How many miles per day?

[spikedog]

There is excellent advice in these posts. How far you go depends on so many different factors that are beyond your control in most cases. For instance, can you count on getting a good night's sleep every single night and wake up feeling completely rested and alert every morning? Does not happen in our unit! Really takes the fun out of a wonderful trip such as you have planned.

[ranch560]

As stated, if you gotta do it in that short amount of time, go for it. A couple of years ago I did that trip on the way to the fall rally in 4 days and I was beat after getting to Elkhart, just south of Chicago. And I missed out on many highlights like free ice water for vets in Wall Drug South Dakota, worlds biggest snow cone in Iowa, and a world famous reptile park in Wyoming. In other words, stop and smell the roses if you can. And it will make you look forward to full retirement even more when it's time.

Enjoy Seattle, but just to let you know it's pretty poor in the RV park selection. Lots of parks just outside the area though.

[parover74]

FYI*** long distance truckers are only alouded to drive eleven hours in a twenty four period

[sabercat]

we run about 62-64 mph, so we go 250-300

[Twopetes]

I am seeing lots of good suggestions. We do it a little different, We travel from SC to Wis. to see grands. Our goal is to get there so we drive late. It helps that the wife will drive. We run until 9:00 and hit a Cracker Barrel. Of course we only have 1000 mile over two days. I am sure we will change our MO once we go full time. Plus we get coffee at 6:00 in the morning.

[Sundogette]

We typically plan to stop by 3:00 pm or so...we are in the don't like pulling into parks or campgrounds to set up in the dark. If we are pulling into a Walmart for an overnight and plan to move early the next morning, then we don't mind pushing the envelope to make extra miles. But as we are retired, we prefer about 300 miles a day on average.

[Art]

There are two answers from my perspective to this question of miles per day. One is WITH the wife that I plan 200-300 miles per day and the other WITHOUT THE WIFE in which I drive from 400-600 (an occasional 700) miles just to get there. When alone, I start between 5-6am and end my day near 4pm. My stops are for gas (yes, gas not diesel) about every 4 hours. Flying my working wife into the destination DOES have benefits with the obvious detriments.

[Goin 4 Broke]

Awesome comments and suggestions. I wish I had more than two weeks. We have done the touristy stops already at Wall Drug and Mt. Rushmore, etc. this trip inhopemtomlog in a few more national parks.
I am leaning towards the 3-4 rule, 300 to 400 a day or 3-4 in the afternoon. I may push that out a bit to 4-5 as we may wake up a little later than 8. So maybe rolling at 10 am drive until 6 pm A few fueling breaks for diesel, so maybe 400 mile days? The it would take 4-5 days there, 6-9 days from Seattle to N. California, then 4 - 5 days back.

[FordMan1966]

650 Miles per day makes a long day and I am 48 years old towing the 2015 3611RL with a PSD Dually.

[Artemus Gordon]

Some legs of trip require more miles. We have done 500 miles with the dogs. But our regular schedule is 8:30 - 3:30. It gives us daylight to setup and time to relax. I like my sleep while in the Montana, not at the wheel of the truck!

[kylec2]

We have done short days of 250 - 300 miles up to 700 miles and how much is enough is up to you. I must say that driving a truck pulling a fifthwheel can be very draining, not to mention dangerous is you do not take regular rest stops. I would suggest you start with drives of 350 to 450 miles at first until you figure out what works best for you. For us, I find 400 to 450 is about right if I am not planning to stop and see the sights on the way. We also like to keep out speed around 60 to 65 mph on the open road.

[padredw]

You have many good suggestions in this thread. I only wish to add that the thing that makes all the difference to me is getting an early start. We usually try to be on the road soon after daybreak. The two hours from 7 to 9 are the easiest of the day. This allow us to stop in the early afternoon on most days, and if we need to we can stretch the day just a bit in the afternoon.

I know this would not work for everyone, but it sure does work for us---150,000 miles in our four fifth-wheel trailers over 18 years.

We have made over 500 miles a few times--especially on the way home across West Texas, but I'm only 83 years old so I'm still able to do that much driving when I need to.

