One final thing: Besides Kansas City, MO...is there anwyhere else that I can make my 2nd night's stay? It's really far...and seems it'll be actually warm tomorrow (Monday).
Thanks!
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One final thing: Besides Kansas City, MO...is there anwyhere else that I can make my 2nd night's stay? It's really far...and seems it'll be actually warm tomorrow (Monday).
Thanks!
When you get tired, just look at the signs before each exit, they will list the hotels at each exit. There will be plenty of choices all the way between STL and KC.
@glc But is that the best way anyway, KC, MO? I know I have to make the drive, I just....ugh, it feels so long.
I think you are taking you're driving times from your mapping program which are not realistic in the real world where cars need to stop for fuel, humans for food and rest and then other elements like construction and congestion delays. You need to add about 20% to those times for a more accurate accoint, for example Kansas City would be about 11 hours on the road. As I mentioned these were 'target areas' to keep you on track for arriving in LA on Thursday, but you should stop when you have had enough, there are always alternatives and you do have a little time to spare. Columbia MO is approx 490 miles which should be just under 9 hours with breaks from the car to stretch and clear your mind. When you feel rushed or under pressure these breaks are important, remember you are doing a marathon and not a sprint and trying to cut back on stops is counterproductive.
I really hope you managed a good nights sleep and set out this morning feeling more relaxed and positive, as I can sense your tension which is not going to help you in any way, shape or form. It's not easy, but try and clear your mind, dust yourself down and look at this as the start of a new adventure, everything will look different with a positive mindset and feel less tiring. You have beautiful scenery to look forward to, especially west of Denver and we are all routing for you. [Excuse the pun] lol.
Dave.
Thanks, Dave! I'm actually still awake. I have so much tension, even a sleep aid hasn't made a difference. I suppose part of the difference is that, leaving LA, I had a lot more hope and returning, there's not much of that atm. Maybe a bit of sleep will help.
But I'll be honest, not having phone reception bores me. Traveling on the 40, I caught up with all my phone calls, etc but I couldn't even make it through 20 minutes without dropped calls and lack of reception for long periods of time. I said I'm dependent on my phone, it's true. But traveling alone can be dull unless I break it up with calls, photo uploads, etc. First world problems, I know. lol But long drives also give you time to think...and worry about things. I'll try to be more positive. I'm also thinking the trees on either side of the road gets a bit suffocating after a while, no? In a way, I suppose the open desert roads of the 40 were preferable (also, my state of mind). You're right, I have to be more positive.
I got a late start from DC to Springfield, OH...left at 1:15 pm and arrived at 10:30 pm. I felt very antsy/restless...but I have hope for the views post-Denver. :) Will there be snow?? That's the other difference: winter/cold/snow makes me feel happy while warm weather...not great.
Thanks so much for the support...it's much appreciated!
The Colorado Department of Transport web site http://www.cotrip.org is currently reporting dry conditions on I-70 through the Rockies, but I guess you'll see snow on the tops of the mountains. I just tried to view the webcams at the Eisenhower tunnel but it's the middle of the night there so it's impossible to see anything other than the road.Quote:
Originally Posted by Holly-Day
Good luck. Try to stop for the night when you're tired if possible, and that doesn't need to be in a big city.
I think there's a long stretch of I-70 across Utah with few if any services, so it would be a good idea to fill up with gas in western Colorado (the Grand Junction area) or eastern Utah.
@John259 Wishful thinking for snow on my part! :) I'd read on this forum that there are 108 miles through Utah with no reception. How does one survive?? Snow on the ground somewhat would cheer me up!
Another thing I noticed is that I had to fill up my tank 3 times (from the half-full mark between DC-To-Ohio) only vs twice while driving the 40 in March 2014. I've barely used my a/c, so what gives? Elevation??
