Long Solo Road Trip tips

[sam_gordon]

I'm staring a 17 hour solo drive in the face (for work). This will be in a company van (actually flying to a location, picking up the van, and driving back). I made this trip about 7-8 years ago, but don't remember much of it.

Any tips for passing the time? I'll have the "I heart Radio" app on my phone and hope to remember to bring my bluetooth speaker/radio transmitter, so I can listen to the stations I like.

Short of pulling over and calling ahead, any suggestions for finding a hotel for the night? I'd prefer Hamptons or other Hilton properties since I"m trying to collect HHonors points. I can't get a good estimate of where I'll be to plan ahead because I don't know for sure what time I'll leave Wednesday. It could be 1pm, it could be 5pm.

I'm guessing it will be a two night drive (partial day driving Wednesday, full day driving Thursday, partial day driving Friday).

So, what do you suggest?

 

[LadyBeBop]

I'm staring a 17 hour solo drive in the face (for work). This will be in a company van (actually flying to a location, picking up the van, and driving back). I made this trip about 7-8 years ago, but don't remember much of it.

Any tips for passing the time? I'll have the "I heart Radio" app on my phone and hope to remember to bring my bluetooth speaker/radio transmitter, so I can listen to the stations I like.

Short of pulling over and calling ahead, any suggestions for finding a hotel for the night? I'd prefer Hamptons or other Hilton properties since I"m trying to collect HHonors points. I can't get a good estimate of where I'll be to plan ahead because I don't know for sure what time I'll leave Wednesday. It could be 1pm, it could be 5pm.

I'm guessing it will be a two night drive (partial day driving Wednesday, full day driving Thursday, partial day driving Friday).

So, what do you suggest?

1) Where are you driving to and from?

2) Do you have unlimited streaming on your phone? 17 hours of I Heart Radio will use a lot of data. If the van has Sirius/XM, that would be great. I like it better than I Heart Radio.

3) I like listening to podcasts. You can easily download 17 hours of the Dis Unplugged from home or another WiFi connection to your phone.

 

[sam_gordon]

1) Where are you driving to and from?

2) Do you have unlimited streaming on your phone? 17 hours of I Heart Radio will use a lot of data. If the van has Sirius/XM, that would be great. I like it better than I Heart Radio.

3) I like listening to podcasts. You can easily download 17 hours of the Dis Unplugged from home or another WiFi connection to your phone.

1) San Antonio, TX to Lexington, KY
2) Yes
3) That might work. I've only listed to a couple podcosts, so don't know exactly what I'd like.

 

[North of Mouse]

I've only had to make one long drive by myself. It passed really quickly with a very good, and long book on CD. Loaded up several on the changer, then the rest while stopping for a break.

 

[LadyBeBop]

1) San Antonio, TX to Lexington, KY

Hmm. I know a good portion of your route; from Texarkana to just south of Louisville where you pick up the Bluegrass Parkway. We take that route from our daughter's place in Shreveport, LA. We've driven it in a day, but we usually now stay overnight somewhere, usually between Nashville and Memphis. Jackson TN is a good town, and it has all the major chains.

According to Mapquest, Texarkana is about seven hours from San Antonio without stops, so that may be a little too much for your first day. Your best bet may be Dallas...about four hours from San Antonio.

You'll get into Tennessee your second day. If you push it, you'll hit Nashville, but Jackson may be a better bet. From Jackson, it's about five hours to Lexington. There's a good buffet in Jackson that serves home cooking. The Old Counry Store at the Casey Jones Villiage. Had it for supper once and it was outstanding. Went back for breakfast a few months later. Good, but not nearly as good as supper.

For breakfast the following day, I'd stop at the Loveless Cafe just west of downtown Nashville. Another good place for home cooking.

HTH.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I have this goofy friend that took 1 tiny sip of Pepsi every single mile marker between Gillette, Wyoming & St. Louis on a solo-trip (20 hours straight through). Guess you could try it

 

[sam_gordon]

Hmm. I know a good portion of your route; from Texarkana to just south of Louisville where you pick up the Bluegrass Parkway. We take that route from our daughter's place in Shreveport, LA. We've driven it in a day, but we usually now stay overnight somewhere, usually between Nashville and Memphis. Jackson TN is a good town, and it has all the major chains.

According to Mapquest, Texarkana is about seven hours from San Antonio without stops, so that may be a little too much for your first day. Your best bet may be Dallas...about four hours from San Antonio.

You'll get into Tennessee your second day. If you push it, you'll hit Nashville, but Jackson may be a better bet. From Jackson, it's about five hours to Lexington. There's a good buffet in Jackson that serves home cooking. The Old Counry Store at the Casey Jones Villiage. Had it for supper once and it was outstanding. Went back for breakfast a few months later. Good, but not nearly as good as supper.

For breakfast the following day, I'd stop at the Loveless Cafe just west of downtown Nashville. Another good place for home cooking.

HTH.

Thanks for the tips. I'm hoping to get through Dallas the first day, maybe get as far as Greenville or even Sulphur Springs. Nashville to Lexington is easy, have done it plenty of times. What is going to be bad is if I get to Nashville around 6-7p on Day 2, I'm going to be VERY tempted to push through just to get home.