na_soak Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Hi all, I am planing to drive the Legacy GTL from Eastern coast (Maryland) to San Franciso area for a new job. I am going to quit the stink hole in Maryland and make it there before 1/1/2006. Makes me nervous having to drive 4 days consist of 2800 plus miles by myself. What you guys think, any one done it in the past? Maybe it is a better idea to transport the car and fly there. Mapblast said it would take 41 hours. That means I would have to drive 700 miles /day, if average is 60/mph, that is like 12/hours of driving straight without breaks. With breaks, that is like 14 plus hours. I am thinking, I am going to fall asleep and crash in the Legacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovcoursitsilver Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 If you don't have a lot of experience driving long distances alone, I'd agree there's a risk. Forget about crashing the Legacy - you might also get hurt or hurt someone else. Can you get someone to go with you and share the driving? Fly them back after the trip. I've looked into having a car transported and it's both expensive and complicated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geddyup Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 cannonball run 2 days max Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieWan Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 I agree, do it like the cannonballers did it in the movies. Won't take you no time that way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
na_soak Posted December 4, 2005 Author Share Posted December 4, 2005 hmmm. Maybe RedBull every hour, that will work, I will there in no Time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilT Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 A case of redbull and some adult diapers, you'll be there in no time Double Award Winning Legacy GT Wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vahkil Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 ^ Then it would be like the car in Seinfeld with the mysterious odor that won't go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlkLegGt Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Here's your answer, good buddy, 10-4, watch out for them bears in the air: http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&fkr=1&from=R8&satitle=truckers+sleep+alarm&category0= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fallschirmjaeger Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Back in the bad ol days of 55mph, I drove from Atlanta, GA to Ft. Huachuca, AZ (+/- 1800 miles) in 3 easy days. I think the trip computer in my the GTi said I averaged 69mph altho on-road speeds were closer to 80. This was in a non-cruise control, non-radar detector, Very stiff accelerator equipped '85 VW. On a trip back I did it in 28 hours, one day. (No it wasn't drug enhanced, I had just decided that I'd get a hotel when I got tired, and...I didn't) If you're only going to average 60mph west of Chicago, you're going to be passed by little old ladies on their way to play Bingo. Out west average speeds are 'a mite bit higher than you city folks is used ta'.(jokingggg, :-P ) On a completely different note....wouldn't everyone prefer an Average Speed display in the Legacy instead of an Instant MPG display that goes from 1.6mpg to 99.9 mpg within 10 seconds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny Bradtmueller Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Depending on your time table. I would set up a meet in every city you plan to stop in. Meet some of the guys here on line talk about cars and have some dinner. Then if you feel like driving after that then do so if not stay in a Hotel and take off the next day. Then you have something different to think about everyday while driving and on to the next. I'm sure if your a nice enough guy some of us might let you crash at our houses to save some money on a Hotel room. IF YOUR A NICE ENOUGH GUY! :laugh: Jonny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
na_soak Posted December 4, 2005 Author Share Posted December 4, 2005 Depending on your time table. I would set up a meet in every city you plan to stop in. Meet some of the guys here on line talk about cars and have some dinner. Then if you feel like driving after that then do so if not stay in a Hotel and take off the next day. Then you have something different to think about everyday while driving and on to the next. I'm sure if your a nice enough guy some of us might let you crash at our houses to save some money on a Hotel room. IF YOUR A NICE ENOUGH GUY! :laugh: Jonny I wish I can do that, but got no time given I have to give 3 weeks notice to current job. So basically is eat, shit, drive, sleep, shit some more and drive... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rporter Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Well I drove the LGT from Detroit to Phoenix this past summer. 