OK, you’re in love, and the idea of driving 1,800 miles to be with your sweetie strikes you as romantic. Or you’ve got a last-minute interview in Poughkeepsie and no way to get there but by car. Your adrenaline’s up and you’re ready for a speed run. First piece of advice: Take the time to get ready.
Whenever I can, I like to mosey on a road trip. What luxury is greater than having the time to let the spirit of the moment determine your route and destination? But the reality is that few of us have enough time to mosey to the grocery store, much less on a cross-country journey. Even when we take road-trip vacations, we’re usually in a big hurry to get somewhere so we can begin to “relax” in earnest.
If you’ve ever covered 650 miles or more in a single day, you were on what I consider to be a “speed run.” In most areas of the United States, a 650-mile trip requires about 11 hours of driving, and an 800-mile journey will take about 14 (including stops for fuel, food and traffic slowdowns). In my early road-tripping days, I pulled off a couple of “extreme speed runs,” covering an average of 1,300 miles per day. Now I know this was not only silly but risky, considering how seriously fatigue affects coordination and the ability to multi-task effectively. Safe driving requires all faculties on high alert. Of course, car rally drivers and other kinds of racers drive extreme numbers of miles in a day, but they are operating on a closed track or controlled route. Don’t consider them role models for road trips on regular roads, where there are no chase vehicles and unexpected hazards can pop up at every turn.
Covering lots of ground under time pressure is not a casual activity. As with every road trip, success starts in your brain, and both discipline and preparation are required. Whether your speed run is a solo effort or is undertaken with co-drivers, there are several fundamental techniques that can help ensure a successful and reasonably safe journey.
Get ready
Get set
Go!
I don’t recommend speed runs, but these tips will help ensure safety and success when moseying is out of the question.
Mark Sedenquist is the publisher of , a Web site providing expert planning, advice and suggested itineraries for road trips. He's spent 30 years and a half-million miles on the road in North America. or visit his .