Topic: Driving Solo For Twelve Hour Stretches--Any helpful tips?

[gord_boyd]

Destination Bonita Springs/Ft. Meyers Florida to pick up my wife.

I generally will drive 2 hours before early morning bkfst.  I use cruise control a lot.
I'm pretty disciplined at stretching and walking a bit every 2 hrs.  I've got Sirius Radio; my DVD's
and cell phone and GPS/maps and latest "Along I 75" by Dave Hunter from CAA (althou'
I'm on 71 then 65 south of Cincinnati to Nashville before returning to I 75).  In addition my Macbook picks up Wifi
quite easily.  I use credit cards at only major branded gas stations and have some concerns
at pre-pay procedures where you can't watch.

When it comes to keeping hydrated I only take water or coffee.  I may take one or two teas in the PM.

On Snacks & Groceries, I'm looking for advice.  I tend to not take a lunch stop on these long days
and rely on walks as I said above.  I don't buy anything until across the border.

I've got a lot of flexibility on arrival and 2 days with a Tennessee relative.  I also am into history and
will take unplanned stops. 

So, give me your best additional tips and what works for you?  Or critique my practices.
I do not like checking in with anyone en route but willing to reassess.

[safristi]

I've always found my travel agents come in handy....... ..

[Snowman]

Are amphetamines or equivalent sill available these days?

[airbalancer]

It is only 12 hours, what is there to worry about 

[articsteve]

I've got a lot of flexibility on arrival and 2 days with a Tennessee relative

What happened to camping out of a "hatch back" in Tennessee 

Last trip down I75 was in 2006 to Kentucky.  It's a boring, tedious, and mid February will suck.  Bob Evans will be your only friend where you can walk around the parking lot in relative safety, grab a coffee and hit their head.  State "rest stops" in February could be dicey for a lone traveler, IMO.

Last time I actually drove to Florida, all thru the 70;s, where once out of Ohio, it was 90 mph all the way with sparse traffic. Even Ohio and Michigan were a 75mph.

My sister makes northern Kentucky in 10 hours with no border delays thru Sarnia from Owen Sound and she's a fast driver.  She stops once in Ontario, and once in Ohio for a bathroom break.  Eats in the car.  Nashville will take you 14 hours with your stops minimum.  That is a LONG haul. 

[PJungnitsch]

I find audiobooks make the time go by faster. Borrow them from the library.

[gord_boyd]

I should have added I do take an Emergency Kit.  I have seen some bad accidents in my driving past.

Nashville in 14 hours then; Feb. 9th exploring and then Feb. 10th Crossville TN, my 1st cousin for 2 nights.
Target is Feb. 13th at Destination but if it is 14th, that's OK too.

(this is an interesting family tree story where I had an address and nothing else and so knocked on his door
a couple of years back--no one spoke of him in the extended family on Mother's maritime side or my Mother.  He treats me like
as his single Canadian connection now.  I enjoy the two of them and he has added to my research and corrected
another uncle's book in 2 places.)

[The Mighty Duck]

I really disliked driving at night on the interstate. So if you can drive 7am - 7pm, that would be your best bet imo.

If you're not stopping for lunch, foods high in protein are probably a good choice. They fill you up better, so you won't feel hungry. Peanut butter is great. Granola bars are good too, just watch what's in them, as a lot of them are about as healthy as a chocolate bar.

Otherwise, you should be fine. 12 hour days behind the wheel aren't the worst thing in the world.

[johngenx]

I load my Ipod with speed metal and goth-electro from the 80s, add some punk, and I'm good to go.  Bounty bars with Coke Zero when gassing and Subway for lunch, and I can knock off long days behind the wheel with no trouble.

I can log longer days when on my own, cause I can play whatever I want, as loud as I want, stop when/where I want, etc.

[Winklovic]

Bounty bars with Coke Zero when gassing

I can log longer days when on my own,

It's no surprise you make trips alone when you're gassing.   

[Dexer]

I almost never make long road trips. I would be unusual for me to spend two hours behind the wheel.