2,300 miles one-way. I did it in two days in each direction, stopping in Oklahoma City the one night out, as that is about halfway. I don't recommend over 1,000 miles/day, but I do a lot of long-distance stuff, and personally an 800-900-mile day is fine if I have to do a few in a row. In '04, I had led a caravan of cars from Detroit to Oakland CA for a car convention, and we basically started with the main group at the IN-IL line on the Tollway on Saturday AM, and pulled into Oakland on Monday afternoon. More logistics to contend with when you have a string of 20-25 cars going that distance! Anyway, the LGT is great for long-distance travel (I already have 25K on mine and it's 14 months old). Doing 700 mies/day is not too bad to do yourself if you're not used to it. What you will find is that 700 miles/day for the first day from the east coast might be a bit of a pain (more weather and traffic-dependent), but as was mentioned, once you get west of Chicago, 700 miles/day will go by quickly, as you need to cruise at 80 just to keep from being run over! Setting it up in advance to meet people at yor nightly stops is a great idea! You will have someone to have dinner with, and have some company for awhile. This is a great opportunity to do a cross-country drive Gives you a much better perspective on our country than flying by plane! Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rporter Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Hi all, Mapblast said it would take 41 hours. That means I would have to drive 700 miles /day, if average is 60/mph, that is like 12/hours of driving straight without breaks. With breaks, that is like 14 plus hours. I am thinking, I am going to fall asleep and crash in the Legacy. For long trips like that, I average 65 MPH, which includes gas/potty/food stops. For 400 mile trips that I will do to vist friends in Louisville KY, I average 60 mph including gas & potty stops. This is doing 80 (speedo-indicated....which is really about 78 in the LGT with stock tires). 700 miles/day will be under 12 hours, including gas/potty/food stops (talking fast-food here, not sit-down meals on the road). Once you get west of Chicago and can maintain a pretty steady pace, your mph average can even approach 68-70 mph, including stops. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommyh Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 This past summer I drove my LGT Wagon from coast to coast and back on vacation totaling 9,283 miles; from CT to NH to PA to CA to TX to VA. The LGT had NO problems...minus the windshield that got pretty well smashed by a big ass rock that was kicked up by an 18 wheeler, but that could have happened anywhere...Books on CD are a good way to help make the miles pass. I can tell you that the LGT is a great Grand Touring car. Suggested packing list: AAA card Cell phone Books on CD 4 changes of very comfortable clothes small bag of personal hygene stuff Tire pressure guage Leatherman multitool Small emergency roadside kit (the Subaru kit is great) Good AAA maps / AAA triptic / GPS based navigation unit Sleeping bag Small & easy to set up tent (if you don't have a wagon) bottled spring water refillable travel mug for coffee/fountain soda Most of this stuff you may never need, but an ounce of prevention is worth something like 10 pounds of correction, or so. KOA campgrounds are always a good place to stop for a night. They're usually easy to access from the highway, well marked, well lit and CHEAP. Look them up online for locations, and amenities that they all have. If you're only going to stop and sleep for a few hours you don't need to spend more than ~25 bucks for a safe, relaxed, and fairly comfortable place to park and get some rest, clean-up, shower, poop, change, and get back on the road. If you don't have a tent or like sleeping in your car they also have cabins that you can rent for ~40 bucks a night. Martin Luther - "Who loves not women, wine and song remains a fool his whole life long." EL4NFZT7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbacis Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 I moved from New Hampshire to San Diego in my '99 Cougar 5 years ago. I had a driving companion, a car full of crap, and a roof mounted cargo box filled with crap. We took 6 days, stopping for tourist stuff in St. Louis, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and Santa Monica. Most nights we slept in the car, but it was summer so that was doable. You can make the trip much faster, but personally I wouldn't want to do it alone. Although, my buddy didn't do much more than sleep, he'd wake up to eat and then pass out again. I drove the whole way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
na_soak Posted December 4, 2005 Author Share Posted December 4, 2005 Thanks guys. Great help. Mabye it's not that bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rporter Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Thanks guys. Great help. Mabye it's not that bad. If you view it as a "positive", it will be a great trip that you will remember for years to come. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommyh Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Thanks guys. Great help. Mabye it's not that bad. Oh, heck no! It's a great trip. This is an amazing country to drive through. It's also very easy with most any modern car. Martin Luther - "Who loves not women, wine and song remains a fool his whole life long." EL4NFZT7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 This time of year, check the forecast carefully. You don't want to get stuck in a snow storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
