How long do you tow before extended stop?

[Brer Bear]

The past two years that I have towed our RV to Orlando, I've stopped about halfway (300miles ~ 6hours) and spent the night at Green Acres Campground in Walterboro, SC. We are planning our trip for March 09 and I am contemplating driving overnight straight through to both increase our time at Disney and avoid most of the 95 traffic. I was just curious how long most folks drive towing before stopping for an extended period for some shut eye!:cloud9:

[gon2wdw55]

:goodvibes We use to drive straight thru from Indianapolis (1000 mi.) even with the trailer, but now I"m retired and have more time and drive slower 60-65mph and get 1.5 to 2 mpg more makes a big differance over 1000mi. My wife allways helps drive to. Just do what you feel comfortable with and have a good time.;)

[Us3]

We pull straight through to WDW because it's only 487 miles. We also drive straight threw when we go to Texas...thats about 12 hours and that is the most I can take in a day!

[GoSox50]

We are coming from Ma and we take 2 1/2 days to get to the fort,stay for 10 days and then take 2 days to get back home. We treat it as all part of the vacation- staying at different campgrounds along the way, not just rush down there and back. We stay off of 95 until South Carolina and then head to Florida. We always talk about when we retire and maybe become fulltimers and just drive to wherever..what a dream. :)

[PrincessNana]

It takes us about 2 1/2 days driving from South Texas. We usually do two long days (about 8 - 9 hrs.) and try to stop at a campground that has a swimming pool and activities for the grandkids. We try to make our last day of travel a short day so we get to Disney World early in the day. Suprisingly, we've never had to wait on our campsite (knock on wood).

[kc5grw]

I voted as long as it takes. It actually varies. Our first trip to the Fort was Christmas 2003. I drove straight through, 21.5 hours. Did this mainly because I had tickets for MVMCP which was Friday and we left Thursday morning. Our trip in June 2007 I planned a stop at what would have been 15 hours, but 2 flats on the trailer turned that into 19 hours to get to the same place.

[2goofycampers]

We usually go straight thru to WDW, 12 hours with pit stops, 650 miles.

[stky6]

We just drove back, 1010 miles in 15 hours driving time, about 17 hours adding in the stops. We weren't towing but we had the bikes in the hitch carrier if that counts :)

[lawnspecialties]

Going to the Fort, we like to camp overnight in southern Ga. so we can get up the next morning and be at the Fort around 1:00pm. Plus, breaking up the first day just adds to the fun.

Coming home, we usually leave around 9 or 10 am and get home around 8 or 9 that evening. It's 605 miles from Fort to house.

[ftwildernessguy]

We go from Allentown, PA to Savannah, GA the first day, get up really early and are in WDW by about 9 am the next day. I am on the road on F-2 at 10pm and drive overnight - it's not so bad since FWGirl and the Wonder Beagle sleep and I have the satellite radio. Thank you, God, for Sirius. We stay at the Savannah South KOA on F-1 and leave early enough to hit Jax about 4am. Then we hang around the Cracker Barrel parking lot in Palm Coast for breakfast and its off to FW on Fday.

[lawnspecialties]

We go from Allentown, PA to Savannah, GA the first day, get up really early and are in WDW by about 9 am the next day. I am on the road on F-2 at 10pm and drive overnight - it's not so bad since FWGirl and the Wonder Beagle sleep and I have the satellite radio. Thank you, God, for Sirius. We stay at the Savannah South KOA on F-1 and leave early enough to hit Jax about 4am. Then we hang around the Cracker Barrel parking lot in Palm Coast for breakfast and its off to FW on Fday.

Superman.

That's two days of extreme driving. The Pa to Savannah is bad enough but then get up early enough to be at the Fort by 9:00 am! That's crazy.

[ftwildernessguy]

Superman.

That's two days of extreme driving. The Pa to Savannah is bad enough but then get up early enough to be at the Fort by 9:00 am! That's crazy.

I am not known for my sanity. I am a man with a mission on these trips. I do wonder how much longer I will be able to do this. I figure if I can get to the Fort by 9 or 10, I can check in and park in the overflow lot (unless by chance my site is ready, which only happened once), then I check the wonder beagle into the kennel and FWGirl and I take the bus to the Settlement, then off to WL and an early lunch. It's like an extra day at the fort.

[Gatordad]

luckily for me, I'm 2 hours away max. I could never tow a long distance.

[lawnspecialties]

I am not known for my sanity. I am a man with a mission on these trips. I do wonder how much longer I will be able to do this. I figure if I can get to the Fort by 9 or 10, I can check in and park in the overflow lot (unless by chance my site is ready, which only happened once), then I check the wonder beagle into the kennel and FWGirl and I take the bus to the Settlement, then off to WL and an early lunch. It's like an extra day at the fort.

I'd like to see your packing list. Amp Energy Drinks, No-Doze, Starbucks Double Shot, etc.

luckily for me, I'm 2 hours away max. I could never tow a long distance.

We actually enjoy driving long trips. It's one of the few times Andrea can get me cornered long enough for long talks.

[ftwildernessguy]

The secret is to start adjusting your sleep cycle a few days ahead of time. 3mg of Melatonin a half hour prior to going to bed helps with the adjustment.

[loveDmouse]

We usually run untill just before dark so 8-9 hours. (We do tow our golf cart trailer down so that counts right) We usually stop a little bit before GA and then drive the rest the next day.

[We4mickey]

We usually go about 14 hours. Drive to around Cartersville/Dalton, GA. Get up early again the next day and arrive by around 10 or 11am. Do the big push the first day and the next is a breeze.

