The_quorum

I'm doing a trek to Chicago from Baltimore in November for a week and a half. If it wasn't such a long stay, I'd consider flying...but I want the flexibility of having my car since I'll be driving around a lot (and don't want the expense of renting a comparable car for 1+ weeks).
I figure it to be about 760 miles one way.
Now the questions:
1) Has anyone driven this distance in one day (alone)?
2) If I left at the crack of dawn Friday (5-6am), could I make it in a full day's drive on my own and not be jello when I arrive? (not being dead to the world is essential as a romantic interest will be waiting).
3) How long do you think it would take (driving at a darn good clip)?
And most importantly (having learned from experience),
4) Are there any states between MD an IL other than Ohio that use AIRCRAFT/TROOPER teams to clock/nail speeders? (I think the concept is pretty foul, myself. Radar/laser detector didn't even blip, and they were waiting to flag me over when I reached the "check point")...BUT I DID GET AWAY w/ a WARNING -- 85 in a 55!! Whoo Hoo!

Thanks.

Guest

once i did a trek in my rents station wagon ( ford sable ) from syracuse to philly - bout an 8-9 hour trip - that was not fun ... did another trek from syracuse to Maryland and back in one day in my uncles rodeo ....

http://www.speedtrap.com - anticipate the bathroom stops cus there are stretches without rest areas - Maryland cops are ****** - but if your outta state you generally just get fines ... =P

My 4DSC

non-stop (except to pee-pee)...
took me 18hrs one way...
but i was FLYYYYYING the whole way...
got a ticket in VA (78mph in 55mph zone)...
and those bastids made me come back a month later for my court date...ugh.
i will NEVER make that trip again...ever.
IT SUCKED.

SaVas

is a cake walk. I drive long distances a lot. 2 months and a week or so on my max and over 10K miles. Asheville NC, to St. Louis (615 miles), and back the next evening (wedding), Asheville, NC to Key Largo FLA (970 miles) and back 4 days later, and just yesterday morning I drove to OBX- The Outer Banks, NC, from Asheville, NC (460 miles), just to go to the beach and see a couple of light houses, surf, sand, then drove back today. I love to drive, although the damned Service Engine Light came on AGAIN, and my brakes have developed a hell of a shudder under hard braking. "Oh Dealer...Oh DEALER. FIX MY ****ing car correctly this time" :vampire:

GarthG

iTrader: (1)

I've done the entire state of CA in one day. . .About 700 Miles and it took me 12 hours. This is at speed between 70 and 80 with a couple of stops for gas, food, and streaching. . . You will be tired when you get there, and I would recommend having someone go with you just for safty reasons, but I think you could make it in one day no problem. Make sure to bring some music and such to keep you entertained in areas you don't know the radio stations. Can't help with the troopers though.

SaVas

and while I think about it...there were a ****load of radar traps this weekend in NC. Atleast 12 to 15 going down and 8 to 10 back up. NC State Troopers--- PPPPFFFFHHHHHTTTTTTT....You didn't Get me!!!!!! heh heh heh

[Edited by SaVas on 10-29-2000 at 05:46 PM]

bullseye

I usually drive on cruise control at 75-79 MPH. I stop for gasoline and the restroom when I need to, and while I'm stopped, I get a quick sandwich and a water. I don't drink caffeinated beverages, because they make me have to pee. And when that caffeine starts to wear off, I get sleepy.

I drove from Columbus, Ohio to San Antonio, Texas in about 22 hours a couple years ago. That was 1,488 miles. I won't EVER try that again! More recently, I drove 630 miles from Memphis, TN to Columbus, Ohio in about 9 hours. That wasn't too bad.

Are you sure your distance is 760 miles? Sometimes mileage in a road Atlas' is understated. Any way you look at it, you've got about a 11-12 hour drive comin' up. The good news: You pick up an hour on your way west. The bad news: You lose an hour going back.

Oh, yeah. I made these trips alone. It would be easier and safer with a friend. You could switch off on the driving and keep each other alert. You would have to make the passenger promise not to sleep, because it's hard to stay awake when you got someone sawing logs next to you.

