How many hours/miles - RV-Dreams Community Forum

The Sages · RV-Dreams Family Member

How many hours/miles

cejones4210 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Before we retired and were camping during our yearly 2-3 week vacations, when we were trying to get to a destination it was not unusual for us to drive 500-700 miles in a day. That said, since we retired in May 2013 we have limited ourselves to 300 miles a day max and staying in a location at least two nights before moving on, it is wonderful! So nice and leisurely. Many times we will stay in a location for at least 5-6 days or longer. Now that was what we were looking forward to during those working vacations. Leisurely travel at the pace we like (everyone is different), seeing the area, enjoying restaurants unique to the area, and just relaxing with new scenery surrounding us. Wonderful way to travel after years of beating the road to get to our destination and never feeling like we stayed long enough. Now we know we can stay as long or short of time as we want, not what getting back to the grind dictated to us. Yeah!

Dog Folks · RV-Dreams Family Member

We use the 3-2-2 rule.

Drive no more than 3 hours

Stop before 2 P.M.

Stay for a minimum of 2 days.

It is great, upon arrival, we are not worn out.

kb0zke · RV-Dreams Family Member

We've always been early risers, although now that we're retired it is getting later and later. We didn't hurry, but we didn't dawdle, either, and it was about 9:30 when we pulled out yesterday. I like to be landed by mid-afternoon, and of course I like to have lunch, so that means that we probably drive about four hours or so on travel days. That translates into about 200 miles or so.

We have done longer drives when necessary.

-- Edited by kb0zke on Tuesday 26th of August 2014 08:24:09 PM

RickandJanice · RV-Dreams Family Member

We try to use a 4-2-2 rule on travel days. No more than 4 hours, no more than 200 miles and off the road by 2:00 P.M.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

We just ran 10-12 hour days running from Nevada to Florida. Once camping we expect moves in the 100 mile range.. 2 hours..

manycats · RV-Dreams Family Member

Always get to your campsite before dark. It's much easier to set up and then relax. Besides, if something goes wrong you can see to fix it or find help. How many miles and how many hours depends on how comfortable you feel about a long drive. When you're tired you make mistakes so find your level and stick to it.

Barbaraok · RV-Dreams Family Member

If you are parked by 2:00 pm or so, you get to relax with a cool one and watch the show as others try and jockey in late in the day. Plus, by stopping early you aren't part of the late afternoon show.

Barb

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Normally under 200 miles, but when we are trying to go long distances we do about 1000 miles a week. We do the 1000 miles by doing two 225 to 325 mile days, then stay at least two nights, repeat. That pace seems to work for us for 1 to 2 thousand miles, but to cross the country east-west is over 3,000 miles and takes us at least a month.

jayc · RV-Dreams Family Member

We use the 3/3 rule or 300 miles or 3 o'clock. It works well for us and we occasionally go further, depending on our schedule. We generally stop at least once during the day, sometimes twice, so we can stretch our legs.

Neil and Connie · RV-Dreams Family Member

We average about 230 or so miles per day. Lowest ever is about 100 and highest was a shade over 400, but that made for a really long day. Fortunately we were already hitched that day and all it took to leave was power, water, and slides. We normally stop for 20 minutes or so for lunch and a couple of times for potty breaks.

We only travel on consecutive days if we are moving a long way and even then we usually travel 3 days and then have a rest dY before another 3.

LibertyLinda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Hey I like the 3-2-2 rule. We tried to stay to no more than 3-4 hours driving, but we did a bunch of one nighters between SD and TX - I would do that differently, the two night stays may be easier on the Zoo too.

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'll start with saying we break all the rules, but for a good reason. We're not retired and we don't like using too many weekend / vacation days just for driving, would rather spend that time exploring. So, if our move is less than 400 miles we do a long 1 day drive. We've also timed our "big relocations" of 800ish miles for the 3 day weekends of Memorial Day and Labor Day, spending all day Saturday and Monday driving but finding somewhere fun to hang out on the Sunday of the 3 day weekend. Since we are both now driving the rig the longer days are a bit easier on us.

I will say one exception to the 400 mile rule is if we're having to drive the majority of that on non-Interstate roads. Took us 6 hours to drive 250 miles on US 95 in North/Central ID this past week, we've driven sections of that before and had already made a decision that 250 miles for that day would be plenty. We've got a 450 mile move coming up and we're kind of "playing it by ear", 250 miles is non-Interstate so I'm guessing we're going to be finding BLM land or a Wal-Mart for a night's stop over.