[bradisgoofy]

When we were younger, and before FW, we would do the 1200 mile trip in two days. But when we got there the first day was a bust because we were so tired. Now we do the trip in two and a half days with the first two no more then 10 hours. Now, with the motorhome, it only takes about 15 minutes to setup, then we are ready to do the "World".

[TomM]

Driving from near Indianapolis, we leave after school, stop just north of Atlanta for a couple hours sleep in the camper, try to get the girls up so we can get through Atlanta before the traffic hits and arrive at Ft Wilderness about 1:00. I want to sqeeze in as much time at the Fort as possible.

[bobbymac]

driving from near Toronto Ontario 1400 miles
First leg we try to do 1000 miles then a eazy run in on the next day

[TxTink :)]

We leave in the morning and drive all day and as late into the night as possible (we travel with DH's parents behind us in their TT- so when both vehicles just can't go any longer (usually 10-11ish), then we'll stop in a big, well-lit WalMart parking lot for the night- we park side by side where our TT doors face each other)... then we get up in the morning and drive the rest of the way. Past times, we've gotten to the Fort around 8-9ish at night, so we pull in and set up and get a good night's sleep (that's after a golf cart ride, of course!!!)
It's about 20ish hours, depending on if we get quick meal stops or a few restaurants.
...Can't wait!!! :cool1:

[big kahuna1]

I normally drive 10 to 12 hours but have no problem going longer. Everyone tells me I was a truck driver in my former life. I have the belly to prove it.

[VAN]

We have a 1,250 miles each way. On the way down, we get on the road by 3:30 am and then stop in Tifton, GA for the night (about 16 hrs) at a hotel. Then we only have about 4 hrs the next day. Works fairly well.

On the way home, we get on the road about 6:00 am (pulling up stakes in the dark), then drive about 14 hrs ... stopping (again at a hotel) in Elizabethtown, KY. That leaves us with 6 hr drive the next day.

This puts the bulk of the driving on the first day ... also, most of it in daylight. I really don't like driving after dark, although starting out in the dark when I know it will be light soon isn't too bad.

If I had 15 hrs or less, I would do it in one day ... getting in while there was still enough light to set up camp.

[clkelley]

Most of the time I split my drive up into two days. My drive is 690 miles.

The main reason for my split is to get through Atlanta late in the evening and to take advantage of time after work.

I leave work at 5pm with the camper in tow and head on out. That puts me through Birmingham at 6:45 - 7:00 pm Central and puts me through Atlanta about 10pm. This avoids all the potential traffic bottlenecks. I stop around Macon, usually at the KOA. Easy on, easy off. I pull out the next morning about 6:30 am and that gets me to the Fort about 2pm.

[LarryJ]

Since I retired back in 1990 and once the sons were at least in college 1996, we shoot for around 250 to 350 miles a day and never more than like 400. Of course I only drive 60, and make multiple pit stops and one or two fuel stops depending that can be up to 30 min long. I,m in no hurry and we leave usually around 7 to 8AM and stop anywhere from 2 to 4PM.

Now not towing I will do 400 to 450/500 miles in a day, but those trips are few and far between.

Larry

[lawnspecialties]

Since I retired back in 1990 and once the sons were at least in college 1996, we shoot for around 250 to 350 miles a day and never more than like 400. Of course I only drive 60, and make multiple pit stops and one or two fuel stops depending that can be up to 30 min long. I,m in no hurry and we leave usually around 7 to 8AM and stop anywhere from 2 to 4PM.

Now not towing I will do 400 to 450/500 miles in a day, but those trips are few and far between.

Larry

Larry,

I we all could go to the Fort and stay for 40 plus days, we'd probably take it easy heading down, too. Geesh!

Change your signature line to just show the times you've headed back and stayed at home. That would probably be shorter.:banana:

[BRDof3]

driving from near Toronto Ontario 1400 miles
First leg we try to do 1000 miles then a eazy run in on the next day

I was waiting for someone to post who has a similar distance. We're in Eastern Nebraska, about 1400 miles on Google Maps. I want to pretend we could start out at 2-3:00 pm and go straight through fora 4:00 pm arrival, but not realistic, I think. We'd hit Atlanta at AM rush, for one thing, unless we go on weekend. DW isn't as adventurous, for another.

How long does it take you to get your 1000 miles the first day? What are you towing?

Just doing some advance work...

[LONE-STAR]

We generally drive straight through. Anywhere from 16 hours(no trailer flying) to 20 hours(pulling our trailer taking our sweet time and traffic)
On our last trip we did stop and spend the night about 10 pm and drove the rest the next day. About 500 miles both days.

[LONE-STAR]

luckily for me, I'm 2 hours away max. I could never tow a long distance.

Why not :confused3

[LarryJ]

Larry,

I we all could go to the Fort and stay for 40 plus days, we'd probably take it easy heading down, too. Geesh!

Change your signature line to just show the times you've headed back and stayed at home. That would probably be shorter.:banana:

That's what retirement is all about :rotfl:

We took a 2 month trip out west back in 2004 and I'm about ready for a repeat and maybe include Alaska this time.

Larry

[bobbymac]

BRDof3


50 miles east of Toronto

Leave Friday night @ midnight (sleep for 4 - 5hrs before leaving)
drive until 4-5 Saturday afternoon
this past trip ended up in Orangeburg SC
968 miles from home 15 hrs on road including stops for gas and bathroom breaks
tow a 215SB Antigua with Chevy Trailblazer
No matter what way I go or do it it's 21+ hrs driving with trailer in tow