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Also, I do have AARP road side assistance, which I know will be useful.
I plan on leaving very early Friday or Saturday morning. I'm thinking Friday morning around 5 AM, so that would put me in NJ at around 5 PM est.
Double-check your AARP Roadside assistance. Some plans are just 5 miles of towing
Upgraded plans provide 100 miles of towing. Its not too late to call and upgrade.
On the positive side, AARP roadside has the same benefits in all 50 states, Canada, and PR. Unlike AAA, who's benefits vary from state-to-state. You don't need a nasty surprise if going across state lines.
Also, make sure to take along your AARP membership card and your AARP roadside assistance card. I've worked for AARP. If someone calls the main number, thinking I can transfer them to RA, well, I can't if I don't have their AARP MEMBERSHIP NUMBER. If you don't have it, there's nothing I can do, it won't even allow me to XFR without the MEMBERSHIP NUMBER. There's a difference, your AARP membership number, and your AARP Roadside assistance number. Take both cards, if you can't locate the cards, take the numbers---membership numbers AND phone numbers---store in your phone or write them down somewhere.
I work for membership. I am NOT towing. Its so frustrating to have people call me, not knowing their membership numbers, begging, pleading, crying for a tow and there's nothing I can do. Essentially, they've called the wrong number. Its your insurance, get your act together so its available when you need it!
I would recommend stopping overnight. Don't risk falling asleep at the wheel.
I almost fell asleep at the wheel once, it was scary, to say the least. There was simply no where to pull over, on a major hwy. Its called highway hypnosis, the drone of the engine and feel of the road can literally lull one to sleep.
I remembered some TV commercials I used to see as a kid, way back in the 60's, what to do if you're falling asleep at the wheel.
*play the radio
*open the windows
*adjust your seat to change positions
chew gum
talk, sing
I did all of the above, except I didn't have gum, so I "chewed" air. Just the motion of the jaws somehow revived me. somehow I safely got off the highway, and made it to a MCD and got a cup of coffee. Wait at least 20 minutes for caffeine to kick in. Now I carry those energy drinks, or, like another poster recommended, a diet coke. Don't worry if its warm, just drink it for the caffeine.
Id go out and buy one of those road side safety kits. Maybe purchase a AAA membership if you are paranoid, id do the same if I was worried about breaking down in the middle of nowhere.
Pack some snacks and plan stops. Don't drive for 12 hours straight. A few years ago I knew a contractor that drove from NYC to CT back and forth with little to no rest. Fell asleep behind the wheel of a loaded Ford E-Series while driving through the mountains of PA coming to a job somewhere in NY. The van fell down a hill and was completely destroyed. Luckily He walked away with a few bruises and cuts.
12 hours is a doable day. I assume Google told you it's 12 hours, though. That's 12 hours just driving. Actual time will be more like 13-15 hours depending on how efficient you are with your stops and assuming you don't hit any major cities at rush hour. Still plenty doable if you time it right but just plan for that. And anything is better than McD's for food. You probably won't be hungry in time to get one of the Hardee's on the Indiana Toll Road, but Arby's and Wendy's and even Burger King are massively better than McD's.
Also whoever said there's plenty of state police on I-80 in PA is dead wrong. Plenty of construction (there's not nearly enough traffic for it to ever be a problem, though), but no police. The whole stretch except for up by the Del. Water Gap is unpatrolled (or at least I've never seen a cop more than 30 miles west of the NJ border). You could drive 85 across the western 250 miles of PA aside from the construction zones and nobody would care. But there are lots of state police on the Ohio Turnpike and Indiana Toll Road.
I have done a lot of road trips like this or longer on my own. I agree with a lot stated here. On a trip this short I would not stop overnight but you may feel the need to. It is better to be safe and stop if you feel tired. I would just play it by ear.
When you get your oil changed confirm they checked your tires. I also agree about having road side assistance and a spare tire. I don't know how to change a flat and thankfully have not had the need to do so but if I did I would have to wait for AAA.
For me a GPS is a must. I try to keep a half tank of gas at all times. I am not familiar with the roads from Chicago to NJ but if it is a road where there is tolls I like to keep change and in general some cash on hand.
When you stop to eat make sure to not leave lets say a laptop on the seat. If you do stop at a hotel I like to stay at ones where you have to enter in from a lobby and at a major nice chain. You usually can get a feel for the area when you get off at the exit.
Have a safe trip
Long distance driving can be a relative term,it depends on what you are comfortable with as to whether to do it in one shot or stay overnight somewhere, see how you feel at the halfway mark (Pittsburgh area)and at that point either get a motel or continue on.
Personally on a 12 hour trip a power nap at a rest area is about all i need.
12 hours is a one day drive for cross country driving. The only way I would stop is if there was sight seeing I wanted to do along the way. Sometimes motels won't let you check in until after 2 pm especially during the travel season when they may not have all the rooms made up yet. If you leave at 5 and plan to stop after 6 hours that puts you at your motel before check out time. If you had to stop I would probably push on to Pittsburgh the first day.
That's a fairly populated part of the country, in the worst case scenario help is not going to be far way.
What kind of car do you have? What's the condition of the tires? Have you top off all the fluid? Like radiator fluid?
Being prepare with all the emergency stuff is good, but preparing your car is more important.
If your car is good, safe and ready to gas and go, you won't need al the other stuff.
I am a big fan of AAA. I think any person who road trip should have it.
12 hr trip is easy. Leave at 5am. By noon. Your half way. By 5-6 pm. You arrive for dinner.
Ladies. Always always stop at a bright lit and busy gas station. Always be seen.
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