell no......but that's ok....she's my sweetheart. I finally got it right, thank you lord!!!

Jettech1 · June 2, 2023

2 minutes ago, Dr1ft3r said:

I travel for a living, so I'm a road warrior. My longest haul was 3000 miles without stopping to sleep. That was from Naples, FL to Boise, ID about 3 years ago. It took me 43 hours. I stopped about every 2 hours for gas and to relieve myself.

I'm not a truck driver and I don't use drugs (in case that came to mind). It did involve a lot of Red Bull though. I'm also in my mid-forties, so I'm not a spring chicken.

In other words, what you can handle depends on your constitution.

Wow!!! That totally tops my record. Back in the early 2000's my mother had breast cancer and no hubby. So I used to drive to Maine a lot all in one shot to take her to her chemo treatments so she wouldn't have to drive to the airport in Portland. I was in my early 30's back than and could do a 1000 miles before taking a break. That would put me at a rest area just north of Hartford, CT. I would go in, brush my teeth, wash my face and finish out the last 300 miles drinking mountain dew and eating those crackers in a package....lol....after doing that a few times Delta in Portland let me leave my car there in the employee parking lot so I could just fly back and forth every 2 weeks. Thank you Delta....!!

KARNUT · June 2, 2023

57 minutes ago, Jettech1 said:

Wow!!! That totally tops my record. Back in the early 2000's my mother had breast cancer and no hubby. So I used to drive to Maine a lot all in one shot to take her to her chemo treatments so she wouldn't have to drive to the airport in Portland. I was in my early 30's back than and could do a 1000 miles before taking a break. That would put me at a rest area just north of Hartford, CT. I would go in, brush my teeth, wash my face and finish out the last 300 miles drinking mountain dew and eating those crackers in a package....lol....after doing that a few times Delta in Portland let me leave my car there in the employee parking lot so I could just fly back and forth every 2 weeks. Thank you Delta....!!

33 hours straight is my record hauling a tractor on a gooseneck with a one ton from Texas to NJ. Then I ran the tractor on a demo. Next day did a turnaround back to Texas to work on a pipeline. My life in my 20s and 30s.

Jettech1 · June 2, 2023

6 minutes ago, KARNUT said:

33 hours straight is my record hauling a tractor on a gooseneck with a one ton from Texas to NJ. Then I ran the tractor on a demo. Next day did a turnaround back to Texas to work on a pipeline. My life in my 20s and 30s.

Wow!! Hardcore for sure. The things we've done in our past amazes me. And not to try and change the subject, but I don't know one 20 or 30 year old today that would do that. I hope you do because I don't.

UWSkier · June 2, 2023

I get hwy hypnosis with anything over 8 hours or so. I feel super dizzy once I'm off the road for the day and find sleeping a challenge.

Jettech1 · June 2, 2023

1 minute ago, UWSkier said:

I get hwy hypnosis with anything over 8 hours or so. I feel super dizzy once I'm off the road for the day and find sleeping a challenge.

That same thing happened to me years ago. I stopped in NC after driving a moving truck for 15 hours from Maine and hit a wall, I was like I can't drive a mile more. Stopped at some local motel to get some rest and could not sleep a wink. 2 hours later, took a shower and left and finished out the drive to Atlanta. But damn when I hit that wall, it was like, I have to stop right now!

Michael621 · June 2, 2023

After about 5 hours on the road, I am ready to setup and have a cold beer. My regular get-a-way has a lot of congested traffic areas along the way so I'm ready!

People pulling into the following distance space you are intentionally leaving and slamming on the brakes drives me bonkers...

KARNUT · June 2, 2023

54 minutes ago, Jettech1 said:

Wow!! Hardcore for sure. The things we've done in our past amazes me. And not to try and change the subject, but I don't know one 20 or 30 year old today that would do that. I hope you do because I don't.

It was fun to me. I’m sure there’s people who are building a business do that to survive.

marpel · June 3, 2023

We drive to/from Denver, Co and Vancouver, BC 2 to 3 times a year (1400 miles one way), both with and without pulling a trailer (have done so for 10 years since the birth of our grand-daughter). We have done this so many times, we now usually hit the same hotels or RV parks in the same locations.

We usually take three days, and we started the habit a long while back of putting in the most miles on the first day, less the second and the third we travelled the fewest miles. The first day is the longest, while the last day is pretty easy. It also allows us to arrive, both ways, to our destination fairly early in the afternoon.

However, when I do this drive alone and without a trailer, I have done it in two days as I actually enjoy long drives.

Marv

Jettech1 · June 3, 2023

2 hours ago, Michael621 said:

After about 5 hours on the road, I am ready to setup and have a cold beer. My regular get-a-way has a lot of congested traffic areas along the way so I'm ready!

People pulling into the following distance space you are intentionally leaving and slamming on the brakes drives me bonkers...

Me too, I'm trying like hell to stay away from anyone and then someone closes that gap...bastards...lol

Dr1ft3r · June 3, 2023

3 hours ago, Jettech1 said:

Wow!!! That totally tops my record. Back in the early 2000's my mother had breast cancer and no hubby. So I used to drive to Maine a lot all in one shot to take her to her chemo treatments so she wouldn't have to drive to the airport in Portland. I was in my early 30's back than and could do a 1000 miles before taking a break. That would put me at a rest area just north of Hartford, CT. I would go in, brush my teeth, wash my face and finish out the last 300 miles drinking mountain dew and eating those crackers in a package....lol....after doing that a few times Delta in Portland let me leave my car there in the employee parking lot so I could just fly back and forth every 2 weeks. Thank you Delta....!!

That's awesome! I don't fly as much as I used to, I drive most of the time since Covid started. But I always fly Delta and rent vehicles from Hertz when I do. I've been a contractor in the aerospace industry for 15 years and have done work for companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Dassault, and Spirit to name a few. Most of the time my contracts are in rural areas, which I like. I'm actually sitting at a computer terminal on a contract for Raytheon as I'm typing this. Tonight after work I'll be heading to one of my properties for a couple of days. It's about an 8 hour drive from here.

Jettech1 · June 3, 2023

19 minutes ago, Dr1ft3r said:

That's awesome! I don't fly as much as I used to, I drive most of the time since Covid started. But I always fly Delta and rent vehicles from Hertz when I do. I've been a contractor in the aerospace industry for 15 years and have done work for companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Dassault, and Spirit to name a few. Most of the time my contracts are in rural areas, which I like. I'm actually sitting at a computer terminal on a contract for Raytheon as I'm typing this. Tonight after work I'll be heading to one of my properties for a couple of days. It's about an 8 hour drive from here.

That's amazing. I knew a guy back in the mid 80's who worked for Raytheon. He was part of the development team for something he wouldn't tell me about...lol...bastard...