Traveling the speed limit

[Charley and Donna]

If I am driving a Ford Explorer 4x4 Sport, pulling a 19-20 foot travel trailer ... (with proper hitch, weight distribution, shocks etc etc) ... how close to the speed limit can I expect to get??

What slows a person down?? which roads would I most want to avoid traveling??

am planning a trip from Virginia to California ... taking three weeks ... would like to make a stop at Grand Canyon, Oregon Coast, Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore along the way.

am I going to be able to make this trip in three weeks averaging six hours of driving each day?? (have a map program and have keyed in start of trips anywhere from 9am to 10am and stopping by 4-5 pm each day (with a two day overnight stay on the Oregon coast at mid-trip to rest).

is this feasible or am I dreamin' up a stressful adventure??? :disapprove:

help!!! any advice would be appreciated ... go easy on the criticism (at least sugar-coat it a little) :shy:

thanks!!! :approve:

 

[C Nash]

Traveling the speed limit


Charley and Donna,
I think 55 is a good safe speed for towing but you will find you are towing near the speed limit after a couple hundred miles. Don't know about the roads that way but you will probably have to stay on interstate roads to stay on schedule. More to see on the senic roads, would love to take the old route 66 and will one of these days. More time (IMO) is needed for this kind of trip but, if that's all the time you have , go for it. It will be only as stressful as you make it. Be sure all tires are in good condition and proper inflated. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[C Nash]

Traveling the speed limit


Stupid computer
don't know why I am geting two post :blush: :blush: :blush:

 

[Gary B]

Traveling the speed limit

HI Charley, you don't say what the total miles are, but a lot depends on your stamina, I would say try for 60 mph, that way you make good time but still can relax a bit and enjoy the scenery. One our trips to Alaska we generally average about 60 mph we generally start a 7/8 am and try to stop for the day around 3 pm, we stop and make lunch in our camper and stop at sites of interest, we averaged about 300 miles per day and that was plently for us. Hope this helps alittle. Sounds like a great trip!! :laugh: :bleh: :approve:

 

[Charley and Donna]

Traveling the speed limit

thanks for the advice/info

total miles approx 7,100

average miles each day 337

have my map program set for 65 on interstate and 60 on highways

figuring this will take us 24 days
(with two days of no travel ... on day 11 and day 21)

stamina will be energized by the excitement of seeing new things
and meeting RealLife folks from the internet :laugh:

 

[thumbs]

Traveling the speed limit

Charley

The good news is your thinkin about this trip. The bad news is your thinkin like an engineer. :laugh: Nothin goes according to plan. Heck that's part of the fun. If you wanted a planned trip take a bus. We took the same kinda trip many years ago and found that things happen. Just enjoy the trip and take your time. Don't push. Go back another year and pick up what you missed. I would suggest you plan your trip in at least two phases maybe more. You may want to plan a trip out and do California in one phase and the trip back in another. In other words take your time goin out and see what ya want to. Check out California and if you run out of time just head back and pick up what ya missed later. We did our trip goin the southern route out and the northern back. You will probably fine you won't want to stop at some of the things you thought and you will see stuff you want to stop and check out that you never thought of. Also you may find you want to spend a couple days at a place you didn't figure on. Make your plans but consider them ideas and don't hold to em. You don't have to drive X amount of hours a day and you don't have to drive 55mph. Sit back and enjoy. Heck some of the good stuff isn't even on the map.

 

[Charley and Donna]

Traveling the speed limit

thanks! you are so right - if I try to stick to an "agenda" then I'm just gonna stress myself out (and stress out hubby who will be doing most of the driving)

I was thinking that I "had to" stick to a schedule cause I will need reservations for some campground sites ... but then again, we can always go with the idea that if one place is full then we were not meant to stay there?? :approve:

thanks again!

 

[thumbs]

Traveling the speed limit

Donna

Yeah I know how the campground thing can be but........ Take your cell phone and a few hours before you want to stop, and know where you want to stop give em a call and see if they have a place. I really don't think you will have a problem unless you are stopping at a very busy area. Remember there are WalMarts all over the country and they are open all year round. :laugh:

Three weeks is not a lot of time to do what it sounds like you want to. You may even consider just going to California and use what ever time you may have left after vistiing the state to get home. Remember California is abut 3k away,at least from me and not much difference from you. That's 6k round trip without any exploring. If you really want to go to California it might be best to get there, do what you want and head back. Like I said three weeks isn't much time. You will be very fortunate to be able to average 50mph. Very fortunate. Thats 120 hours of driveing if your luckey just to get there and back. Thats 15 eight hour days of just driveing. That gives you 6 days total time to do what you want. Eight hours a day for two weeks is a lot of driveing considering you haven't seen anything yet. This is not to turn you off to the trip but to let you know you don't have a lot of time to sightsee along the way.

 

[donohue]

Traveling the speed limit

just do it, and dont worry about it. :laugh:

 

[BarneyS]

Traveling the speed limit

Hi Charley and Donna,
Your plans for driving about 337 miles/day are not bad but you are really going to be stressed out without planning on some 2 day stops along the way. Driving all that way every day until you get to your destination is going to be very stressful and that is not what RV'ing is all about. As mentioned above, perhaps you would be better off not trying to do it all in one trip.
We took a 6 week trip from Michigan to California, via the southern route, this spring. We usually try to drive about 300-350 miles/day and we usually average about 50mph when traveling the freeways - less if taking the red and black lines like we prefer. We will often travel for two or possibly three days and then stay put for a couple of days. We seldom make reservations but either call ahead or just drop in. Have never had a problem. The only time we make reservations is for a weekend or in a very high use area and then we try to stay put from Thurs night or Friday night until Sunday morning. We have found that this works very well and have never had to stay at a Wallmart or any other non-campground parking place.
Good luck with your trip. Just do not try to over do it and end up being all tied up in knots instead of enjoying the vacation.

