Cross country drive - tomorrow!

[Chuck.H]

I'm all set to drive across country from Florida to San Francisco tomorrow; plan to take 2.5 days to get there (I-10), then have the GF fly out and we'll take 5 days to drive back, taking I-70 thru SLC and Denver.

If anybody from the SF area is going to the Parts Heaven swap meet, I'm planning on being there Sunday with my GP white Targa and it would be great to meet some members.

Chuck.H
'89 TurboLook Targa, 352k miles

[Halm]

Originally Posted by Chuck.H

. . . plan to take 2.5 days to get there (I-10), then have the GF fly out and we'll take 5 days to drive back, taking I-70 thru SLC and Denver.

That is hammering it. I took 3.5 days the last time I did it (LA to Charlotte) and thought that was pretty good.

That trip should be a real treat. Be sure to post along the way and keep us posted on your progress.

[blucille]

yup, 2.5 days is really hammering it. I just did NY to LA, 4.5 easy days of driving with a 36 hour layover in Scottsdale, AZ for various reasons....

[Chuck.H]

Hmmm maybe I'll leave a little earlier - but I plan to just drive and sleep since it's just me on the way out, and start off early each day (3am ish) to avoid traffic.

I'm pretty close to I-10 (Lake City) here, and google maps says it's only 2350 miles (33h) to LA, then 5-6h up I-5 to SF...

Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 352k miles

[porschenut]

So you're planning to drive 39 hours in 2.5 days? Wow. And then turn right around and drive 5 more days home? You're gonna be so ready to get out of that car by the time you get home, you won't even want to look at it for a month.

[blucille]

not to jinx it, but one minor problem, flat tire for example, will wipe out a minimum of a half-day, plus weather and traffic can wreck an otherwise perfect plan.

big problem, in the middle of nowhere, and it could be 2 days you are off the road.

3700 miles is +/- 40 hours of driving, that's a lot for 3 days. 1200 miles is a lot to cover in a day, especially every days for 3 days.

give yourself 4 days minimum, or else you will be exhausted when you arrive. Much of the drive is flat, straight, boring....speed limits are 75, so even without driving recklessly, you can cover a lot of miles.

we were buzzing along I-40 pretty well until we got into AZ, they closed the interstate in both directions due to 100+ mph winds across the highway, had to reroute to the south, wasted half a day.

you don't want to be exhausted when you girlfriend arrives...or worse yet, a few hundred miles away.

[NOLAsc]

If y'all drop down to I-10 through New Orleans on your leisurely way back, let us know.

Safe travels to you.

[Chuck.H]

Originally Posted by porschenut

So you're planning to drive 39 hours in 2.5 days? Wow. And then turn right around and drive 5 more days home? You're gonna be so ready to get out of that car by the time you get home, you won't even want to look at it for a month.

Haha - no, I have a week of meetings in between so the 911 and my back can rest! I put about 20k miles a year on my 911, the Sparco EVO's fit me very well so it's pretty comfortable. But other than a trip to Canada a few years ago this is the longest trip for sure.

Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 352k miles

[Chuck.H]

Sonnett43 writes:
>>>3700 miles is +/- 40 hours of driving, that's a lot for 3 days. 1200 miles is a lot to cover in a day, especially every days for 3 days.

It's only 2700 miles the way I google it... I plan to 1200, 1200 and then 300 sunday morning. Agree, everything must go according to plan to make this work, maybe I'll leave a day early to accomodate problems... thanks!

Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 352k miles

[Chuck.H]

Originally Posted by NOLAsc

If y'all drop down to I-10 through New Orleans on your leisurely way back, let us know.

Safe travels to you.

Thanks! Did that last year, and we also made the drive down to Grand Island which was spectacular!!! For this trip I plan to use I-12 to bypass your party city though...

Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 352k miles

[blucille]

sorry, typo, 2700 miles is still a lot.

[Halm]

Originally Posted by Chuck.H

... I plan to 1200, 1200 and then 300 sunday morning.

FWIW, my longest leg was about 800 miles, Needles, CA to Amarillo, TX. I left before sunrise and got there about sunset. Admittedly, I was in a "new to me" SC and I averaged 65-70mph. But still, it was very tiring.

[ClickClickBoom]

Lots of long range stupidity in my own book, leave a couple of days earlier and enjoy the ride. That snug, comfortable seat becomes a torture device after 10+ hours, think bedsores.....

[Dublinoh]

Bad things happen when you get too tired, last hour of skiing, final session of a DE, etc. Wish you a safe trip...and suggest allowing more time.

[DonNewton]

Let us know how that 5 hours from LA to SF goes.

[NOLAsc]

I love seeing this sign soon after crossing into Texas...



And then there's stuff like this past San Antonio...

[Chuck.H]

Originally Posted by DonNewton

Let us know how that 5 hours from LA to SF goes.

Haha - good point, I've done it a few times and the traffic can be bad... but since I'm only going to Hayward I can stick closer to I-5; just as long as I can get out of LA Sunday morning I think I'll be ok.

Thanks!
Chuck.H
'89 TurboLookTarga, 352k miles

[Scott Douglas]

the sun is ris' the sun is set
here I is in Texas yet

Originally Posted by NOLAsc

I love seeing this sign soon after crossing into Texas...



And then there's stuff like this past San Antonio...

[realgren]

1200 miles / day. Let's say you're averaging 65 to 70 miles an hour, you're driving 17 to 19h a day for 2 days+ a little more the 3rd day. That's not taking into account getting gas and eating (I guess you're going to eat and drive at the same time).

I bought my 911 in San Francisco, and drove it down to LA. I did take some very nice roads along the coast which i hope you'll be able to experience with your girlfriend. It took me 9h. After that stint, I was DONE with the car for a couple of days. Don't get me wrong, I love my 911 as much as the next guy at Pelican, but it's exhausting.

For long stints, I like my Lexus SUV with cooled seats... ahhhhhhh

Good luck. Don't push yourself.

[Reiver]

I just drove from Wickenburg to Meridian Ms and back...about 1700 miles one way and 25 hours of driving....I did two 9 hour days and a 7 hour day...not stopping for lunch, sandwich on the go.
You can push that a bit but 2.5 days coast to coast will be more like work than fun.
I enjoyed my drive as lots of 80 mph time, but there was 'weather' across Texas, serious thunderstorms etc that eat into the time...i.e driving thru Dallas in 6 lanes with a gully washer taking place.
Give yourself some breathing room and enjoy it.