How far do MOC members travel in a day?

[pineranch]

We plan on 300 +/- 50. Good campgrounds/things to see drive the +/-.
Mike

[Recumbent]

Yes, 250 to 300 is a good range. When going west after 4 full days of driving I get tired of driving, and so when planning push a bit more miles in a days driving to avoid a 5th day. I think for our next westward journey we will plan in stops at points of interest to break up the driving see a bit more.

[Joe in Texas]

We just finished our first two long trips.
The first trip I planned 250 miles per day and found we were stopping before we were ready.
The second trip we did 300 to 350 and it felt just right.
But we also try to plan driving every other day.
So when we stop it is for two nights.
Since we have the time and no need to rush.

[Jay Bird]

We try to stay between 200-300 miles per day. We like to get off the road and have dinner and a good nights rest.

[JandC]

Like most folks I guess, we plan our next stop. Generally we like to move about 250-300 miles at the most but depending on where the desired RV park is it could be shorter or a little longer. We do like getting set up by 3 or 4pm.

[Bigsky3625RE]

We just took our first long trip the end of August. Like most we had our stops planned.

Went from Redmond, WA to Coeur d'lane ID (Blackwell RV) so that was about 300 miles.

Next day went to Banff. That was about 350 miles. It was a longer day with mountain grades. I think it was more tiring given the terrain.

After 5 nights there we went to West Glacier. That was around 300 miles.

After 5 nights there we spent one night in Missoula and then back to Blackwell for the last night.

I would say 300 miles is about right for us. That way we can get set up and relax for a bit before dinner. Plus the dogs need to get some stink off them as well after that much time in the truck.

[Rainer]

quote:Originally posted by Montana Sky

I average 1,100 - 1,200 miles a day towing and more when not towing. I still work so the destination is the purpose for me, not so much the journey getting there.

Huh?

1200 miles in 24 hours = an average speed of 50mph!

If you spend ½ an hour only three times a day for food and fuel that average speed increases to 53 mph. I have a 50 gallon tank on my F-250 which gives me a usable range of slightly over 500 miles. Which means I have to fuel up a minimum of twice to do 1200 miles. I still have to pee, poop, eat, stretch my legs, let the dogs pee and poop, same for the wife. Stay sitting in one position that long and it's likely you'll develop blood clots in your legs, which could lead to a stroke!

Sorry, but I don't think so....

Plus the fact that someone is attempting to drive 24 hours straight. This is not a smart move. and it's illegal for professional truckers.

The ONLY way this is even remotely possible is with relief drivers. And weather can't be a factor. And lastly the speed limit in many states for vehicles with trailers is 55 mph. To average close to that for 24 hours is a remarkable (albeit no likely) feat.

[Rainer]

quote:Originally posted by Montana Sky
Not to start an argument, but who in their right mind tows across the nations interstates at 50 mph!! Average speed limit out west is 75mph - towing or not. I just did Chicago, IL to Spokane, WA in 2 days. That trip with a slight detour totaled 2038 miles. My total average speed was 76 mph - not towing my coach, but instead a 39' triple axle hauler trailer. Average number of hours on the road was 14.5 hours stopping only for fuel twice each day

Average speed is the distance traveled divided by time. It does NOT indicate any actual speed.

Because I was traveling with ST tires, I kept my cruise control set at 58mph. We stop for food and potty breaksorif we see something interesting. We normally leave a campground between 10am and 11am, and drive for about 6 hours, which is usually 250 miles. Based on that, my average speed is about 42mph.

According to Google, the distance between Chicago and Spokane is 1786 miles. If you drove that distance in 29 hours, your average speed was just about 62mph.

Here's a little pop quiz: the distance to drive is just one mile. If you drove the first half-mile at 30mph, how fast would you have to drive the second half mile to average 60mph?

Answer: it's impossible! Why? Because if you drove the first half mile at 30mph, you spent one minute doing it, and that wouldn't leave any time to drive one mile at 60mph, since to do so you have to have driven the entire mile in one minute. 60mph = 1 mile per minute.

On a side note:

Maximum tow speeds by states based on the size of your trailer:
Illinois 55mph
Wisconsin 65mph
Minnesota 70mph
North Dakota 70mph
Montana 75mph
Idaho 65mph
Washington 65mph
* all speeds compliments of http://towingworld.com/towinglaws.cfm

I'm speculating that you probably exceeded the speed limit considerably in practically every state you traveled through.

[Alwims]

As my kids would say, Chill out Rainer. It's obvious you've never had a job that required you to drive for a living. If every professional driver followed every stupid rule our government has put in their path they wouldn't be able to make a dime. I would be willing to bet my left mountain oyster that Montana Sky is not the only driver that has exceeded the posted speed limit towing or not. Laws/rules get broken everyday in this world, but why is it your place to call someone out on it when they are being honest on a forum.

I realize my statements might not be very popular with some on here, but I live by a motto in this life and that is "like me for what I am or don't like me at all".

Chill out man. Go smell a rose or two.

