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I told a friend at work last week: "If you ever hear of me taking another long car trip, I give you orders to send me to a Psych Ward!"
Is it my age? 64? I just can't do it anymore!
Last week, even though I said I would never do it again, I drove from Las Vegas to Tucson and back, and on returning, halfway back, I was tempted to abandon my car, and call for a helicopter! Oh the torture, and the unending boredom!
It didn't help, driving back at night, with night vision, and seeing patrol cars parked in the ditches with their lights off ready to pounce on me!
Yes, I would consider doing it again, but! 100 miles south to Laughlin, spend the night there, 120 miles south of there in Havasu, spend the night there, 100 miles to Phoenix, spend the night there, then 116 miles to Tucson, with a possible overnight stay in Casa Grande! Coming back, same routine! Now let me see, we're looking at a 10 day to 2 week trip?
How about you? What triggered it, you're saying: No more long Car Trips! Or, you broke your promise, did it again, and kicked yourself for doing it?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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All of us are different... I LOVE car trips (and truck trips). I have driven groups to Mexico just for the opportunity for a LONG drive. I also volunteer to drive rental trucks cross country for people who are uncomfortable doing so. BUT... it is so cheap to fly (much cheaper than driving to my preferred destinations), I have not had a good 30 hr road trip for over a yr.
I'm Getting cabin fever (Aircraft cabin). I have flown 8 times this yr and LUV to fly too.
I DON"T like to stay home!
(I was weaned on the smoke stack of an over-the-road truck. )
My favorite drives? Night-time on a moonlit snow covered prairie. Preferably NOTHINGNESS. My 1250 range on my Diesel VW Passat makes for a nice long drive between stops (often 10 -14 hrs, but can go 24hrs w/o stopping).
I did 7 yrs of night trucking across WY / SD / NE / CO putting myself through college. It was by FAR my favorite job. I like seeing how far I can drive without seeing another car. Often 60 - 80 miles. Once was 130 miles in ND blizzard.
My mom is 84 and just bought a new set of tires for her Motorhome. She will lay down some miles this yr (as she has for 70 yrs), (She got her 'farm license' at age 14!~)
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I also love long road trips, in fact we are driving from Seattle to San Francisco in a few weeks, Generally we'll do that one with an overnight stay in between no, but when younger often did the 14 hours straight through.
I like road trips, however, unless it's an emergency, I will not travel like my parents did when we were growing up. They would hardly ever stop. We used to call those missions instead of vacations.
I love driving the long road trip and fortunately have friends and family living in Florida while i reside in Montreal, since the late 60s i've been enjoying at least one and sometimes 2 trips per year, however at 68 years old the drive is becoming very tiring, on my last trip this past January it became somewhat of an ordeal as it felt like i had to stop at every rest stop for a nap.
I hate long car trips (and anything over 4 hours is long to me ) and try to avoid them. Still, they are a necessary evil at times. My last long car trip was a 19 hour (includes traffic and the occasional stop for a power nap) from NYC to New Orleans last year. And back! That was pure hell.
Location: Scott County, Tennessee/by way of Detroit
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Haha.....I was JUST going to post this Sunday because Monday we were going on 570 mile car trip from Tennessee to the Alabama...problem is it is from the top of Tenn to the exact bottom of Bama......We made it here but 1/3 of the way here it rained and by the time we got off the freeway, it was so dark and foggy we went over this big bridge.......and didn't know it was a bridge till we saw it the next day as we went sightseeing.....I was a nervous wreck......Anyway to answer your question....NO I DO NOT like long car trips anymore...I will be 55 next month and my road trips are not like Boys on the Side...mine are more like Jeepers Creepers........
It always seems like everyone else's trips are so relaxing and enjoyable....mine aren't and I KNOW it is because of my husband....he drives waaaaaay too fast for starters.....he's the type to put the cruise control on going through Cincinnati at 5 pm......When it rains he still goes 80mph.....I know when we get into the car and he says WE WILL JUST TAKE OUR TIME....that's the red flag.....I also can't stand the trucks....weaving into our lane....going to pass one and he'll turn on his blinker and scoot over into our lane...etc...If I was driving with Grandpa I'd have a better time.....and since I drive the speed limit I do nit drive plus I get too many comments from the peanut gallery.....
He also won't listen to the radio....and we had SIRIUS for years.....So I don't think anyone would enjoy the long trip with us...My imaginary brake gets pushed about 36 times....We drove the whole way here but going to break it up half way going home.....we WERE going to do that coming here but we left a day late and even though we are retired, he just HAD TO GET HERE MONDAY NIGHT........
Location: Living near our Nation's Capitol since 2010
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Love, love, LOVE long road trips. Sometimes you get to see things along the byways that you never get to see otherwise.
If and when I finally retire...a long time from now!...I hope to travel across country and back using different routes in each direction. A month or so in each direction would be perfect.
As long as I'm driving in daylight and conditions are good, I love road trips. Just drove from Denver to Trenton and back again over the holidays. Kansas was the only trouble spot - the wind blew my car all over the highway and the random patches of ice were terrifying. The rest of the drive was a lot of fun.
But I don't drive at night and I get off the road as soon as conditions become questionable if the roads are unfamiliar. As soon as I become overly stressed, I'm done for the day.
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Coming back, same routine! Now let me see, we're looking at a 10 day to 2 week trip?
) and try to avoid them. Still, they are a necessary evil at times. My last long car trip was a 19 hour (includes traffic and the occasional stop for a power nap) from NYC to New Orleans last year. And back! That was pure hell.