Have a safe trip. Leave your radar detector at home...

mAdD MAX

Well my Dad drove from Orlando, Florida to Baltimore, MD in one day (around 15hrs)...there were around 7 people(incl me) in the van (Chevy Venture- POS!!).

That was one uncomfortable ride!!

The_quorum

Well the Road Atlas states 700 miles...I figure that's city edge to city edge, so I tacked on an extra 60. Mapquest said 740, but the last 2 times I've used their maps, there's been at least one wrong turn and a slight backtracking. I've gone 600 miles w/ a passenger, but it was a "sight-seeing" along the way trip, so the time wasn't realistic for a straight through job. I'm pretty much in the car all day for my job anyways, so it's not like there will be a "system shock"...just the extended duration. Of course the trip will go quicker with good tunes, and a rapid pace...but I'll be going the speed limit in Ohio. Too bad they aren't like West VA and have a 70mph speed limit...or Montana with none at all (from what I understand)...I figure 12-14 hours.

JonnyMax

several times actually. The trek from Portland to Bay Area I usually do with one or two stops for gas and nothing else. You can really fly Down I-5 at night!!! thats where Ive done my 145mph+ runs!!!

gareno

I've driven 30hrs straight thru, stopping only when the tank was empty, (about 450-480 miles, about 5hrs.) Only shut the car off once, when we went in somewhere to eat instead of a drive thru. Put 3000 miles on that weekend.

[Edited by gareno on 10-29-2000 at 08:10 PM]

krell

Ann Arbor MI to Dallas TX in one day. Something like 1200 Miles. Thank God for the Valentine One!

Loudergood

Wow, I guess I've been topped quite easily, I run a 6 and a half hour trip from Orono, Me to Burlington, VT and back, about once a month..it's 300 miles and there's not more than an hour of interstate between here and there. The rest is only US highways..50 mph speed limits and two lane roads..my 3rd gen makes it tolerable though.

Supa Lao

iTrader: (1)

I drove from Mobile, Alabama to Mechanicsburg, PA in 1 day. It was a lil over 1k miles. I drove it all by myself, b/c my parents decided to take my car and I'm the only one that knows how to drive stick. It took me about 8 hours, b/c my aunt was following me. Then she decided to get ahead of me and she missed the exit, so I had to follow her and tell her to go back.

JimW

on Thanksgiving Day in '95. Drove from BYC to S. Carolina (790 miles down, 805 back) Left NYC on Friday night (day after T'Day) at Midnight going to S.C. Got to S.C. around 11 am that morning. Dropped off a car (had a buddy follow me in his car) took a 4 hr nap, and headed back to NYC at around 8pm. Got back to NYC at 7 ish Sunday Morning. I'll never do something like that again, took me about 3 days to get back to a regular sleep pattern.

You could do 760 miles in 12 hours, no big deal.
As far as I know, just about every state uses VASCAR and helicopters/aircraft to enforce speedlimits. You must pay attention for those little hash marks on the shoulders of the road. They are used for timing your speed.

Whitemax

We drove only stopping to eat or pee. we were suposed to leave early on a Monday morning after loading up the truck, but the only help we could get ( her deadbeat brother) backed out at the last second. We didn't leave Bay Ridge until 8:00 Monday night. We had a deadline to meet, so I drove. All the way. Non stop. With no help cause my wife didn't drive. The damn Ryder trucks have a speed limiter of 65 mph. I got to GA tuesday afternoon about 3:30. Then I had to unload the truck, (I had my family to help thank god) so I could return the truck by 5 pm. It was hell. I will hire a moving company we we move back in April. I never want to go through that again. I don't know how I didn't fall asleep at the wheel. Total it's right at 1000 miles.

