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I think you'll be fine to do the drive in one sitting but as someone else said, it would be good to have a backup plan in case the weather gets foul and you have to stop. Living at the end of a peninsula(Florida), I'm used to driving 400miles just to get out of the state and I've driven non-stop to Raleigh NC. Also, drove PA to South Florida with one stop in GA. Good luck and remember the decision should ultimately be yours since you are the only one driving, and only you know how long you can safely drive. It's better to take your time if you need to and arrive alive than push yourself to exahustion and then crash!
My husband has driven straight from Lexington - KY to Toronto - Canada with few stops for meals and gas (but not overnight). Total distance roughly 624 miles. Result: He will not do it again without breaking the trip mid-way.
I have over the years made repeated trips in the 500 mile range. I like to leave before dawn really and stop for breakfast between 6-8am. I find that as long as I don't start so as to get into the evening hours ;Its much easier.Alot depends o the type of raodways really as to how the drive will be.
I drive to MA and ME several times a year, 880 - 950 miles.
We usually leave around 7pm and I drive straight through the night.
Most of the time my wife and kids never get out of the minivan.
This isn't for the faint of heart.
This week we'll leave around midnight for northern OH, 575 mi from my driveway to arrive 9 am. Piece of cake.
It is absolutely NOT about high speed, it is all about average speed and minimizing stops.
To answer the question though, I would probably add a day if I was driving too much over 1200 miles.
My wife wants to go visit the relatives for Christmas. She does not have a drivers license, so I would have to do all the driving. Airfare is sky high and so we are forced to drive.
The relatives live 480 miles from our house and she wants to start driving at dawn and attempt to make it all the way. She estimates if we average 60 miles per hour and stop for a hour and a half on the way to get gas, bathroom breaks and two meals, we can make it to Columbus Ohio in about 10 hours.
To me that is a long way to drive especially during the Christmas Weekend when there is a lot of traffic and possible bad weather and icy roads. I want to break the long trip up where we drive 5 hours each day and stay at a hotel after driving about 240 miles. She does not want to take so much time off work. We are at a stalemate.
Would you drive the ten hours on Christmas Eve and then stay for three nights and do the ten hour drive back four days later, or is that too much hassle? What would you do?
Why do the (almost always women) who want to drive home for the holidays seem to always be from the snow belt?!
Can't you just put her on a bus and stay home?
This is another example of what I am calling a "Lemming Run"...
As the lone driver you have to trust your own instincts on how far YOU are comfortable driving for any certain distance or time. You are talking holiday travel so check for a hotel room ahead of time.
You are accomodating your wife by driving to HER family for the holidays. She can COMPROMISE by allowing you to take the trip in 2 legs with a hotel stay if you need to rest. If she is not willing or unable to take the time off work (1/2 day) then maybe this isn't the best year to do the big family Christmas either.
I have done very long hauls alone, as far as 1250 miles without pulling over to sleep (23 hrs). It was dangerous and I don't recommend it. Driving exhausted is more dangerous then driving drunk.
That said, be certain to get out and stretch more often than you think you need to as to avoid blood clotting in the legs from sitting too long. It will add more time to your trip but it will be safer and more healthy in the long run.
If she does not drive how can you be a a stalemate? Either she lets you drive the way you want; or, she hires a driver to do it her way. Let me guess, she has a few control issues?
I think you'll be fine to do the drive in one sitting but as someone else said, it would be good to have a backup plan in case the weather gets foul and you have to stop. Living at the end of a peninsula(Florida), I'm used to driving 400miles just to get out of the state and I've driven non-stop to Raleigh NC. Also, drove PA to South Florida with one stop in GA. Good luck and remember the decision should ultimately be yours since you are the only one driving, and only you know how long you can safely drive. It's better to take your time if you need to and arrive alive than push yourself to exahustion and then crash!
Out of curiosity, did you ever stay the night in Savannah?
Furthest I've done nonstop is central IL to Bridgeport CT, roughly 1,000 miles. Did it the other way about 2 days later. Also recently did a nonstop (both ways) from Chicago to Manhattan KS. Would have been a lot easier without useless speed limits, particularly headed out west.
Anyway, I can knock off 480 miles in well under 8 hours maintaining speeds above the legal limit but below the threshold that would get the attention of all but the dickiest state troopers (read: had to really watch it in Ohio because every state trooper there is a dick). Unless you plan to stop for a full-service sit-down meal or you plan to drive like a blue-haired Florida retiree, I'd say you could knock at least an hour off your wife's estimate.
Last edited by Drover; 12-23-2009 at 01:46 AM..
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