2k mile Road Trip advice

good looking out, I'll be sure to keep that in mind drew. So, not that I'll have an abundance of free time, but are there any places you recommend I check out once I'm in San Antonio. Best food, cold beer, hot chicks, that sort of stuff.

 

make sure to try to keep gassed up.. if you stop for some reason and your mor than half empty fill up dont risk running it dry and then hitting a stretch without a station.. that would suck

 

AVERAGE 67 mph? Won't happen unless you drive like a bandit, refuel like it's NASCAR, pack your food and pee into the milk jug.

You will be a wreck after 24 hours like that. Figuratively if not literally.

Best long haul trick I have found is a talkative co-pilot. Failing that, get a speakerphone and call everybody you can think of.

 

if you got cruise control it will be easier but either way dont look at your milage that often its tough but if you keep looking at it, the trip will seem so much slower. trust me it feels great when you look down and your 50 100 miles further

 

Gone from Sumter SC to Yuma AZ and back 3 x....

Use your cruise control... set it a 2 - 3 miles over the speed limit and you shouldn't have a problem. It's too easy to follow the guy in front of you....

Like others have said, stop between 1/2 and 1/4 a tank, use truck stops versus regular gas stations (can also get food - subway or other fast food places right there without having to make another stop)

Phone charger, since it's going to be hot out, water for you and extra for your vehicle, flashlight.

IF you get drousy - doesn't matter what time it is - STOP and walk around to wake yourself up. Do not drive while drousy.

X2 on the cash - in case your credit card gets a hold put on it and they can't get ahold of you (yes, happened to me last trip)

 

I've done the trip from Cape Cod, MA, to Astoria, OR about 4 times I think now. Just bring snacks to hold you over as long as possible. My wife always tells me how she's going to take over when I get tired but it never happens. Shes always awake when I am. I've managed to drive about 800-900 miles without stopping to rest, but its hard. Leave early early early in the morning.... you'll be awake throughout the day usually no problem, once the sun goes down you're gonna get tired FAST. If you're like me, you can get off stopping at every rest area when you're tired at night and making about 200 miles, I don't recommend it though. I know when to stop, but others who aren't used to that kinda driving might not know as well when their body is at its limits.

When I'm finally pooped, I usually hit a rest area around 1AM and sleep till daylight comes and wakes me up, then I get out for my bathroom break, usually some mickey D's and I'm back on the road. I've been able to do the whole trip solo driving in about 2.5 days.


-Don't expect to make a certain amount of miles.... just plan it state by state, it gives you more push instead of staring at the odometer. Tell yourself, I can at least make it through this state. Once you do, you'll be satisfied enough to take a break.

-Bring plenty of money, and more than one source of funds. I don't recommend much cash except for tolls. I've seen wayyy too many fishy characters asking for money at rest areas. If you don't have an EzPass, get one, they're handy. I finally bought one a few months ago, easy as pie! They work in most if not all eastern states from Ohio on.

-Don't use cruise control. I hate it personally. It makes you feel like you're going slow.

-Try not to stop for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner. I'm horrible at this. It doesn't seem very long when you stop, but when you factor in the driving to the mickey D's from the freeway, waiting in line, and finally getting back out, 3 stops like this is almost an hours worth of driving time.

-Get some form of mobile internet. Even a Garmin will do, when you have to find a hotel or food, you can plan that shit out miles ahead of time, and even call in to see if they have rooms!

-and lastly..... NEW YORK IS A LONG ASS STATE TO DRIVE THROUGH! I usually maintain 80-85 mph driving while on the freeway, but New York (like texas) is my exception. The speed limits are lower, the cops let you get away with things, but I wont do that speed there. I usually drop to no faster than 65'ish. COPS ARE EVERYWHERE in NY.

Umm, I'll post anything else if I think of it. I'm no stranger to long trips. Probably why I'm already coming close to 60k on my truck.

 

+10000000 kept me awake for hours doing this. Also, I've found that lighted streets will rejuvenate me, or even something as simple as turning the dome light on for a few seconds. Gives me about a half hours worth of 'awareness' lol.

 

While taking a long in Florida during bug season, I tried something I heard of before: spray the front of your truck with a light (I do mean light so it doesn't get up on your windshield) coat of Pam. It makes it easy to clean off the bugs. It does work, as soon as I got destination in South Fl, I immediatly went to a car wash.
A good coat of wax in important before a long trip too. Good luck and don't push it as others have recommended.

 

does pam on the grill and front really work?
i know i got like a million bugs on my way to cali and it stucked cuz i hate having all those spots on there

 

That stretch of I-35 is the meanest chunk of highway you're traveling. You won't believe the truck traffic. It's the NAFTA road for 2/3 of the country and always under construction. If you get through Hillsboro without a cracked windshield, you're doin GREAT.

 

Not all truck stops are good. I recomend Petro. They are the cleanest and the food is good. They have an excelent salad bar. Dont eat too heavy keep it light and crank up the stero.

Also I dont know how far up state you are but I would look at going
90w
71s
65s
40w
30w
35s

I was a truck drive and lived in a Peterbilt for 5 years. Just be careful and dont trust anyone you meet. Life on the highways is a completely different world. Also if you get some free time i recomend a trip to Austin for the weekend.

 

i just finished my first long road trip in my tacoma. CO to OH and back. about 2,800 miles. This truck sucks at cross country. average speed was about maybe 70-75. 6sp @ 3000 rpms for all day long = horrible milage. i was getting about 260 -280 miles per tank. awful. the lightest wind or bump in the road throws the truck around in its lane. i felt like i had to grip the wheel and stay on top of it the entire time. very tiring.

i am very disappointed how the truck handled. it made driving the distance so much more tiring.

still love the truck. go tacoma go

 

idk what you did to your taco but i jsut did pa to cali and i got 24 25 mpg over 400 per tank other than alittle hard to sit in a single cab but the truck was good

 

Did you have much weight in the bed? On my AZ trip, granted it was windy, but I had to hold on or I was all over the road. I didn't have much weight, but I was riding the bump stops and I was wondering if that was the problem.

 

a load shoudnt effect you that much
i have a single cab nothing special when i got 24 mpg.. and i had my whole bed all the way to the top of my camper shell stuffed full from moving home form college

 

Can I Ask What Plane You Are Going To Flight Engineer For?

 

If rest stops scare you, you can always stay in a Walmart parking lot, (may be more frightening). They allow overnight campers, thats why you always see big campers parked in the corners of the lots.

 

if your willing to spend the money to there are a bunch or decent hotels along the way that you can stay at for a few hours

 

I always carry a spare jug of washer fluid. Fits perfectly in the cubby of rear access door, but I'm not sure where you could store it in the double cab. Beef jerky is a must for road trips, but I also like to stop at a fresh fruit stands on the way when they're in season... Gives you more energy than sugar, plus I just can't survive on chips and fast food like I could ten years ago. I also like to download the old-time radio shows from the '20's-50's. There's some great westerns, murder mysteries, and sci-fi's out there, and it will keep you entertained (and awake) for hours.

 

for sure jsut something to keep your mind and ears busy music tends to all flow together and even metal can become soothing if your tired enough