Not elevation in itself as far as I know, but climbs will certainly reduce your fuel mileage, and higher speeds will too. The truck drivers who vlog on YouTube often say that a headwind affects their fuel mileage but I doubt if it would affect a normal car very much.Quote:
Originally Posted by Holly-Day
Can you play music in any way when you're offline? Has the car got a CD player that you could maybe buy a few discs for? Just an idea.
ps I just thought of something - a couple of stormchasers from Iowa recently drove non-stop from New York to Los Angeles via I-70 and I-15 in the west, streaming live dashcam footage on YouTube all the way. I didn't watch all of it, but I think the only places they lost the signal for any significant lengths of time were through the tunnel under the Hudson after leaving Manhattan, and through the Virgin River Gorge on I-15 through Arizona. They might have had a special aerial to help boost their signal though.
Stay safe.
You really are reliant on that phone aren't you ! ;-) You will be fine, imagine those pioneers heading west in wagon trains with no roads and no gps ! The human race survived a long time without them.Quote:
I'd read on this forum that there are 108 miles through Utah with no reception. How does one survive??
I would be thankful of fine weather given your circumstance. The last thing you need is weather disruption with your timescale. The forecast is good for travel.Quote:
Snow on the ground somewhat would cheer me up!
I doubt you are using significantly more fuel, just filling up sooner than you need perhaps, although it's good to combine rest breaks and topping off your tank. If you filled up close to your departure point and then filled twice on the way and still have half a tank left you have only used one and a half tanks of petrol for 375 miles. Anything over half a tank left means less used.Quote:
Another thing I noticed is that I had to fill up my tank 3 times (from the half-full mark between DC-To-Ohio) only vs twice while driving the 40 in March 2014. I've barely used my a/c, so what gives? Elevation??
I'm quite sure you didn't get across country on 4 tanks of fuel, [filling twice] as that would require a 20 gallon fuel tank and a return of 32.5 mpg.
Please try to sleep !
I'm going to make a suggestion that you're going to think is crazy, but I actually think would be the single best thing you could possibly do to make this trip much less stressful, much more enjoyable, and increase your safety 100 fold.
First thing in the Morning, drive to the nearest post office, address an envelope to yourself in LA, and mail your phone home!
That's not a first world problem, that's a problem for everyone else who is on the road with you! Do we need to explain just how dangerous this kind of distracted driving is? Not only is it dangerous, I can pretty much assure you that its making your trip less enjoyable - as you are less able to enjoy, or even notice, what's around you, and it is only increasing your stress/obsession/lack of sleep over where you will or will not have a cell phone signal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Holly-Day
If you really can't find a way to drive without putting down the phone, you shouldn't be driving at all.
Once again, you are relying on your phone instead of maps, and that is only adding to your lack of understanding of what is actually ahead, and that is only adding to your stress.Quote:
@glc But is that the best way anyway, KC, MO? I know I have to make the drive, I just....ugh, it feels so long.
There is 108 miles between gas stations, that doesn't mean you will be without cell reception at all times - that's going to depend upon your carrier - although coverage will likely be spotty. The last time I was through there, I had a signal at times, but I couldn't tell you how often it was there or not there, because I wasn't focused on it!Quote:
I'd read on this forum that there are 108 miles through Utah with no reception. How does one survive??
People survive by focusing on driving - and the amazing views that are though that area. Fewer people survive when they have their eyes focused on a phone while operating a 2 ton machine at 75 mph.
Seriously, I understand you are stressed about this trip, but you are being stressed about all the wrong things. The fact that you aren't sleeping and are so focused on your phone has me very concerned about your safety - distracted and drowsy driving are right next to drunk driving when it comes to causes of fatalities on the road. Based on how little sleep you've gotten, there is no way you should be looking to get to KC tonight, and even Columbia as Dave previously suggested is probably too much.
After you've hopefully gotten some sleep, have a relaxing morning, get a good meal, stop and pick up a map and look at what you've got coming up on the road ahead. Get in the car, put down the phone, and enjoy the road. Stop a few times to get a break from the road, and wherever you are late this afternoon, start looking for a place to get off the road relatively early. That will make this a short day, but don't worry about that, and certainly don't worry about trying to get to a specific destination tonight. Pull off the road before you're even drowsy - much less before you are overtired, like you clearly were last night. That will let you hit the "reset" button of sorts and set yourself up to have a good trip the rest of the way west.