gmcunni
Active member
1800 miles, 1 driver, 2 days. . . can it be done, safely?
rt 80 or 70?
rt 80 or 70?
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driving - new england to denver
- Thread starter gmcunni
- Start date
bdfreetuna
New member
what are you using for uppers?
abc
Well-known member
It's individual. It's 900 miles a day, by yourself.
There's enough daylight to easily fit in the 12-14 hr day on the road, and some. This time of year, it's not likely you'll have much weather. So safety is only a matter of staying awake.
Some people can stay awake hour after hours in monotonic flat stretches. Others gone mad with boredom.
I did that same drive in 3 days in the middle of winter. And then just finished the reverse (arrived late last night), in about the same time (I started from 2 hr beyond Denver). I felt relaxed the whole time. Concentration was never an issue. But my limitation was my body not my mind. At the end of each day, my back was letting me know it didn't like being in that same position for much longer. So for me, no way I could up that by 50%.
I went I-80 both ways. (also, in the middle of Midwest, it's easy to keep trucking along at 80+mph. Every 1mph helps in such a long drive)
There's enough daylight to easily fit in the 12-14 hr day on the road, and some. This time of year, it's not likely you'll have much weather. So safety is only a matter of staying awake.
Some people can stay awake hour after hours in monotonic flat stretches. Others gone mad with boredom.
I did that same drive in 3 days in the middle of winter. And then just finished the reverse (arrived late last night), in about the same time (I started from 2 hr beyond Denver). I felt relaxed the whole time. Concentration was never an issue. But my limitation was my body not my mind. At the end of each day, my back was letting me know it didn't like being in that same position for much longer. So for me, no way I could up that by 50%.
I went I-80 both ways. (also, in the middle of Midwest, it's easy to keep trucking along at 80+mph. Every 1mph helps in such a long drive)
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gmcunni
Active member
i've done 12 hours solo drive (well, me driving with others in the car) many times without a problem but it was just one day without worry of getting up and doing it all again the next morning. plus the 2nd day looks REALLY boring compared to the first (figure CT to ST louis, then SL to DEN, taking the rt 70 option)
jaytrem
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Depends on how much you mind driving. I did Houston to NJ in 2 days, looks like about 4 hours less though (used Hartford for your starting point). Your trip looks like "only" about 14 hours a day, so not completely terrible. Still have time for sleep and quick visits to some roadside attractions. I like driving though, if you don't, it could suck. As for 70 or 80, I have no clue. Would just try to avoid the cities during rush hours. Check out the "City Museum" if you go though St. Louis. Crazy place!!!
jaytrem
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At least your odds of traffic plummets on the 2nd day.
gmcunni
Active member
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
I know people who've done that trip a few times to Vail, but with 3 drivers. Longest I've driven by myself continuously is 1,000 miles (Jersey to central Florida), which I've done probably 5 or 6 times, but let me tell you it stinks.
To do 1,800 in two days, can it be done? That's probably 30 hours in two days IF all goes well; so I imagine so. Safely? If people are being honest, I doubt it depending on what your definition of "safely" is. Mine is driving in a state of high awareness and with zero risk of falling asleep at the wheel.
EDIT: Also, dont expect to be in any condition to ski the day you arrive. You'll crash hard and be sore from the drive for at least a day.
To do 1,800 in two days, can it be done? That's probably 30 hours in two days IF all goes well; so I imagine so. Safely? If people are being honest, I doubt it depending on what your definition of "safely" is. Mine is driving in a state of high awareness and with zero risk of falling asleep at the wheel.
EDIT: Also, dont expect to be in any condition to ski the day you arrive. You'll crash hard and be sore from the drive for at least a day.
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abc
Well-known member
You asked about safety, not whether it'll bore you to tears!
Since you've done it on single day. It's only a matter of keeping your sanity the 2nd day.
Get some good music going to distract your mind may help. It did for me. Boring as it maybe, I never felt I was in danger of closing my eyes due to tiredness or boredom.
I also pulled off into rest areas and TAKE A NAP when I felt my concentration was wavering. I found I needed to do that at least once each day. Some days I needed those "power naps" more than once.
dlague
Active member
I did it in in about that time to Colorado Springs. Out of all fairness we did drive for about 3-4 hours on the night before then drove from 8am to 10pm on our real first day then the second real day started at 7am and pushed to get to Coloado Springs between 11pm and midnight. For us it calculated out to 2100 miles. So it is feasible for sure.
I was never really that bored - everything was new to me - even through Kansas I found things to see that were interesting.
BenedictGomez
Well-known member
In my experience, the difference between driving 12 hours and driving 15 hours or 18 hours is huge.
At about the 12 hour mark is when I'm really wishing it was over. So much so that when I drive to Florida these days, I usually stop for the night at about that point, and "clean up" the last 3 or 4 hours after a good night of sleep (and that's with TWO drivers, as even as a passenger it gets tiring/boring).
Not very safe, I suspect, but trying to beat this guy's record could make it interesting:
http://jalopnik.com/meet-the-guy-who-drove-across-the-u-s-in-a-record-28-h-1454092837
http://jalopnik.com/meet-the-guy-who-drove-across-the-u-s-in-a-record-28-h-1454092837
ceo
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I once did Boston to Chicago solo in a day; took about 18 hours. Not sure I could have done it again the next day, I was pretty tired, and I was a lot younger then.
You probably already know this, but I-80 across IA and NE is 760 miles of boooooooooooorrrrrrrrriiiiiinnnnngggggg.
You probably already know this, but I-80 across IA and NE is 760 miles of boooooooooooorrrrrrrrriiiiiinnnnngggggg.
4aprice
Well-known member
Some one on this site said it best. "It seems like a good idea till you hit about the Penn-Ohio border, then you come to the realization that you could have been there 2-3 hours ago". My suggestion get your self the Chase/United credit card and start racking up the FFM's. Newark and DIA are United hubs and getting back and forth is usually not too bad or expensive.
I know you have a child about to enter CU at Boulder. Something to consider is what we did, and that's buy a used car and have said offspring "take care of it". Really saves a bunch of money not having to rent a vehicle which is pretty much a necessity in Colorado. We used Enterprise Car Sales (actually traded in a car here in NJ and picked up one out in Colorado) and we are extremely happy with the Santa Fe we picked up.
Alex
Lake Hopatcong, NJ
I know you have a child about to enter CU at Boulder. Something to consider is what we did, and that's buy a used car and have said offspring "take care of it". Really saves a bunch of money not having to rent a vehicle which is pretty much a necessity in Colorado. We used Enterprise Car Sales (actually traded in a car here in NJ and picked up one out in Colorado) and we are extremely happy with the Santa Fe we picked up.
Alex
Lake Hopatcong, NJ
abc
Well-known member
Mine is 8 hr of actual driving, which pretty much works out to be 10 hr motel to motel, ~600 miles/day.
Clearly, there're many others who can do more. Even for me, I could do more if I can just ignore the mild complain coming from my lower back. I was quite willing to do that on my return trip (but I had no need to, as it turned out there's not much time pressure). On the way out, I didn't want to risk any issue with my back at the beginning of my 3 months skiing road trip. So I listen carefully to my body.
dlague
Active member
When I drove it I went the New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Pennsylvania (tiny bit), Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas -> Colorado route. Found it to be interesting enough. Other key factors - take breaks, break the trip up into segments, bring music that gets you pumped up, caffeinated beverages were my friend.
xwhaler
Active member
Longest I've ever driven was from Chicago to Southern ME. I lasted as long as I could which was approx 11 hrs and got me to Western NY.
Finished up the 18 hr drive the following day.
I don't mind driving but I think 10-12 hrs would be the max I'd want to do.
Finished up the 18 hr drive the following day.
I don't mind driving but I think 10-12 hrs would be the max I'd want to do.
jimk
Well-known member
I've done the roundtrip drive from Wash DC to Colorado about ten times in my adult life and pretty much always in a hurry to ski and did it in two days each way. Coincidentally, the first time 1976 and last time 2015 I did it solo in two days. It's about 25 hours of driving from DC to Denver and in 2015 I broke the days into 14 hours the first day and 11 the second. I guess I have a fairly high tolerance for long driving, especially heading West when you are full of anticipation. Also, I'm probably more motivated than most of you - to escape weak mid-Atlantic winters. I don't drink coffee, but do use colas and candy bars as necessary, and good music. Only stop for gas/bathroom breaks. Each sandwiches in car most of the time. Obviously, getting a good night's sleep before driving is important. Having a driving partner or two is better. If your second day is ending at a resort in the mtns rather than Denver, you want to get an early start to minimize night time driving in mtns. Worst trip was my whole family of six in minivan Christmastime 2003, took three days each way. Kids squawking all the way. Mama not happy. Sanity partially preserved by playing Lord of the Rings movies over and over.
Have many more one-day drives from DC to New England, practice for western trips
Have many more one-day drives from DC to New England, practice for western trips
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