I may have to make a trip from Cleveland to Las Vegas in a few months by myself. It’s about 2100 miles mostly in a straight shot across I-80 and then I-70.
I’d like to speed most of the way where practical since it seems like it’d be a major, wide open, well maintained, relatively low traffic interstate that’s basically ideal for speeding. Obviously I’d want to avoid a ticket, and I’m not sure where the highly patrolled areas are, but I’m a vigilant driver and do a good job of spotting speed traps.
I’ve never made a trip that long by myself, so I’m wondering how many hours you can practically cram into each day. I was thinking if I averaged 80 mph on the road (not factoring in food/gas stops) I could cover the whole trip in two days, only staying in a motel once, with 13 hours per day actually driving. Is that too ambitious to pull off?
Any sort of general solo road trip advice is welcome, as well as generally advising me how good/traffic packed/speed trapped that route is.
I’ve spent close to 18 hours behind the wheel which was about 1000 miles. I hit quite a few major cities like Atlanta for example, and traffic and construction added a solid hour to my time. I was never close to dozing off, but I usually get pretty goddamn punchy after hour 16. I used to drink coffee for those drives, but I prefer 5 hour energy shots (every four hours) which are pretty much a vitamin B overdose, and they’re nowhere near as much of a diuretic which means far fewer stops. I can go a good 8 - 10 hours before I feel the need for anything like that though. It really makes you appreciate what a big ass country this is. The craziest thing for me is that when I finally arrive I can’t sleep for another three hours no matter how tired I am.
A buddy of mine put in a 24 haul driving down from Alaska in addition to a few 12 hour days. Crazy.
How old are you, how much long day driving do you do and have done recently?
6 over the limit with no weaving etc., may get you through without an expensive stop.
Do not be the fastest guy on the road within 3 miles either way.
With normal traffic, you must try to hold about 5 over to actually maintain a speed that is over the normal limit.
Fuel & pit stops will kill you averages.
Dawn, dusk & really tied will get you killed easier, that is up to you. Killing others as you die is not acceptable. Try really hard to be sure you only kill yourself with your stated intent of speeding.
I went about 1,400 miles in one trip from Dallas, TX to Temecula, CA. IIRC, I started at about 9 a.m. and arrived at about 2 a.m, only stopping to fuel and eat. Going west is easier because you trick yourself changing time zones that way. It’s 6:00? Wait, now it’s only 5:00!
I once drove from North Carolina to Southern California in about 2 and a half days. (Started at 5 pm, stopped at a rest stop in Mississippi for a few hours, then onto Austin, where I took a 3 hour nap, then didn’t sleep again until my destination.)
It was horrible. I almost hit a deer that was in the road in rural Texas (that would have totaled the car I was driving back home), and by the time I got to California I was so deliriously tired that I was slapping myself almost non-stop to stay awake.
29, and… not much. Normal around town stuff, 40 minutes or less.
Oh please. Do you have any idea what percentage of car accidents are caused by an alert driver on a well maintained, open, low traffic, high visibility, straight freeway just because they’re doing 80? Almost none. There are about a thousand things you can do that are worse than that while driving.
Speed limits are pretty arbitrary anyway. They haven’t increased that much in years despite cars becoming much safer and better handling at higher speeds. They aren’t following some scientifically derived safety curve. If anything, they’re set as a national policy on fuel efficiency more than safety.
I’ll add that unless you have a very good reason to cram 26 hours of driving into 2x13 … don’t. I think you’ll feel much better doing maybe 2x9 plus 1x8, having less stress, more leisure, and more rest. You won’t feel wiped out when you arrive.
Also, I did my 1400 mile trip at a time when I was used to driving long trips. With your current range, your ass and neck will hurt.
I have driven alone from Massachusetts to New Mexico (and back) several times over the past few years. It’s about 2,200 miles.
Generally I would drive 1,100 miles each day, averaging about 80 mph when in the car (note that 80 is the actual speed limit on some roads in TX and NM). This made for two full 16+ hour days entirely on the road, when you factor in gas, bathrooms, eating, and checking into a hotel.
I always enjoyed the trips and never had any problems. But I enjoy driving in general and find it relaxing.
It probably comes down to your car. I have a car that is just a dream to drive at high speeds (a BMW). The seats are comfortable even for 16 hours at a stretch, the visibility is great all around, the suspension is supple, the wind noise is muted, and the car just tracks straight ahead like a freight train, regardless of wind, bumpy pavement, etc. As a result, I was frequently not even tired at the end of the day.
A lot of cars are simply a lot of work to drive. I have been in rental cars that were exhausting after just a few hours. What really kills you is a sloppy steering system - if you have to keep making corrections to the wheel just to stay in your lane, you’re screwed. A soft suspension can be aggravating too. And if the seats are uncomfortable, or the engine is too loud, you’ll get tired that much quicker. If you have a car like that, stretch it out to three days or more for safety. Otherwise go for it.
