New York to LA in 8 days

[Need trip advice]

Plan a trip along rt-70 in mid Nov., have a 2000 van. I wonder whether there will be some cars on the road between Kansas & las Vegas(say at least 1 car passing every 2-5 minutes during day time). And how's the road condition? Mountain and desert road between kansas & LA? Hope not much snow/storm during that time. We already got the tour guides and maps from AAA and assume can drive 70 mile/hour most of the time, for 2800 miles we need to drive 6-7 hour each day. Is this realistic? Or we should leave more time for Denver - Las Vegas trip as this is little bit desert/mountain road? Any info would be very helpful and thanks a lot.

[Mark Sedenquist]

1. It would be hard to find any day of the year (and any time of the day) when you could be "alone" on I-70 between Kansas and Las Vegas. Much of the time you will be traveling in a moving traffic jam. I suppose it might be possible to find stretches of the road (in the middle of the night) when you only see 10 vehicles in a minute -- but that is extremely unlikely. So, yes you will have plenty of company on that route.

2. I-70 is one of the best conditioned roadways in the Interstate Highway system. Like all highways, parts of it are under near-constant repair and renovation.

3. Snow is always possible in November, but so far we are still in the midst of prolonged drought in the west. So shouldn't be too much of a concern.

4. While you may be able to drive in real time ~ 70 mph, it is nearly impossible to average much faster than 54 mph over the course of a day of driving, (unless you drive closer to 100 mph -- which is crazy by any standard).

5. The driving time is within range -- although you will probably be driving closer to 8 hours per day. I have personally done coast-to-coast in three days a number of times, but it is brutal. Eight days is far more relaxed and will allow time to look at the landscape as it goes by.

6. Denver to Las Vegas in one day is real tough. You will be crossing the continental divide and driving through some of the most spectacular mountains in North America -- are you sure you wouldn't like to slow down and enjoy the views? Beyond that, it is nearly 770 miles and the fastest you could cover this distance is 13 hours, if you stop only for fuel and the road is clear and dry.

M.

I'll make some adjustments and try to plan the trip well.
Best wishes!

[Plinko]

that is serious

how many drivers? or just you M?

[Plinko]

Keep the fuel and fluids checked over the desert and mountains.

A 2000 Van should handle it fine, but for info for others, the serious altitude changes can confuse older carborated fuel intake and may need adjustment ove that long a distance.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I had a co-driver and we drove non-stop -- changing drivers every four hours.

Solo the fastest I have done it was five days -- still not all that fun -- with short cat-naps.