3600 mile / 10 day trip ... a little nervous :)

[jacwjames]

Originally Posted by snakebitten

I do have one advantage that I can't advise for or against because it is either in someone's ability or it isn't.

I can drive for 15 hours straight without suffering. (obviously I need to whiz and eat)

Not everyone can do that and enjoy it. But if you can? It changes the logistics dramatically.

I do NOT do it multiple days in a row. But let's say I was facing your situation...... And I was feeling uncomfortable with the 450 mpd average.

Then on day one I would ATTACK! I wouldn't do anything dangerous, like drive while sleepy. But I would completely surrender that day to travel.

Sure feels good to wake up the next day and feel ahead of schedule already!

I am with you, I have driven as far as 800 miles in a day without getting out of the seat (not even to whiz). I prepped myself by limiting fluid consumption. In the end I don't feel fatigued, just sit down, relax a little and then go to bed.

[ghoticov]

Originally Posted by snakebitten

There you go again. Planning.

Just messing with ya.
My reason for ATTACKING is so I can go back to no planning\stress.
But you planners can't surrender. Can ya?

HAHAHAHAHA

Wait, was I planning the 9 hour drive? I guess I was. No wait, I was planning the 9 hour drive so I didn't have to plan the rest. Does that count?

[ghoticov]

Originally Posted by jacwjames

I am with you, I have driven as far as 800 miles in a day without getting out of the seat (not even to whiz). I prepped myself by limiting fluid consumption. In the end I don't feel fatigued, just sit down, relax a little and then go to bed.

Yea, not everyone can do that. I am used to driving many hours in a day, I am in sales so all I do is drive it seems.

I don't know if I could do a 15 hour drive straight or 800 miles but I do think I can do 400-500 a day. Plus once I get there I will have a day of no driving to rest a bit. Then just to turn around and drive back. HA!

[jacwjames]

Originally Posted by ghoticov

That is exactly my thinking. I did a "Trip Planner" on Good Sam. It said if I drove 9 hours the first day (which would get us to an RV Park near the Grand Canyon), we could then drive 4-5 hours the next 3 days and make it to Arkansas by the 4th day. I don't think we can check in at the RV park until 1 or so anyway so we could wake up that morning, in the city we are in and drive 4-5 hours to get there about 1 to check in.

Basically, the Good Sam planner has the first day of 9 hours, getting to Grand Railroad RV park in AZ. Then we have 3 days to drive the other 1300 miles (give or take a mile or two).

Prior to my retirement we would take a 2 week vacation which normally included 2 days getting to destination ~900 miles away and the same on return. The motorhome actually made it easier as my wife could relax, get up and go to the bathroom as needed, and make snacks to eat. We would normally stop once during the day to walk the dogs.

Worked for us, good luck.

[snakebitten]

Originally Posted by ghoticov

HAHAHAHAHA

Wait, was I planning the 9 hour drive? I guess I was. No wait, I was planning the 9 hour drive so I didn't have to plan the rest. Does that count?

No worries. You CAN'T get in trouble with me because it is impossible for you to mess up any of MY plans.

I just hope you and the family consider the actual time you are IN the RV as the real part of the journey. Meeting up with your son in Arkansas is the potential bonus points if everyone supports the bus driver.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by plasma800

Petrified National Forest is on your way and worth a day.

The drive through Arizona, 10 miles west of flagstaff is going to require an underwear change. I highly recommend you not drive that area at night and don't expect to run full speed up or down that twisty grade. Eastbound, the road is straighter, and you'll be climbing. But the westbound decent.... it's cliff faced, no shoulder, 6%, blind curves and filled to the brim with tractor trailers that blaze by you, even in corners. I crawled down it at 25 to 40.... at night, after 7 hours already - my mistake, my white knuckles.

A couple comments:

- I-40 west of Flagstaff - westbound - has 4, 5, & 6% grades downhill for 6 miles. There are shoulders and no drop-off cliffs. It's an interstate. It is definitely not a big deal. Many interstates have 6%.

- There are plenty of places to pull off for the night in Arizona - I-40

- I'd definitely skip Petrified Forest and do Grand Canyon instead. There is no comparison.

If you do Petrified Forest take Exit 286 at Holbrook and take 180 south to the Petrified Forest road. Drive the Petrified Forest road about 5 miles to the first Visitor Center on the left. There's a hike to do there or just view the logs from the Visitor Center. That's where you'll see the majority of logs. Absolutely no reason to explore any more of the Petrified Forest unless you'd have lots of time - and you don't. There is free RV parking for overnight at the corner of 180 and Petrified Forest Rd. at the private gift shop at the corner on the right as soon as you turn off 180. Instead of going back to Holbrook, continue on this park road which will take you back out to I-40. Don't waste your time stopping after that first stop. We were just there once again last week so this is fresh in our minds.

- If you stop at Grand Canyon you mentioned staying at Grand Canyon RR RV. If planning to take the RR to the canyon that's an all-day very expensive trip for a family and you don't have the time. You only get about 3 hr. at the canyon itself amidst huge crowds. If you drive your car to the canyon it's 50 boring miles each way. If you can, CALL Trailer Village RV in the park itself (don't rely online) and see if you could possibly get one night there. It would be so much more relaxing for all of you to be able to take a couple strolls along the rim without the huge crowds - sunrise and sunset are amazing. Once there, there is a free shuttle to take you along the rim. You can get on and off wherever and catch the next one. It would be a nice break for you.

If you happen to get a site at Trailer Village, don't drive back to Williams and I-40. Instead, drive through the park eastward on Hwy 64 to Hwy 89. Take Hwy 89 south to I-40. It's all good road for RVs & you'll save time and get additional time for canyon views at the canyon as you're driving east.