Honestly, if you’ve never done a big road trip, I think trying to do it in two days is unrealistic. There are better ways to save $50.
Stop when you get tired. I’m with you on 80 being perfectly safe, but your “alert driver” caveat makes a difference.
If I were you I’d leave one evening and put in six hours. It’ll be a good “break in” for someone who has never done a long drive. Then you’ll have two ten hour days in front of you, which is not bad.
I’d also leave at dusk the first night. Driving west into the sunset is particularly tiring.
80 mph is the posted speed limits in a few southwestern states. Getting out of Cleveland? No way. Getting on toward the Nevada end of things, there may be long flat stretches where 80 is about on target if not posted as such.
It’s going to be difficult to maintain an 80-MPH average speed while moving, especially in the eastern states. The speed limit in Ohio, Indiana and Iowa is only 70, and it’s only 65 in Illinois. For a long stretch past southern Chicago it’s only 55, and there are similar slowdowns in other metro areas along the way. If you want to average 80 MPH while moving, you’re going to be speeding by a rather large margin.
Moreover, stops will reduce your overall average speed quite a bit. If you’re in a hurry, or if you want to really test yourself, you can do it in two days. Endurance motorsports are nothing new; in fact, the Iron Butt Association - a group dedicated to long-distance motorcycle riding - recently completed their Iron Butt Rally, a bi-annual event in which the winner typically rides over 11,000 miles in 11 days. As you might expect, pulling off a ride like this requires discipline and attention to detail. They’ve summarized a lot of long-distance riding wisdom here; it’s geared toward motorcyclists, but car drivers like you will still find quite a bit of it to be helpful.
While your proposed drive can be done in two days, I don’t recommend it. I personally know two people who have been hospitalized after marathon driving sessions with Deep-Vein Thrombosis , an unpleasant life-threatening condition. I’d suggest stopped at least every 90 minutes, ideally at a rest area where you can walk around and get some blood flowing in all your extremities. Yes, it’ll slow you down, but you’ll arrive in better condition. I’d suggest three days to do your trip, with decreasing mileage each day: 850+700+550, or something like that. If you’re like me, the 850-mile day will take you about 12-13 hours total (including stops). You’re gonna be a little more whipped each day, which is why you want to set yourself up with shorter mileages toward the end of the whole trip.
If you’re falling asleep behind the wheel, STOP. It’s tempting to try to push through it until your next planned stop, but don’t do that; people fall asleep behind the wheel every day, and this is how you end up on the evening news. Get off at the nearest rest area, and take a nap.
It will be 2 tough days. Might drop down to I 70 sooner. I 75 has some diagonal to it and also I 70 in Indiana. Indianapolis and Saint Louis should be less of a mess than Chicago. Nine is fine, 10 you are mine. Where the speed limit is 70, the cops ignore me at 78.
To save time, we sometimes hit fast foods take out and eat on the road. Subway may be a little healthier. We stop, go in, use the restroom, and order to go.
My longest shot in oneday has been from Evansville IN to Chesapeake Bay VA, a straight shot on I 64 all the way.I always had dogs with me so had to stop more frequently than average, I think the trips took about 13 hours, maybe a little more. Honestly, I don’t think I’d want to drive much longer than that.
I’m guessing you’ll be on I-80 through Nebraska and IA? That is a painfully boring drive with miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles. The road is straight and flat.
I know the Speed limit is 70MPH through IA - except it drops down to 65 around Des Moines. You’re going to want to watch your speed when you are going through there - there’s usually cops around. Also, about 80 miles east of Des Moines there’s an outlet mall. There usually a speed trap there too. I generally set the cruise at 77 and can go through speed traps without an issue.
I’m not saying that there won’t be cops anywhere else, but that’s where they’re notorious.
I think the limit might be 75 in NE, so you can make up some time there.
FWIW, I used to drive from FL to WI several times a year. That was 1300 miles and it’d generally take 19 hrs. But, I did have several big cities slowing me down. Two 1100 mile days are going to be tough.
IMO, you should be able to make 2100 miles in two days, but you will be worn out. WORN OUT. I recently did 1500 miles. One trick that i do on a long trip to keep alert. Tic Tacs. If I am getting a little drowsy, the sugar rush from one or two tic tacs really perk me up without caffeine (and excess fluids). And even though you will waste some precious time, take a short walk on your pit stops. A 5-10 minute walk will get your blood pumping.
Just drove from Phoenix to Indiana with one night, about 900 to 1000 miles each day. Thought it would just be a “grind”, but am now convinced I will never try that again.
Two nights on the road, yeah, that is civilized. Anything past about 12 hours of driving is insane.
Absolute has it right. The car matters, a lot. Driving 2100 miles in his BMW is not the same as driving 2100 miles in my pick-up with offroad suspension.