As a Californian, the 450+ boring miles of I-5 from Redding to Grapevine are mind numbing. And then you get the strong scent of cow manure as you pass Harris Ranch. That breaks up the boredom, a little.
Let me tell you, driving cross country little is as boring as the Interstates going through Kansas or Nebraska. Arizona and New Mexico were also tough.
Also a Californian, and I’ve done that drive countless times. Mind-numbing, yeah, but I always stopped every 2-3 hours for at least a comfort break. Helps to unkink the body. I also liked to stop at Harris Ranch for lunch. Maybe I was always lucky and the wind was always blowing the right way, but I never noticed a strong manure smell. Wouldn’t be terribly appetizing for people going into the restaurant! On the highway, I’d have the windows up.
Both my parents were born in Ohio (though my dad moved as a little kid to CA, so he didn’t remember much of his family Back East), but about every five years we’d go back to see my mom’s family. Four kids, two adults and a dog in a car. Before any of kids were old enough to drive (and my mom didn’t), dad did all the driving and like to blitz through each day. I have a lot of experience of loooooooooong days in the car.
2 days. Even in my 20s I didn’t like 16 hour drives. Even if you have another driver, you can’t really rest in a car.
It also depends on whether you have other commitments. If you’re visiting someone you don’t see a lot and you don’t have a ton of time off work, then do it in 1 day. But if you’re retired and have all the time in the world, make it a 2 day drive.
I’ve driven Chicago-DC or vice versa a fair number of times. That’s about 11 hours and I really don’t like it. I wouldn’t do 16 in a day solo. I wouldn’t drive somewhere that far period, but if I had to drive I’d do it in two days.