 

[medic1]

Traveling the speed limit

I agree with many of the above posts. I cannot concieve of spending only one day at the Black Hills, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, or many, many of the other sights to see out west. Please consider splitting this trip up into several future trips. You will not be disapointed. The speed you set should partially be dictated by the sights along the way. :approve: :laugh:

 

[medic1]

Traveling the speed limit

I agree with many of the above posts. I cannot concieve of spending only one day at the Black Hills, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, or many, many of the other sights to see out west. Please consider splitting this trip up into several future trips. You will not be disapointed. The speed you set should partially be dictated by the sights along the way. :approve: :laugh:

 

[Charley and Donna]

Traveling the speed limit

well, you will be happy to know that I have made some changes to our itinerary :approve:

this trip is just meant to be a quick tour so that we can feel our way about and see what life is like camping in a travel trailer

have taken the advice on stopping at WalMart overnight if we do not make our destinations and calling ahead to see if it is available ... will carry AAA campground guides and KOA camp directory

we will stay two nights on the Oregon coast
two nights at Yellowstone
two nights at Mt. Rushmore

two nights at our aunt's place

and

two nights at an amusement park that DH has wanted to go to for years (not necessarily going to go to the park the first night ... unless he can't wait til the next day LOL)

and we have two days to spare ... meaning we could get home on a Friday instead of Saturday and still have Sunday as a last resort if we run into any snags along the way

thanks for all the tips/advice ... have taken it all into consideration

was wondering where Larry is so that I could get my Yellowstone questions answered

does anyone else know how long it takes to get from Yellowstone to Thermopolis?? map program gave us 4 hours although the distance is only about 106 miles?? guessing that the mountains/grades and highways slow you down a bit ... but that's okay ... I'm sure the scenery will be worth the drive

:laugh: :approve:

 

[medic1]

Traveling the speed limit

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: I am sure you will enjoy THIS trip a lot.

 

[A casual observer]

Traveling the speed limit

Howdy Folks!

It sounds like y'all are about to have the trip of a life time. A little bit of sun and some light breezes, and its hog heaven for sure. One thing I've noticed from nearly sixty years of long distance travel: There are those who like to travel, and there are those who like to go somewhere.

That may be a little hard to swallow at first, but you'll know where you fit by the end of the first week. Me, I love to travel. I love to sit behind the wheel and face the challenge of delivering the safest, most enjoyable ride possible to my passengers.

The sightseeing and meeting people is just gravy heaped on top. There is nothing more pleasurable than knowing you're in total control and can successfully address anything that comes your way.

There have been years when I've driven more than 70,000 miles, and I enjoyed 90% of it. All told, I guess I've got close to 2,000,000 miles under my belt. Everyone should be so lucky.

Whatever you do, don't get so caught up in destinations that you fail to see and experience all that's in between. Since the majority of your waking hours is going to be spent clinging to a steering wheel, you'd better find ways to have fun doing it.

I assume you're planning a late spring or early summer trip since you could never meet such a tight schedule at this time of the year. Depending upon when you start, you may have to be thinking about road closures, since some roads are not kept open year round.

All the best,

Big Wally

 

[Charley and Donna]

Traveling the speed limit

yes, early summer :approve:

I get very restless staying at a hotel for a week, I like to travel and see new places.

I don't like to stay in one spot for very long and I think DH is the same way.

Not too sure about the kiddos, but they will be fine, so long as they can bring along their handheld games - like travel bingo - picked those up on our last trip and they had a blast trying to find everything on the card. Found out fast that there are a lot of things you don't see on the interstate, and the card fills up rapidly on the highways (especially when you're looking for barns, cows, mailbox etc etc)

:laugh:

 

[mustang]

Traveling the speed limit

C & D
Your trip sounds A-OK. You might want to make reservations at Yellowstone if planning to stay inside the park They fill up fast. West Yellowstone is abt 30 or so miles from Old Faithful and just out side of the park. Rushmore has several CG's in area.All the areas you listed of nature is beautiful Have a nice trip and enjoy. I am planing trip to Alaska. Having fun just planning. :laugh:

 

[GLSmock]

Traveling the speed limit

Charley-Donna:When do you plan on taking off on this venture?Winter time can really slow you down,especially in the mountainous regions of our beautiful country.You may find yourself waiting out a storm or road conditions may be such that you syay where you are for a while.Let us know more particulars.If it were I I would not tell anyone that I was going to be there on any specific date.IMO.GL :question:

 

[GLSmock]

Traveling the speed limit

Charley-Donna:When do you plan on taking off on this venture?Winter time can really slow you down,especially in the mountainous regions of our beautiful country.You may find yourself waiting out a storm or road conditions may be such that you syay where you are for a while.Let us know more particulars.If it were I I would not tell anyone that I was going to be there on any specific date.IMO.GL :question: