Drbolasky
Allentown, PA
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Joined: 04/20/2002
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When I was in my 20's I thought nothing of spending 12 hours on the road. Those days are gone and in general the older the driver the less time they are willing to spend driving (I'm thinking of my folks in this case - Dad is 83 now and 3-4 hours is about the max for him).
When I do my "guesstimating" for trips I use 50 mph for planning purposes, and if our average speed is greater than that then getting to our CG or destination earlier is a bonus. For us, 8 hours on the road is a full day - more than that (and we have to have a compelling reason to plan for more than 8 hours on the road) and it takes all the fun out of it.
The other thing I consciously do (because DW insists on it) is to follow up two or three days of solid driving with a day or two at a destination or something that does not involve a lot of time behind the wheel.
I will second the motion of the person who replied to your post about using MapQuest (a GPS device will work, too) to estimate the driving time. Routing software such as this was developed for the commercial market and uses mathematical formulas (logarithms) to determine how much time you'll need to travel interstates vs. more crowded secondary roads or urban areas. This is information you won't always be able to discern from a map and is very useful for traveling in unfamiliar areas. JMHO
Doug, Linda, Audrey & Andrew
08 Sequoia SR-5, 5.7 L V8, 6 sp. Auto, 4.30 Rear, 2000 Coachmen Futura 2790TB Bunkhouse, Dexter E-Z Flex Suspension, Reese W.D. Hitch & Dual Cam Sway Control, Prodigy Brake Controller, McKesh Mirrors, Nuvi 650 GPS
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2gypsies
You're Not Goin' Find Us!
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Joined: 04/02/2003
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Why don't you consider NOT making reservations....makes for a very relaxing trip...stop when you're tired. We only makes reservations for holiday weekends.
Full-Timers for 16 years
2004 40' Newmar Dutch Star Diesel Pusher
2004 Jeep Liberty
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joanne0012
Boston, MA
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Joined: 02/01/2005
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Most drivers can handle a 300-mile day, not so many could handle 3 days in a row of 400 or more. A very few (including my niece) think nothing of making a 1200-mile trek with only one overnight stop!
You need to figure out your own capacity, which can only be done in action. I find that my stamina holds up best if I get a very early start and then take a big break mid-day. As pointed out above, frequent brief stops are a good idea, especially if it gives the opportunity to switch drivers or give kids a chance to run around a bit.
With 2 drivers (and no very young kids), you would have no problem doing the trip in 3 days of 400 miles each (i.e., two overnight stops). However, be prepared to cancel or change any reservations you might make, for instance if you run into delays due to traffic or vehicle problems, or if you decide to enjoy something along the way. Washington DC is a great place to visit, but everybody can get museum-ed out after a couple of days.
Joanne
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eeaton1
Windermere, FL
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I recently completed a 4K trip and even tho I kept the RV pretty steady between 55-60 mph, averaged between 40-45 mph. If you stop at rest areas to let the "man's best friend" sniff and water the trees and bushes, as well as fuel stops, lunch, etc., I think that is a realistic average to use in your calculations. I did tend to notice that if you don't have a planned stop in mind, you tend to put on more miles per day and ended up in a rest area for a few hours due to letting time get away from me.
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tatest
Oklahoma Green Country
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Joined: 05/14/2005
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I have to figure 50 mph average in the motorhome, unless I stay on Interstates, where I might reach 55 mph average on a very long day.
My days run 100 to 500 miles, depending on what I am trying to accomplish, and who is traveling with me (grandkids need a lot more time outside the coach).
That's not counting the zero mileage days, which can be the bulk of a destination trip. I'm on the sixth day of a 3-4 week trip, and the RV hasn't moved for three days, will not move for two more.
Tom Test
Itasca Spirit 29B
2001 Ranger Edge
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VirtualGarage
Vancouver, Canada
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Joined: 05/27/2009
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Because we have 5 kids, it's important for us to make stops and take breaks and have a leisurely lunch so they can work off some energy.
I like to break our driving day into segments. I start by planning for about 6 hours of driving. This can easily be accomplished by doing 3 hours before noon, and 3 hours after that. That leaves us lots of time for stops and we can still get to the next site in time to setup for dinner.
Then I go to Google Maps and plot each stop based upon that. Trying to maintain an average speed of 50 mph would mean that we would have to be a lot quicker in our pit stops. That's something that we are not into at this stage of our lives.
2007 GMC Yukon XL Denali ~ 2010 Keystone Premier 31BHPR ~ Sold: 2009 Tango 289BH
ProPride 3P Hitch ~ RV Modifications ~ Gear & Accessories ~ Road Trip 2010
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hot rod
muskegon,mi
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Joined: 04/08/2004
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I think the best advice so far is. Do what is comfortable for you. Not what someone else does. It really depends on your personal needs Someone mentioned age, I don't think that is an issue unless you want it to be. I'm 66 so that's why I don't think age is the big thing. Pulling the trailer I've gone 750 mi in a day. Not towing and traveling alone,just over 1200 mi in a day. Yes that's 1200 in one day, early a.m. to just after 11 p.m. Not many are comfortable with mileage like that.
Graybeard
02, 2500HD, ext, 4x4, sb, 8.1, allison, 3.73, 50gal TransFer Flow
85 GMC, CC dually, 454 now 489", 4spd Gear Vendor OD, 70 gal Transfer Flow
30'Layton TT
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rovman
south louisiana
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Thanks everyone --- I've been away from the computer a couple of days. Just got in from offshore on Saturday.
I really appreciate the input from everyone ... particularly those who have clocked their average mph and advised on planning. Agreed, we have to sort out what is comfortable with ourselves but having an idea in mind to start off suits me a whole lot better.
We have had some road trips in the past, and as was pointed out, too many long hour/mileage days does get to wearing on ya. On the other side, both the wife and I like to get where we are going and trudge through if need be.
Planning w/reservations suits the wife and I better ... my dear girl would not be partial to me driving until "can't" and then saying let's pull her over and get a snooze. We are more "this is our objective today" kinda people. Hence being so concerned about average drive hours/mph so I can re-check what I have factored in for our trip.
rovman
2011 Puma 23FB
2003 Dodge Ram 1500: 4.7L w/man-tranny&3.55gears, EAZ-Lift wd/sway
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kohldad
Goose Creek, SC
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Joined: 07/20/2004
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Quote:Why don't you consider NOT making reservations....makes for a very relaxing trip...stop when you're tired. We only makes reservations for holiday weekends.
x2
During the summer months when it is hot, I will stop a little earlier to help ensure I get a site since I want to guarentee I have power for the A/C. But, when it's cooler, I'm not so worried about it because I can always boondock though my wife hates boondocking. But I have never failed to find a campsite in the first place or two I've looked.
Over the years, I use a detailed spreadsheet to plan my trips and keep track of how I did. Interstate or making time days, I would average 50mph. This was traveling at 60-62mph plus fuel stops, leg stretches, etc. If I'm traveling back roads or enjoying life, I can average anywhere from 10 - 40 mph.
Just finished a 12-day trip gathering photos for next report.Photo Albums
2004.5 Ram 3500 4x4 Quad-Cab SRW CTD 6-spd
2004 Lance 815 (an upgrade from my prev 2005 35' fiver )
DW (homemaker), 1 DD @ Clemson in Civil Eng, 1 DD @ Tech in Acct, 2 DFs (meow)
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