possible to drive from Willcox AZ to San Antonio in one shot (El Paso: spring break, safe)

[1newyorkguy]

I'm going to be on a cross country trip from Los Angeles with my gf (who doesn't drive) and my dog.

[SATX56]

Does the dog Drive?? If you mean in a day.. non stop, I think so. My son has made the trip from LA to SA non stop so to speak!

[Soviet]

Originally Posted by 1newyorkguy

I'm going to be on a cross country trip from Los Angeles with my gf (who doesn't drive) and my dog.

Google Maps says it'll be 12.5 hours. My record driving is 16 hours from St. Louis to San Antonio. You'll be fine, I'm sure.

Have you driven that long before, though?

[majormadmax]

That's 786 miles according to GoogleMaps, and 12.5 miles as Soviet mentioned. For some that's easily doable, but there are many factors (weather, road conditions, traffic, your vehicle, your long distance driving abilities, etc.) that come into play before anyone can tell you if it's feasible for you.

My record is 1642 miles from San Diego, CA to Little Rock, AR; but that included short stops for naps, meals, etc. There was a reason for going that far virtually non-stop, but it also took me a few days to recover. I was also a lot younger back then. These days I like to get an early start after a good but not too heavy breakfast, and set a leisurely pace using the cruise control when possible. My rule is to stop for at least 15 minutes every 2-3 hours, and take advantage of that opportunity to stretch and get some fresh air! Also do NOT depend on caffeine, energy drinks or other stimulants to sustain you through such a trip; if you are not able to maintain your concentration and focus than it's a better idea to get off the road and rest.

Lastly, whatever you do, don't push your luck. Keep everything within safe bounds and you'll have an enjoyable trip!

Cheers! M2

[ptdad]

Shouldn't be too bad at all... I just did San Antonio to Phoenix and back for spring break. We went straight through each way with young kids in the car. We stopped and took some decent breaks and it wasn't bad. That was 970 miles or so, and it took about 17 hours, with 14 actual "driving" hours according to the computer.

There will be a couple of border patrol checkpoints along the way that can back up traffic for a little bit.

Thankfully, you'll have speed limits of 75 and 80 most of the way. That helps!! Happy travels!

[01Snake]

I drove from Phoenix to SA in December in one shot. Anything under a 1000 miles to me is easy to do without stopping. The speed limit is like 85mph from El Paso to Kerville on I-10.

My longest was from NYC to SA non-stop. Fastfood/Gas/Bathroom stops only. Had a cat with me to boot. 1850 miles!

[RHroadie]

I do Phoenix to SA and SA to Phoenix in one day about 14.5 hrs of seat time, add for gas, food and bathroom breaks. You can do 80-85 most of the way without much worrying, do be careful east of El Paso and in Tuscon Normally try to stop at Anthony (just west of El paso) for the usually cheapest gas.

[LindaGrace]

Yeah, 12 hours is awesome - not bad at all.

We used to drive straight through to Springfield, IL (about 18 hours) but then we got old. So now we just stop "somewhere in Oklahoma" for the night. We try to drive 11 or 12 hours the first day so the second day is cake.

[HillCountryHotRodMan]

It's doable. I've driven from one end of Thailand to the other with minimal breaks. Take those short stops as MajorMad suggested. Bring lots of music. Pack a cooler with some beverages. Not all caffeinated, put some fruit juices in there too or you will burn out. Stay hydrated. If you need to, take a pee bottle. Or just use those short breaks to pee. Stay away from fast food.... it will knock you out on the road.

Another suggestion is to plan and/or set goals for the next year or so. What you want to do, accomplish, etc. Jot the stuff down on your breaks.

[Soviet]

Originally Posted by ptdad

Shouldn't be too bad at all... I just did San Antonio to Phoenix and back for spring break. We went straight through each way with young kids in the car. We stopped and took some decent breaks and it wasn't bad. That was 970 miles or so, and it took about 17 hours, with 14 actual "driving" hours according to the computer.

There will be a couple of border patrol checkpoints along the way that can back up traffic for a little bit.

Thankfully, you'll have speed limits of 75 and 80 most of the way. That helps!! Happy travels!

There are Border Patrol checkpoints on I-10?!?!? Are you freaking kidding me?! - Confused Russian