Moving gf from Rochester, NY to Los Angeles, CA / inexperienced cross country driver. tips? travel time? etc... (cost, rental)

[uberlou]

Hi everybody,

So in about a month and a half's time i'll be helping my girlfriend move from Rochester, NY back here to Los Angeles. She doesn't have many things she needs to bring, no need for a UHAUL, so i'm just renting a mini-van or SUV for the trip. The biggest importance to me is route, travel time, and how much it'll cost altogether. My rental is already going to be approximately $300 for a week. I assume with such a big car, i'll spend another $500 on gas, give or take. To cut it down:

-How are February driving conditions? I've seen threads suggesting the longer but safer southern route at this time of year

-What would my travel time be (one way) with the least amount of stops possible? Could I do it in 2 days with one overnight stay?

-What else should I be considerng here when prepping for the solo part of the drive? At this point, the longest and furthest i've driven alone was from Aspen, CO to Los Angeles in about 14 hours.

-How much would be enough to set aside for any additional expenses that may come up?

This has gotta be a lot easier than I think. But worrying about the worst case scenario or stranded far from home or my destination is there. Maybe you more experienced travelers can easy my mind. Thanks in advance!

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by uberlou

I've seen threads suggesting the longer but safer southern route at this time of year

You're absolutely right! Arrive alive! That's the only thing that matters. Maybe you haven't looked at, say, CNN lately but the entire northern 60% of the U.S. has been buried in snow, ice, blizzards, windstorms, whiteouts and avalanches for a few weeks. The only sensible way to go is straight south from Rochester and through Alabama, Louisiana, and stay far south through Arizona.

A friend of mine just arrived back on the west coast from a car trip that started in New Jersey, and because it is dead winter he wound up having to drive very far south as I just described.

Could I do it in 2 days with one overnight stay?

Nobody could drive from Rochester to L.A. in 2 days even if they were driving a Formula One car in a straight diagonal path!!
Lots of reasons:
-- far too many miles, burning up both the car and the driver;
-- the driver insanity that sets in after about 800 miles or so, requiring that a lone driver get out and walk around and do other things for some hours, to realign mind, body, eyesight, reflexes...;
-- local construction and other limiting conditions, such as flooding and crashes, that have to be expected everywhere;
-- speed limits, State Patrols, local police -- remember that when locals see you speeding with your NY plates they're likely to report you on their cell phones;
-- darkness: it's deliberate suicide to drive, in the dark, on unknown roads in unknown conditions with no knowledge of local resources and help.

Plan on 5 days and 4 nights on the road.

Arrive alive! THAT is the only thing that matters. Have a safe trip.

[uberlou]

Ahh, thank you. I had a feeling I was in over my head but didn't really have any realistic input despite doing some google searching. There's still an alternate option of my girlfriend flying here and us driving back to her folks in a couple months when the cold weather subsides. Road conditions will be better and I won't go as crazy. I know EXACTLY what you mean about driver insanity. I felt it halfway through my Colorado drive.

[IonRedline08]

I am doing something similar soon, from San Antonio to Va...

What if you had her fly out, one way on a cheap ticket, and then you both drive to get her stuff? It would be a fun adventure, and you would have the both of you to handle driving, navigating, dealing with issues, etc