Seattle To Tulsa- Late October

[jakoby13]

Hello forum readers :)

I'm planning a move back home to just outside of Tulsa Oklahoma coming up here this fall. I did want to get as much advice, tips, and any other information people would recommend. I have my route pretty much planned out. I would be taking I-90 east till I hit Eastern Washington. From there will be taking I-84 East and down to Ogden Ut. where I plan on staying my first night. The next day isn't as bad driving as I will only be driving about 8 hours via I-80 to Longmont, Co. to stay with a friend that night. Then the third and final day will be a 12 hour drive via I-70 into Kansas, and then I-35 down into Oklahoma. Tahlequah, Ok. is my final destination.

I haven't been out in the midwest in YEARS, so I'm just wondering about driving conditions at that time of year. I'll be driving a 2013 Ford Focus SE. Once again, any driving recommendations at this time of year would be greatly appreciated. Also, any sites to see along the way. I'll be driving solo and trying to document as much as I can on my way back home after 20+ years!

Thanks readers!
-Jake

[Lifemagician]

Hi Jake, and Welcome to the Great American Roadtrip Forum.

There is no way that first day is going to work. More than 800 miles is simply not feasible on a multi day trip. That first day will leave you exhausted for the rest of the trip, affecting both your ability as a safe driver and your enjoyment of the trip. 600 miles is the daily maximum for professional drivers for safety reasons. 600 miles for an amatuer, day after day, is brutal. It does not leave time for any sightseeing. All that you would have time for is to get something to eat, stop for fuel and bathroom breaks. It will be very hard work.

The best way to approach a trip like this is the way a marathon runner plans the race. You pace yourself, and be sure not to exhaust yourself at the start, so that there will be plenty of energy to keep going, and a little in reserve, lest it is need at the finish line. If you want to do some sightseeing along the way, highly recommended to break up the driving days, it would be advisable to keep your miles at, or below 500 each day.

If you got your times from a computer program, you need to understand that these times are pure fantasy. They simply are not possible in the real world. Mapping programs assume you will be travelling at or above the speed limit at all times. They never need to slow down for construction, congestion or even a traffic light. They do not need to fuel up, eat or visit the bathroom. And they certainly do not have any interest in sightseeing.

You need to break this trip up into four (or more) evenly paced days.

Lifey

[jakoby13]

Thanks for the input Lifey. Yeah, I knew that first day was stretching it big time, but wanted to get as far as I could on the first day. But I will look into doing four, 500 mile days, and see how that can work out, or even see if I can get a buddy who wants to come along for a cross country road trip, and then he can fly out of Tulsa back home :P The sightseeing isn't THAT much of a deal for me, so it may be worth going the route of having a friend come with for the company and switching drive times up.

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

Quite snippily put, your plan bears no resemblance whatsoever to reality. 800 miles in a day is 33% MORE than professional long haul drivers are legally allowed to do because of how dangerous it is to push on past 550-600 miles. And you plan another 660 miles the next day. This kind if driving does not meet minimal requirements to be humanly possible. Yet you plan to drive another 700 miles on your third day. No...NO...

NO!

You need at least two and a half days to get safely from Seattle to Longmont, and then another day and a half to finish your drive. Trying to do it in less means that you would simply be using your friend in Longmont as a free motel - you would have no time to actually visit - AND you would be a clear and present danger to everyone you would share the road with.

AZBuck

[Lifemagician]

... and switching drive times up.

Having two drivers will not allow you to cover more miles per day. Simply sitting in a car as a passenger is tiring. Great for the company, but not for cutting down on the time required to cover the distance.

Lifey

[jakoby13]

AZ,

Yeah I realize that now, and am planning the trip differently according so. My first day will now be to Boise. and then planning the next stops accordingly as well. My planning was just way off cause I'm so used to doing tandem driving and have made trips down Sacramento from up here in one day, but, that was tandem. There's where everything went astray. Will I have to be concerned about road conditions at this time of year with the Rockies?

[jakoby13]

Having two drivers will not allow you to cover more miles per day. Simply sitting in a car as a passenger is tiring. Great for the company, but not for cutting down on the time required to cover the distance.

Lifey

Oh no, I meant just switching up the actual drive times. Not trying to cover more distance.