[mlh]

The last time I went to Laramie Wy. from Salem Va with the boys hunting and fishing we left home at about 2 pm and puled into Laramie had lunch with a friend who lives in Laramie after good nights of sleep 1750 or so miles in less than 48 hours. When I travel with my wife we slow things down. We might do 600 miles one day 200 the next. We crossed Mt on rout 2 a week or so ago. Beautiful country, I love seeing wheat fields that go on for miles, round bales that cover 1000s of acres. It is about 400 miles and no place to stop for the night. You can either make it across in the day or at night. So that day we put in 600 miles.
Lynwood

[Rainer]

quote:Originally posted by Alwims

It's obvious you've never had a job that required you to drive for a living. If every professional driver followed every stupid rule our government has put in their path they wouldn't be able to make a dime. I would be willing to bet my left mountain oyster that Montana Sky is not the only driver that has exceeded the posted speed limit towing or not. Laws/rules get broken everyday in this world, but why is it your place to call someone out on it when they are being honest on a forum.

I don't know how my post makes it obvious that I've never driven for a living. Quite the contrary, I drove professionally for the largest employer in the country. Had I exceeded the seat time, or been pulled over for eclipsing the speed limit by the amount contended in that post, I would have lost my job. That, is NOT professionalism.

I believe we have a difference in opinion as to what is professional; and I leave it at that.

Have I ever exceeded the speed limit? For sure. Yet I try to avoid it when pulling 6 tons behind me. I've owned some cars that I've had to "blow the cobwebs out of....".

Do laws get broken every day? For sure. Heck, that keeps law enforcement employed. But laws are for the protection of society. You can bet I'd be more than tempted to report a driver towing a trailer 40% above the posted speed limit. Driving fast isn't the issue. Stopping is.

The "chill out" factor happens when the victim of someone's excessive speed becomes the impetus for a fatal accident, and the body is left to cool in the reefer in the morgue.

[bncinwv]

Back on topic, I have pulled from West Virginia to Florida non-stop, other than food and fuel pit stops. Travel time was around 17 hours. As a gainfully employed, vacation-responsible parent, the deciding factor was the down time when we arrived. The next time down, we did overnight in Tennessee, but the return trip was non-stop. I drive to Myrtle and Charleston, SC each year non-stop for an average 9 hour pull each way. Again, our circumstances and motivations are different. Besides, a recurring 29th birthday each year keeps me young enough to handle it!! Would I recommend this for most driver's, of course not, but I gotta do what I gotta do. Most of the drive is pleasant, since I leave early morning and girls mercifully sleep in the back seat preserving driver sanity!
Bingo

[Montana Sky]

quote:Originally posted by Rainer

Average speed is the distance traveled divided by time. It does NOT indicate any actual speed.

Because I was traveling with ST tires, I kept my cruise control set at 58mph. We stop for food and potty breaksorif we see something interesting. We normally leave a campground between 10am and 11am, and drive for about 6 hours, which is usually 250 miles. Based on that, my average speed is about 42mph.

According to Google, the distance between Chicago and Spokane is 1786 miles. If you drove that distance in 29 hours, your average speed was just about 62mph.

Here's a little pop quiz: the distance to drive is just one mile. If you drove the first half-mile at 30mph, how fast would you have to drive the second half mile to average 60mph?

Answer: it's impossible! Why? Because if you drove the first half mile at 30mph, you spent one minute doing it, and that wouldn't leave any time to drive one mile at 60mph, since to do so you have to have driven the entire mile in one minute. 60mph = 1 mile per minute.

On a side note:

Maximum tow speeds by states based on the size of your trailer:
Illinois 55mph
Wisconsin 65mph
Minnesota 70mph
North Dakota 70mph
Montana 75mph
Idaho 65mph
Washington 65mph
* all speeds compliments of http://towingworld.com/towinglaws.cfm

I'm speculating that you probably exceeded the speed limit considerably in practically every state you traveled through.

One might want to put boots on the ground to actually know what the speed limit is in each state before spouting off some website. Speed limit in IL is 65 mph, IA is 70 mph, SD is 75 mph, WY is 75 mph, MT is 75 mph, ID is 65 mph, WA is 70 mph. And being the bulk of my trip was in SD, WY, MT, ID, and WA - it puts me within 1 mph margin of the limit on average. I don't have a wife or dog that needs to stretch their legs every few hours. I have 132 gallons of fuel on board so stopping is only when I decide it is necessary. My total hours on the road divided by the total number of miles I traveled equals my average speed. I am glad to see that you can use MapQuest and Google to determine mileage distance from point A to point B. As I indicated in one of my previous posts, I had traveled 2038 miles as I had a detour along the way. I do not add time for "stretching the legs" or stopping for food into my average speed. It is calculated by wheels rolling. Last thing I am going to say to you about this is: I wish you safe travels at whatever speed you feel comfortable traveling at. I assume should our paths ever cross, I know I will be able to find you in the right hand lane going slower than the posted speed limit.