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Cross-County Possiblity

Started by AlexandriaVA, June 18, 2016, 07:05:01 PM

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AlexandriaVA

There's a low but respectable chance of myself and my brother going cross-country later this summer. I want to solicit the input of anyone who has made such a trip. Our itinerary would take us east coast/west coast/east coast, but everything else is flexible.

We are considering a direct route in order to minimize drive time; this approach would simply be to accomplish the fact of making the trancontinential trip. We are also considering more of a grand loop approach (i.e. DC, Chicago, Seattle, LA, Texas, Atlanta, DC).

It seems like the spread for driving time according to Google Maps (I fully understand that we would have to allocate time for sleeping, eating, sightseeing, etc etc) is about 80 hours on the low end, and 100 hours on the high end.

We would likely rent a car (no mileage restrictions these days), and possibly involve stopovers at residences of friends and family who are able and willing to put us up, although we both have more than enough means to put up in hotels all the time.

Consider this an open thread, although at this point I would find more interest in discussions about feasibility and logistics rather than specific places we should go.


oscar

#1
A few thoughts, as a veteran of more than a dozen trans-continental road trips (two so far just this year):

-- You'll gain daylight heading west, and lose it going east. Important if, like me, you and your brother hate sun glare and night driving (at least on non-Interstates). Having two drivers will make this less important.

-- You'll probably need at least an oil change, going that long (though some people forgo that, and cross their fingers), though one or two stops at a Jiffy Lube or the like won't add a lot of time. Hopefully your car will have had an oil change just before you leave. But I've never driven a rental for more than 4000 miles. How have others, who've driven longer distances in rentals, dealt with this issue?

I did my first trans-con round trip in 1986, a few months before I turned 30. It was a relatively direct route, though I did include a trip up Pikes Peak. Doing direct routes on your first trans-con is more fun if you're young enough to do more of them with more adventurous routes.
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AlexandriaVA

Thanks, that's precisely the kind of technical information and advice I'm looking for.

We're both in our 20s/30s. Stamina will be as good as ever.

hbelkins

If driving a rental car, I wouldn't think oil changes would be an issue, especially if you have to pay out-of-pocket for them to service a vehicle that belongs to someone else. Although many modern vehicles have oil life sensors and can easily go 8,000 or more miles without an oil change being suggested by the on-board computer.


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Max Rockatansky

I've made half a dozen cross country moves over my life and I'm up to as of today 41 of the 47 the national parks in the continental U.S....basically I make at least two or three 2,000-3,000 mile trips across country a year.  I would suggest maybe going one-way and flying back...pick out a crap ton of things you want to see off the beaten path.  If you are going to Seattle there is a ton of stuff out in the Black Hills, Rockies and Cascades that you'll want to spend time seeing.  Direct routes generally are the Interstates and they usually don't go to the interesting places.  If you want to see family I would suggest just flying straight through because 8,000 miles is going to burn you out pretty quick if you aren't used to it.  Most people bite off more than they can chew trying to drive more than 10 hours or more than 500 miles a day...my advice is follow what truckers do and stay below that line.  Driving at night is miserable in my opinion and I go out of my way as best as I can to avoid doing it...not to mention you are a bigger target for a patrolman on a slow night.  Any decent hotel is going to run you about $80 to $150 a night depending on the level of comfort you want....if you are looking to save some money try camping but keep in mind reservations are wonky at best.  Also, just because you rent a car that doesn't mean that it's going to be in better condition than the one you already own.  8,000 miles a long way to go in someone else's property...if you do, take the damage waiver. 

empirestate

I think that working the Cross County Parkway into your itinerary is a definite possibility! :-D

AlexandriaVA

Quote from: empirestate on June 19, 2016, 12:21:21 AM
I think that working the Cross County Parkway into your itinerary is a definite possibility! :-D

Hah just noticed the typo. I'm sure such a road exists in the USA however

mrsman

Quote from: AlexandriaVA on June 19, 2016, 12:50:16 AM
Quote from: empirestate on June 19, 2016, 12:21:21 AM
I think that working the Cross County Parkway into your itinerary is a definite possibility! :-D

Hah just noticed the typo. I'm sure such a road exists in the USA however

Yes it does in Westchester County NY, just north of NYC.



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