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

For us it all depends on what the situation is. If its a gotta be there or else, we have rolled 8-900 in 24 hours. And that makes a LOONNGG unsafe day.
This past June, we San Antonio TX to Jacksonville NC in 40 hours with about 26 of it actually driving. Stopped at rest areas and fuel stops when I needed to close my eyes but that was it. BUT that was for a family emergency that we decided to take our rollong house with us because we didn't know how long we were to stay there.
Now next week we will start the same journey but will take 5 days to get there, spend 2-3 weeks visiting, and plan on 7-10 days to get back to Texas. So 2-300 miles a day and stop and smell the roses, or yes we can move in a hurry if we have to.

Trikester · RV-Dreams Family Member

We try to keep the daily mileage below 250 and have only had two days over 300. We like to settle in and relax, stir up some dinner, maybe do a walk-about, then rest up for the next day.

PIEERE · RV-Dreams Family Member

I use to get up about 5:00 am; get on the road by 6:00; then drive with a few pit stops; restroom, fuel and food at 11:00 am; then be off the road by three. Drove about 60 MPH; averaged about 50 miles in an hour so made about 300-350 miles. I used to check my map to my destination. I was traveling sometimes long distances for work camping employ. If not being in a hurry 235-250 miles was fine and sometimes I would spend 2-3 nights if the price is right. Wow; That the name of a TV game show! LOL!

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

We use the 3-2-2-4-2-8 rule.

Drive no more than 3 hours

Stop before 2 P.M.

Stay for a minimum of 2 days.

4 Martinis before 10PM quiet hour

2 dips in the Jacuzzi

8 hours of sleep

-- Edited by The Bear II on Friday 29th of August 2014 09:09:54 AM

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Bear II: You must be extra noisy when you drink a Martini.

BiggarView · RV-Dreams Family Member

While driving... about 1hour per 60 miles (till I'm tired, usually about 2 or three hours)

Stationary... you'll need time lapse photography to see me move. biggrin biggrin biggrin , unless there are margaritas to be had wink smile biggrin

Brian

on edit.... cheese will evoke a response also. biggrin

-- Edited by biggaRView on Friday 29th of August 2014 09:29:29 AM

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

In an ideal world.. we'd travel about 20-30 miles in a day, stay for a week or two, repeat.

We rarely get to live in our ideal world however, this country is too large and way too many fun things to see, and amazing people to spend time with! :)

We just completed another cross country repositioning, and after 8 years on the road - I have to say, we still haven't found a 'formula'. Sometimes traveling 150-200 miles for a couple days in a row works out fine, but then we have to plop for a few days to recover. Sometimes a long 300+ mile day is just what we need to 'get there already'. Sometimes staying 2-3 days is just perfect. Sometimes a week just isn't long enough.

We've learned to listen to our hearts, talk with each other and know our exhaustion points. Pad in as much time and make as few commitments as possible to give us flexibility to go with the flow. Trying to follow rules and formulas, just doesn't work for us (although, I really like the 2 jacuzzi dips rule.)

So, after a couple months of being in motion staying places 2-7 nights at a time, we've just landed in one spot for the next 2 months. I'm sure by about 4-6 weeks in, we'll have the itch to move on. But for now.. ahhhh.

- Cherie

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

We are crossing the country right now, West to East, and it will be a mix of travel distance and stay lengths. Luckily we are not in a hurry, but do have some fixed locations and dates to deal with. It took us two days to drive 378 miles to Post Falls ID, where we are staying for a week. We will have six days to travel 930 miles to Rapid City SD with the side trips we have planned. After a week in the Black Hills we will have two weeks to get to an appointment in Michigan, around 1200 miles. I have that trip loosely planned with about 5 intermediate stops, including one stop west of Chicago to visit friends. After our appointment we will have about a month to get to the Florida Keys, around 2000 more miles.

soos · RV-Dreams Family Member

our rule is the 2-2-2
no more than 200 miles, done by 2 pm and stay for 2 nights. works well traveling in a 5th wheel, but not in a truck camper.
If i'm gonna stay in a parking lot, I sure don't want to get there by 2 pm... and then do....what?

Sue