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mojoracing · 10-21-2015, 06:01 AM

You know you've gone too long when you think to yourself.......roads going straight........motorhome is pointed straight.......yea a nap wouldn't hurt anyone.

Ramets · 10-21-2015, 06:43 AM

Memory's keep popping up after the talk of British cars. In 63' I had a TR-3 that I really couldn't fit in since I'm 6'4", but it was a hoot to drive, and the girls liked it. Took it to Earl Shieb for one of those $29.95 paint jobs...remember those?

Scottybdivin · 10-21-2015, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mojoracing

Ive done 800 900 1000 so many times I can't remember. Having to make a race keeps you humping. I made northern Florida to Des Moines in one straight shot. We pulled the motorcycle to the gate as it dropped! Got there late and they wouldn't let us park the rig at the stadium. Had to ride the race bike through downtown streets. Pulled in the loading dock and up to the starting gate and it dropped.... Race ON!

That's a pretty common scenario in most forms of motorsports. Drive all day and into the night, pits are closed when you arrive, and you camp outside the gate until they open the next morning. 800 miles is not unusual. Racers are on a mission, and are running on the euphoria of getting to another race. It's the drive home afterwards that's tough.

SteveLevin · 10-21-2015, 07:06 AM

Unless I'm tired, driving 10 hours a day or more isn't hard. It's a fairly simple routine:

Dogs have us up and moving at 7:00am. Start rolling between 8:00am and 9:00am, and aim for a lunch spot somewhere noon-ish. After an hour to 90 minutes (say 1:30pm) we drive for another 3-4 hours, feed the doggies dinner and give them a quick walk and playtime (taking another hour) and then roll for 2-3 more hours before stopping, eating, etc. Sometimes we keep going, other times not (depends on the variables). But honestly, when we're on a transit day, what's the point of stopping at 5:00pm or 6:00pm? It's not like I'm normally tired much before 10:00pm or 11:00pm, so if the conditions are good, why not cover some additional miles?

I'm sure it'll change when we have tons of time. But even then, moving every single day seems to make less sense than doing one long day followed by one day of no travel at all.

And as far as Lucas goes... did you know they made vacuum cleaners? They were the only Lucas products that didn't suck.

Steve

Hit_the_Rhod · 10-21-2015, 08:33 AM

Correct on both Morris Garage, and Skinners Union

! First time I've heard the one about the Lucas Vacuum cleaners

!

frankdamp · 10-21-2015, 08:56 AM

We didn't get our RV until after I retired from Boeing at age 58. Because of the awful Flexsteel seats, I had a hard time doing more than 150 miles without getting leg cramps. After a 30-minute walk-about the next stage would be about 60 miles and that was the end of the day.

If it was the last day of a trip and we were on familiar roads getting close to home, I could manage a 300 mile day, with two or three stops. Unfortunately, DW was ergonomically too challenged to be able to drive the rig (not tall enough to reach the pedals), so all the driving was my task.

Monfish · 10-21-2015, 09:06 AM

First car was a '57 MGA - later had a Triumph GT-6; both had Lucas systems - "Lucas, the company that brought us darkness"

chuck49 · 10-21-2015, 09:18 AM

Back in the 70s I drove the big trucks nationwide. It was all different back then. Some companies pushed the drivers to do too much. Lots of hard runs. Sometimes my log book wouldn't catch me for 2 or 3 days. Now days most of that is gone and GPS and more liability means the companies make sure their drivers are running legal. We always liked the road though, guess that why we like the coach so much. We'll still make a hard run sometimes if we want to get there for some reason. The hardest ones for me though were on a motorcycle. Did San Diego to Jacksonville FL (2400 miles) in 48 hours once on an H-D. Did 5000 miles in five days too. Iron Butt Association. You could look it up. Just wanted to see if I could do it. Not in a hurry to do that anymore.

TeJay · 10-21-2015, 09:22 AM

Yes I had heard of SK Skinners Union but it had slipped my mind. I have a good mind but at this stage of the game if and when i learn something new something has to fall out to make room. Since SK has not been on my discussion list for 20 years it did slip.

Never heard either the Lucas vacuum joke or the, "First company that brought us Darkness," My Son, who is the one that got us into the British cars will appreciate those.

TeJay

Kiwi · 10-21-2015, 09:34 AM

Maybe not a workable plan for you working stiffs... But us retired folk talk about the 2 2 2 rule.

1) Never more than two hours behind wheel without a break.

2) Never more than 200 miles in a day.

3) Always stop by 2 pm to find campsite, get plugged in, take a short nap and be ready for dinner at 6.

Life is good, why rush...?

Thunderfoot · 10-21-2015, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scottybdivin

That's a pretty common scenario in most forms of motorsports. Drive all day and into the night, pits are closed when you arrive, and you camp outside the gate until they open the next morning. 800 miles is not unusual. Racers are on a mission, and are running on the euphoria of getting to another race. It's the drive home afterwards that's tough.

The winner's trophy & check riding home with you make it ez! The days you don't win are another story...

SpaceNorman · 10-21-2015, 10:06 AM

We like to keep a single day's drive to something less than 350 miles ... but, there are times when that's simply not practical for any number of reasons. When facing one of those situations - we suck it up and do what we gotta do. With both of us capable of driving - a 600-800 mile day isn't completely out of the question - if/when it's the best of the available options.

When we're stuck doing one of those long days - we try to stack the deck in our favor by sticking to the Interstates (on shorter drives - when we've got a choice, we enjoy taking the back rounds!). We try our best to avoid major metropolitan areas. If we must go thru them ... do what we can to time it so that we at least miss the peak traffic periods. We also make sure that we change drivers regularly. My wife is fine with sleeping when I'm behind the wheel. I can only muster brief catnaps when she's driving - and those, only when we're out in the sticks in relatively light traffic.

Kiwi · 10-21-2015, 11:32 AM

Don't do the back roads around Chattanooga. Bridges are only 10' clearance.. YIKES!

NMRVer · 10-21-2015, 12:21 PM

I did an 680 mile trip in one day (and back 4 days later), like previously stated, working full time, 5 days off kinda forces you either drive longer hours/miles or pick some place closer to home. Wife wanted to go to Lake Havasu City, to the lake we went.