00 black max

Jeez you guys drive alot

sprung

I'm sure you can do it, just BE CAREFUL, getting a speeding ticket should be the least of your worries. If you start to feel tired get out of the car for a few, it's not worth your car or your life. Not many people realize how many accidents happen each year due to driver fatigue. Listening to loud music, windows down, drinking coffee and slapping yourself in the face isn't enough, you really have to get out of the car and move around for a little while to keep from zoning out behind the wheel. If you have to, take a quick nap in the car at a rest stop. Have fun!

jmax

No exact times for trips should be posted as this is trackable. I've made the trip from Gainsville, Fl to Luray, VA where I used to live. I was only alone the last 90 miles after I dropped off my college apartment mate in Arl, VA. That was a ****ty trip because it was right after Schuler's last game as a volunteer and they kicked our Hokies butt. Everyone else in the car was too hung over to drive so I drove straight through. I95 was packed with cars going the same way and I think the return trip was about 16 hours including coffee breaks. Many hours longer than the trip down.

VA has the planes and choppers. I have seen sign of it in states between VA and FL but don't remembe which ones. I think I heard rumor that it's active in MD.

brandonj

iTrader: (1)

I do Seattle to Provo, UT (900 miles) by myself all the time. The quickest I've ever done it is 10 hours 15 minutes. It would have been faster but I came down with a fever and I had to pull off the road for 1/2 hour to rest. Plus, I had skis and snowboards on top and I had a tough time keeping my G20 over 100 on the big hills. I was a lot more fearless back then. The most it ever took me was 16 1/2 hours last year during Christmas break. I kid you not, it was snowing 825 of the 900 miles. Never again. I did LA to Provo (700 or so miles) in 8 hours one time - I was going about 110-115 in Nevada and some guy blew by me. I tried to pace him, but gave up at 130.

justinmc

iTrader: (8)

thats like 800+ miles.. (actually I think it was 875 or so (north KC to SE houston) two summers ago (and returned via dallas stopping for maxus).. me and friend.. did it in like 13 hours including gas/dinner stops and such.... we flew through KS and S OK.. (ok only like 75-80)... either way good time..... wildest part was about 2:30 in the morning right on the NE side of houston I took a wrong turn (or thought so) stopped to check directions.. went to get back on freeway.. just getting back to speed when a cop pulls me over... explain the situation.. he just says.. uhhh son.. the freeway on ramp isn't for another 150yds or so...... damn those wide TX feeder roads level with the highway!!!! hehe... he just waved me on.... we did Dallas to KC in 6.5 hours... rolled out of S. dalls around 11:00 got gassed up.. rolling by 11:30.... mashed the gas and didnt' stop until the other side of OKC.. (I cruised at 100 through S OK for 30-40mins behind two unknown 4th gens.. one brown one black).. I slept mostly through KS and my friend drove.. he said the only way he could concentrate was the radio blaring and keeping the needle above 90.... hehe I rolled into my house at 6:30 (after unloading at his house and such as well).. gas stops and all (two of em) in 7 hours.. long drives suck..... but they make for great stories later.. (I've done dallas alone once.. took 8.5 hours.. but I took my time and stopped a couple times)

DaEnigma

One of my dearest friends who at the time was attending the Eastman School of Music in Rochester NY made the trek to Portland OR in 46hrs with two stops one in Lincoln NE and the other in Boise ID (that is over 2700 miles)... Now that IMHO was crazy but he did not want to miss his sister's birth. That is my definition of strong family ties...

Rit

iTrader: (3)

20 times, and never had an accident, or a ticket, and only one failed fuel pump! I love doing it. Oh, my wife usually drives abount 200 miles of the trip!

humaras

I was planning to go to Fayetville NC in two weeks-- so what are these hash marks on the side of the road that we gotta watch out for? would you know how they clock your speed down there? not just with a speed gun, correct?

thanks for any info.

=)

JimW

maxima561

I drove from palm beach to georgia and back in one day to pick a friend up from jail. I think it was 844 miles roundtrip. I got a ticket going 99 in a 70 right before the florida/georgia state line. I was actually going faster but he said if he wrote it for 30 over he would have to arrest me, so i talked my way out of it.