But, a few years ago, my buddy needed to go to Calgary from Winnipeg to pick up a Porsche.

So, we drove out there in his Chrysler and, after staying one night in the hotel on the day we arrived, he picked up his Porsche and I drove back in the Chrysler. I only made two brief stops for gasoline and a bag of cookies (oh, a trip to the bathroom). Basically, I drove non-stop Calgary to Winnipeg in about 13 hours.

The odd thing is: I loved it and had absolutely no issues. I arrived back in town feeling energetic and alert. You'd think a guy who rarely drives for more than a couple of hours would be out-of-sorts after suddenly making a non-stop 13 hour solo roadtrip (not to mention, I did about 5 hours of driving the previous day when we were inbound for Calgary). Turns out it was no big deal.

So I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[Blue01]

From the sounds of it, you have it beat.  Radio, Sirius, cruise, DVDs, GPS, and more.  Twelve hours in a comfortable car with all that and it should be a breeze.
Heck, a couple of years ago I did a 19 hour ride on a motorcycle with hardly any of that.

[safristi]

1st cousin in Tennessee............. ...I'd stay awake that nite......j/k .......

[gord_boyd]

Some other suggestions:
>>Cracker Barrel rents talking books for drop-off at any other Cracker Barrel down the road.

>>change seat adjustments just a bit every 90 minutes

>>snacks of ju-jubes(?) send sugar to the brain (I can't take chance with peanut brittle & my teeth anymore)

>>contracting your seat increase circulation

>>strip maps at 25 miles per page with south at top (direction you are driving) make glancing very easy (aside from GPS Screen)

A Comment:

Arcticsteve's sister's twelve hours to Kentucky is the reverse of The Underground Railroad which ended for Blacks in Owen Sound, when you think about it.
And I'd call these snowbird jaunts the Freedom Trail too.

[safristi]

Boyd...do you realise you should get aboot more.... ...  Southhampton is fer boaters and well padded retirees......... nothing wrong with that............but you are giving off a "hopeless" VIBE...and nobody want PONTIAC VIBE!!! .....GO FORTH and Muliply yer Bucket LIST..............

[gord_boyd]

Give some credit for the Largest Nuclear Plant in the world Safristi--25% of Ontario's electrical power and allowing stopping coal (from USA)
generation.  These are young professionals and well-trained Operators and their families that pack arenas, gymnasiums, aquatice Centres and sports fields.  Also home to 1812 "General Hunter" who was directly involved with defeat of Detroit and Chicago in summer 1812.
(subsequently captured as "Hunter" for US Navy service to Mackinac Island (also defeated) and salvaged then burned to waterline in 1816 on our beaches
by two US Navy Vessels--breaking peace agreement.
When I arranged contact for British Ensign loan from Annapolis Naval Museum - just now received - who had it from 1813 Victory for Admiral Perry,
they first claimed ownership in a telephone call to me here in Southampton).

The Anishinabe of Saugeen have a display in our county museum from sewer project 2010 near Saugeen River mouth that shows 2,000 plus years of trading contacts
from Ohio Valley; Sault Ste Marie; Beaver Valley and points out west.  The Metis of Saugeen, and heir to the courieurs du bois, have a store front display (High St. is our main street)
showing history to 1821--a six year head start on the Hudson Bay Trading Post established here.  You can easily canoe down from Walkerton.  (3rd largest river in Ontario)

MacGregor Park and their yurts is famous for nature classes and art work / birding classes.  A 1950's Art School that is famous in Ontario.
And, of course, the most beautiful sunsets in the world behind Chantry Island imperial lighthouse and keeper's museum home you can tour with Marine Heritage.

And I have not included "Bluewater Association of Lifelong Learning"--BALL in Owen Sound we take advantage of.

The BUCKET LIST is doing quite fine right here at home too.

 

[articsteve]

Very interesting.

[Fobroader]

My fiance and I drive Edmonton to Brandon, MB a few times a year. Its about 11 hrs and its no problem, a timmies once every few hours isnt bad, sattelite radio is great. If I was doing it myself, drum and bass loud, windown down with a smoke....no problems!!!!