[brooksider]

With my pervious truck 2005 GMC D/A we used a tank of fuel as our marker. We would plan on hitting the road by 9am and leave when we were ready. lunch break and one in between. Look for a C/G anytime after 3. Generally that would be a tank of fuel. Now with a 2014 Ram we can go further due to tank capacity, Keep the same hours of driving though.
Joe

[rames14]

You are in a different situation than many of us. When we started camping twelve years ago, we were still working and in the Chicago area. We would maximize every spare minute. On the day we left, my wife would drive me in to work and then pick me up with the fully loaded rig after work. We would drive till 9 or 10, and then hit it early the next day. Now, we do similar to other retirees. We drove 240 miles and then 267 miles after rally and now we're stopped for three days in New York. Next, we'll go 130 miles and stay two days. You do what works for your stage of life and the circumstances. Enjoy the journey.

[Art-n-Marge]

Our rules for driving depend on what the driver can do, weather, hills, traffic, mishaps, mileage and what you're comfortable with. I used to be able to drive 10-12 hours with ease, but won't do that anymore.

I think I could live with that driving schedule you have planned, but I would consider that pushing it.

[bigred715]

David, I can only hope to live to 83 and have your energy and ability. I just turned 68 and was starting to think I may only have about 5 more good years left for RV'ing! Maybe I need to rethink my years left. Keep on RV'ing and enjoy.

[padredw]

Thanks, bigred, we made our most recent trip in September, almost 3000 miles and 19 nights--all the way across Arkansas, Tennessee, and into Virginia; then back all the way across Kentucky. It was a great trip with visits to Appomattox Court House, Yorktown, Jamestown, and the great Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello. And on the way home at Cumberland Gap National Park and Lake Barkley, Kentucky.

But, I must make a confession, I won't actually celebrate my 83rd. birthday for a couple of weeks: October 16. When you get my age you sometimes brag about it and even cheat a bit.

So, I do encourage you to rethink. You almost certainly have more good years to RV than you previously thought.

We appreciate the Montana Owners Club and the really good friends we have made across the years through this forum. We have had several Montana owners to park in our back yard, and others that we keep in touch with through posts on the forum.

I edit to add, I will be preaching here at our local church for the next two Sundays--two services each Sunday. I am extrememy thankful for the health and strength the Lord has given me.

[cw3jason]

quote:Originally posted by Goin 4 Broke

We are planning our trip to the north west next summer/fall and are wondering how many miles per day we should drive. What have you all done? My longest one day drive so far this year has been 450. I figure going from Chicago to Seattle I need to average considerably more or else my two week vacation will be spent driving every day!

It it unreasonable to aim for 600 in a day?

600 miles is about 10hrs. this is what I use for planning how long it will take me to get somewhere. some days I may do a little less other days I may make up for it, but it is a good estimate. I plan on hitting the road around 9am and plan stopping for the night around 7pm. traveling at an actual speed of 65 makes up for rest stops and fuel stops. If I'm tired I just find a campground earlier. I have the DW look at the RVParky app or the next exit book and tell her look about 60 to 120 miles out and see if there is a place to stop, then we give them a call and make sure they can accommodate us.

Hope that helps

[Ozark Dave]

We prefer the 3-5-3 approach if we are going to do anything at the destination. 300 miles per day. Arrive by 4 pm as we like to have some morning time before hitting the road so may not leave until 10 am. Stay 3 nights. However, if we are not going to do anything at the destination and are "in transit" to somewhere else we prefer just staying 1 night.

[richfaa]

We are both retired, we both drive, we have no time restraints. With both sharing the drive time it makes it easier. We still do not do more than 300 miles per day simply because we take our time, stop a lot for rest breaks and like to be off the road well before dark. At 300 miles per day that means no more than 150 miles drive time each that is a easy day. When in transit we usually leave before 10AM run 62/65 MPH and stay on the road maybe 7/8 hours including fuel breaks and lunch. We are planning trip to the Nebraska rally 810 miles we are going take 4 days travel. From there FCRV rally Shaunee,OK 444 miles two days. From there no idea.