Shingles

I regularly drive 1000 miles a week. Actually I do it probably every week. The most I've driven was probably from Va to Texas in one day, ie non stop... that would make it something like 1700 miles?

-shing

Gr8bone

NY to Jambo's place in GA.
Left around midnight and got there around 9pm with bfast lunch and dinner stops...gas too! ~1500 miles I think

maximizer

I once drove an old taurus from NYC to florida all the way to Miami. It took me about 21 hours! non-stop, no sleeping.
I got a ticket in NC i don't even know how fast i was going cuz my speedometer was only indicating up to 80.
It was $300 for that ticket, it was some construction zone or something. Good thing he didn't make me go back to court there. It's was a one time thing, I will never drive for that long again.

focker2889

I once drove a u-haul truck towing a car for 2,000+ miles from my Alma Mater to SF, CA in two days.

I swear I will not rent another u-haul your sorry *** truck any more.

Gene Breznay

I drove from Wilkes-Barre, PA (Northeastern part of state)to Knoxville, TN in one day. Then went from Wilkes-Barre, PA to Los Angeles and back again (not in the same day or the same year). Drove about 500 miles/day just drinking water and getting gas (love those Stuckey's hot dogs. That was in a 78 Plymouth Arrow, 4 sp, 4cyl. Fun, fun, fun.

My 4DSC

NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER use MapQuest.com for directions (or yahoo or similar)...
I learned the hardway...got lost on numerous occasions...
After getting COMPLETELY WRONG DIRECTIONS for the 3rd time, I vowed i would NEVER use their "services" again.

Washington DC Maxima

together we do about 600 miles from DC to ATL..

The longest I've driven during the day and alone was from Daytona, FL to Atlanta but I don't know the distance.

Supa Lao

iTrader: (1)

I've used mapquest before, and it has been pretty acurate most of the time. I always travel w/ my map in my car, when I'm going long distances.

The_quorum

I've got a Tosh. laptop from the company...I'm trying to convince them to let me expense the add on GPS module...I've already got a cigarette lighter adapter from them...Mobile antenna...screen displays on the laptop...CD-rom for the base maps. Pretty Sweet!

i've tried to use mapquest on a couple occasions and both times they got me screwed.

maxmiata

600 miles-N Carolina to N Hampshire

NYCe MaXiMa

iTrader: (9)

Whatever distance it is from Philly to Brooklyn Nyc, thats the longest trip I ever sat through behind the wheel and that was when I bought the car and was driving it back with my dad.

damn, i gotta get out of NYC more. My daily commute is 60 miles of mixed highway/city driving

Botos

The Delorme Tripmate isn't that expensive; you should get it even if the company cheaps out on you. I've got a Garmin and it's a blast; I've actually been on trips (as a back seat driver) where the directions sucked so bad that we tossed them and just followed the glowing arrow on the GPS...

Botos

Well, I can't touch some of these enduro trips, but I did drive cross-country solo twice last summer. Took the scenic route, too, and racked up over 7000 miles in two weeks. Did about 500 a day, in a 1.6L Toyota with my bike on top. Had to drop down to third just to keep up speed on some of mountain passes...

Also lost my clutch coming into Vegas on the way back, which was a real treat. The whole saga, complete with pictures, is on my site:
http://www.botos.com/xctrip/

My other favorite was one of my many seven hour hauls from school to Vermont for snowboarding (leave after class Friday, drive, party, hit the slopes, repeat, drive back, drag myself to class on Monday). My exhaust header comes loose halfway there, so my car becomes obscenely loud for the rest of the trip. Then I pull in to the hotel and this guy in a Supra goes, "Whoa, you got a down-pipe on that thing?"

OzMaToz

Haven't driven much more than 600 in a day, but my best time was making it from Boston MA, to Potsdam NY (basically the canadian border) 332 miles, with a stop for gas, and a 20 minute trip across the lake on the ferry. Total time door-to-door 4hrs 52min. And yes I was basically flying. Wasnt in the Maxima then though, I had my Lumina Z34. fun car....when it actually ran right!