Driving from SoCal to Georgia... any tips?

[Zachanadandy]

This discussion is morphing a little to driving practices (instead of route advice). Most of my long-distance driving has been on a motorcycle and was done to meet time targets. Besides that, I have crossed the country several times pulling a camper or driving a camper pulling a Jeep. The best way to measure progress and potential for meeting time on target is by average driving speed, including stops. On my motorcycle, I could average 65 mph with effort. In my truck or camper, average speeds are more in the 50-55mph range. The big difference isn't so much driving speed as it is limiting time at stops. Most GPSs show stopped time on a trip. Watch the numbers and you can see how stopped time effects average speed. Also, the odds are that on multi-day trip, you will face some adversity (weather, mechanical, lodging, traffic, physical reasons). Working past the adversity is part of the fun.

One more thing that trips up some people driving from west to east. You are going to lose time when you cross the time zone lines.

Averaging 60mph+ is easy for at least the 1st half of his drive. Speed limits of 70-80mph even the highway patrol with the radar gun out the window doesn't bat an eye if you cruise by with the cruise control set at 85mph. Of course in not one for sit down meals while on the road and I'm an early riser. If you start at 3am you can easily get 15 hours of drive time in by 7pm, have a nice dinner, maybe a few cocktails, shower, sleep, and back at it the next day. Averaged 72mph not including the stopped for the night time between here and Alabama. And that was in our lifted JLUR on 38s with a lot more fuel stops than the OP will need.

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[Greg_L]

Lol yeah just start at 3 am. That sounds fun.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Lol yeah just start at 3 am. That sounds fun.

Some people prefer to sit in traffic I guess? Sounds less fun.

 

[kilroy173]

Have your tires rebalance before the trip, unless this trip is about wearing out those stock doughnuts to upgrade to proper JT size tires.

Thanks, I’m on newly mounted and balanced 35s so they ride great.

 

[Greg_L]

Some people prefer to sit in traffic I guess? Sounds less fun.

No one likes traffic. Probably not many people like 3 am either.

I mean, I like 3 am. But I get there from the night before. I aint waking up at 3. I'm staying up till 3.

 

[kilroy173]

That was my point. As a non-commercial driver we dont have those limitations. If you're siteseeing or exploring then I see it taking 4 days. If you're just on a road trip with the end destination as the goal stretching out 29 hours of driving over 4 days means a whole bunch of time sitting around somewhere along the way every day. Even 3 days means just 10 hours of drive time... and 14 hours staring at a hotel room wall or restaurant booth? I'm not saying get tweaked out and drive straight through, but 2 fifteen hour days on the road still leaves 9 hours for sleeping in between.

Im not in a huge hurry and would like to kind of take my time and not drive 16 hours a day which is why im making a four day trip out of it. Might stop at a few sights along the way. I realize I could drive it much faster but that’s not my goal.

 

[kilroy173]

What’s in GA? I actually gotta head there for work (PTC) in few weeks

Training for the military.

 

[40x40]

Hey everyone! Ill be driving my Gladiator Eco to Georgia from SoCal next week. I plan on taking four days to make the trip. Any tips on routes or what I should take with me? Im doing a fresh oil change, fuel filter change, and air filter before I leave. Topping off on DEF and bringing Winter EDT additive, tire plug kit, and my Viar compressor along with some tools for basic repairs. Any tips or advice on the route would be appreciated. Thanks!

i would recommend a 1/4" plate of stainless steel with half a million 1/4" holes to keep the windshield chips/cracks at bay.

 

[Minty JL]

Hey everyone! Ill be driving my Gladiator Eco to Georgia from SoCal next week. I plan on taking four days to make the trip. Any tips on routes or what I should take with me? Im doing a fresh oil change, fuel filter change, and air filter before I leave. Topping off on DEF and bringing Winter EDT additive, tire plug kit, and my Viar compressor along with some tools for basic repairs. Any tips or advice on the route would be appreciated. Thanks!

Sounds like you already have a pretty solid game plan. I would only add, ensure to allocate plenty of time for rest/pitstops.

Have a safe trip.

 

[Rusty PW]

Have safe travels.

 

[Andy29847]

Training for the military.

Rangers lead the way in North Georgia. Eat a the Overhang!

 

[Reddout99]

We recently did a round trip from Nebraska to San Diego. Since time wasn't an issue for us, we drove for no more than 10 hours a day. That would be our suggestion. Our JT ran great on our trip. Traveling at 70-75 mph the majority of the way, we averaged 17mpg on the way out and around 14 mpg on the way back, but we were headed into a strong head and side wind the whole trip back.
Good luck & enjoy the ride.

 

[Andy29847]

Jax - San Diego - Jax. May 2002. I haven’t thought about this in years. Youse guys are sending me back in time. Note: day 3 was cut short by a dust/wind storm. Day 4 was tough.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Im not in a huge hurry and would like to kind of take my time and not drive 16 hours a day which is why im making a four day trip out of it. Might stop at a few sights along the way. I realize I could drive it much faster but that’s not my goal.

I know 15 hour days aren't for everyone, but 7 hour days? What do people do for the other 17 hours? If there are sites you want to check out or your wheeling along the way sure, but there's no way I want to spend 17 hours in restaurants and or hotel rooms every day. Not judging, more of a legitimate question for those that travel at that pace.

 

[kilroy173]

I know 15 hour days aren't for everyone, but 7 hour days? What do people do for the other 17 hours? If there are sites you want to check out or your wheeling along the way sure, but there's no way I want to spend 17 hours in restaurants and or hotel rooms every day. Not judging, more of a legitimate question for those that travel at that pace.

I don’t know, check out some sites, get some drinks at a local bar, good nights rest perhaps

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