It would be great if two of you could share the driving on the trip! Your trip can be done but it's going to be grueling and I wouldn't plan on any more siteseeing than perhaps Grand Canyon. Good luck.

Oh, and don't get bogged down with trying to make reservations as you're driving. If you feel uncomfortable doing that then drive your day part-way and estimate where you'll be that night when you're ready to stop. Then call a few places to reserve. There are also truck stops, WalMarts and you might even spot an empty parking area.

[plasma800]

There's a daily train from Kingman to the Grand Canyon and back that night. You could stay at Kingman KOA and take the train to the GC and back.

[TechWriter]

Originally Posted by ghoticov

Why does that matter?

I've been working in a CA RV park and have noticed that Californians, especially those from SoCal, think nothing of driving many miles & hours per day.

But you already knew that, right?

[ghoticov]

Originally Posted by TechWriter

I've been working in a CA RV park and have noticed that Californians, especially those from SoCal, think nothing of driving many miles & hours per day.

But you already knew that, right?

Well, technically I am not a Californian... I was born and lived in Georgia until I was 38. I am currently 45.

[ghoticov]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

A couple comments:

- I-40 west of Flagstaff - westbound - has 4, 5, & 6% grades downhill for 6 miles. There are shoulders and no drop-off cliffs. It's an interstate. It is definitely not a big deal. Many interstates have 6%.

- There are plenty of places to pull off for the night in Arizona - I-40

- I'd definitely skip Petrified Forest and do Grand Canyon instead. There is no comparison.

If you do Petrified Forest take Exit 286 at Holbrook and take 180 south to the Petrified Forest road. Drive the Petrified Forest road about 5 miles to the first Visitor Center on the left. There's a hike to do there or just view the logs from the Visitor Center. That's where you'll see the majority of logs. Absolutely no reason to explore any more of the Petrified Forest unless you'd have lots of time - and you don't. There is free RV parking for overnight at the corner of 180 and Petrified Forest Rd. at the private gift shop at the corner on the right as soon as you turn off 180. Instead of going back to Holbrook, continue on this park road which will take you back out to I-40. Don't waste your time stopping after that first stop. We were just there once again last week so this is fresh in our minds.

- If you stop at Grand Canyon you mentioned staying at Grand Canyon RR RV. If planning to take the RR to the canyon that's an all-day very expensive trip for a family and you don't have the time. You only get about 3 hr. at the canyon itself amidst huge crowds. If you drive your car to the canyon it's 50 boring miles each way. If you can, CALL Trailer Village RV in the park itself (don't rely online) and see if you could possibly get one night there. It would be so much more relaxing for all of you to be able to take a couple strolls along the rim without the huge crowds - sunrise and sunset are amazing. Once there, there is a free shuttle to take you along the rim. You can get on and off wherever and catch the next one. It would be a nice break for you.

If you happen to get a site at Trailer Village, don't drive back to Williams and I-40. Instead, drive through the park eastward on Hwy 64 to Hwy 89. Take Hwy 89 south to I-40. It's all good road for RVs & you'll save time and get additional time for canyon views at the canyon as you're driving east.

It would be great if two of you could share the driving on the trip! Your trip can be done but it's going to be grueling and I wouldn't plan on any more siteseeing than perhaps Grand Canyon. Good luck.

Oh, and don't get bogged down with trying to make reservations as you're driving. If you feel uncomfortable doing that then drive your day part-way and estimate where you'll be that night when you're ready to stop. Then call a few places to reserve. There are also truck stops, WalMarts and you might even spot an empty parking area.

Wow, thanks for all the info! I will research and call Trailer Village. If I can stay closer to the GC rather than the GC Railroad RV Park, I would rather do that. We definitely wont be taking the train tour because we don't have time. We really just want to take it in for a few hours. I know we can see it all but being that close, we at least want to SEE it.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by plasma800

There's a daily train from Kingman to the Grand Canyon and back that night. You could stay at Kingman KOA and take the train to the GC and back.

It's Williams, not Kingman. It's extremely expensive for a family and you're only at the canyon for approx. 3 hours. Trailer Village IN the park gives a much better experience if he can get a site there.

[TQ60]

Did not read all...

Way back in pre ac days we would go cross country from central ca to east coast in 3 days...lots of driving.

The dessert is a whole bunch of most of same thing so we would leave in late afternoon which would be entering dessert early evening.

Would drive all night until late next day and be in new Mexico someplace.

Gets one past the hot spots when cool and less traffic.

[ghoticov]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

It's Williams, not Kingman. It's extremely expensive for a family and you're only at the canyon for approx. 3 hours. Trailer Village IN the park gives a much better experience if he can get a site there.

We have a new "plan"... and I use that term loosely. LOL

There is availability in Trailer Village on Thursday, August 4th. If we can leave on the 3rd, we can break up that 10 hour drive from Central Cali to the GC into two days, which is very manageable. So Wednesday night (the 3rd), we will stay at a rest stop, truck stop or somewhere like that. Then we will have full hook ups to dump, refill water and so forth at Trailer Village on the 4th and should have some time to see the GC a bit. Then get up on the 5th and drive as far as we can.... hopefully we can get to Albuquerque, NM (about 8 hours). So then we have the 6th, 7th and then about a 5 hour drive on the 8th to check in in Little Rock. I think its pretty realistic.

[ghoticov]

Here is our trip "plan" thus far. The only real plan right now is to be in Trailer Village by the 2nd night (which is 620 miles from home), which I believe is very doable.



We will spend most of the next 3 days driving 6-7 hours a day to get to Little Rock by Monday, August 8th.