len Posted December 4, 2005 Share Posted December 4, 2005 Two years ago drove Volvo XC70 from Central NJ to Orlando, FL. And then from West Palm Beach, FL back to Central NJ. 1200 miles all the way in a rain took us 19 hours to drive. My wife drove for about an hour and I couldn’t get any sleep during she was driving. Couples of times lost a conciseness for a second then regain it again. It’s like felt in sleep for a second - dangerous . Next week I’m going to Mont Treblant, Canada for skiing. The distance is 543 miles, about 8 hours strait. This time alone . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmr360owner Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 Some years ago I drove from NJ to San Francisco on I80. The two toughest legs were Denver - Salt Lake and Salt Lake - Reno. There is almost nothing in between, especially in Nevada. I think the Denver-SaltLake leg was about 13 hours and SaltLake-Reno was about 11. I pulled into San Francisco at 4.5 days...but I'll admit to dawdling here and there. I have a friend who shoots back and forth almost regularly, and he seems to average 3 days solo. As always, YMMV. Good luck. BTW, plan for serious winter driving over the Rockies and the Sierras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flanders Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 I moved from Syracuse, NY to SF in March. I made a stop in MN for Easter weekend. You can do it in 4 10 hr days pretty easy. I would not be excited about doing the drive this time of year. Look into a southern route instead of the straight shot through Nebraska and Wyoming. The weather could be bad. But you never do know. I've done it several times and you can generally do 85 through most of it once you get out of the congested east. This past time I drove from Cheyenne, Wyoming to South Lake Tahoe doing about 95 most of the way in 12 hours. That includes locking my keys in my car in SLC. I looked into shipping my car. It can be done for about $1000 but it will take a few weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyka Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 Some years ago I drove from NJ to San Francisco on I80. The two toughest legs were Denver - Salt Lake and Salt Lake - Reno. There is almost nothing in between, especially in Nevada. I think the Denver-SaltLake leg was about 13 hours and SaltLake-Reno was about 11. I pulled into San Francisco at 4.5 days...but I'll admit to dawdling here and there. I have a friend who shoots back and forth almost regularly, and he seems to average 3 days solo. As always, YMMV. Good luck. BTW, plan for serious winter driving over the Rockies and the Sierras. A Salt Laker here. Depending on the weather, Denver to SLC should take less than 8 hours, tops. I have friends that have made it in about 6 hours (but they're nuts). I think it may be a little shorter to Reno. I agree about the "nothing in between". Also, if you're planning to go Reno-to-SF, definitely keep an eye on the weather. If it's bad, the CHP will require chains, even for AWD. (At least that's how it was a few years ago. Correct me if I'm wrong.) --Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith05legacyGT Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 Have done that same drive from MD or NC to CA and from CA back numerous times, sometimes solo sometimes with someone else. Like others have said, the thing you really need to watch is the weather. Pretty much there are three routes. North, South or through the middle. The odds are, the North is going to be bad and they do shut down roads alot. The middle will send you through Denver. We all saw the news on that. The south route is a tad longer but the weather should be nicer. I go with the best weather route since driving in good weather is infinitely easier than bad, so even though the distance may be slightly longer you will likely make better time. The fastest I ever did it was heading south in my 70 VW bug. Two loooong days. Average time for a more relaxing drive is 3.5 days. Once you clear MD and especially after you clear the Mississipi the speed limits go up. Just remember the octane rating drops. Good luck. I think driving cross-country is not only fun but something everyone should do at least once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plunk10 Posted December 5, 2005 Share Posted December 5, 2005 I wanna drive to Vegas at least once in my life Sorry, I've got nothing. The farthest west I've been from MD, is West Virginia (but have driven 400 miles to Myrtle Beach. I must get out more!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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