Whats your driving strategy when headed west?

[clarkbnd]

The easterner headed west thread got me thinking of the others driving out west. I get grief for driving 30 hours and get asked why I dont just fly. I like to have the versatility of having my own truck and not being tied to a schedule. The past 2 trips I've been on it's been 2 and 3 folks so we drive straight thru from nc to co. I'll be going solo this year ( not really I'll have my 10 yr old son). I plan on stopping at some point and staying overnight in a hotel once there and once on way back. This cuts into hunting time but feel like its necessary for safety. I've also thought about trying to find a place to camp instead of hotel. Like I said seems like from the other thread I'm not the only one in this boat so wanted to see what others thought. Tia.

 

[Lelder]

Well we have drove from Cleveland to northern Idaho twice. The first time there were 3 of us driving and we stopped in a hotel after we where beat down and exhausted (30 hrs in out of 36). The second time we stopped twice at about 14 hrs stayed a night in Sioux Falls and then drove about 14 hrs and stayed in Missoula before making are last 6-8hr drive. Without a doubt the second trip was more enjoyable and we felt ready to hunt when we got there where as the first trip are backs where killing us from being in the truck that long. Plus splitting hotel rooms 3 or 4 ways made it a no brained for us. Good luck and travel safe nothing worse than realizing your tired and there’s nowhere to stay but the side of highway for some shut eye

 

[Brendan]

Solo Massachusetts to Western MT or Western WY. This will be my 5th time. Figure close to 36hours / 2500 miles each way.

I leave Friday after work, put in anywhere from 6-10 hours depending on what time I leave. Get a hotel room and crash. Up at 3:30, fuel up on coffee, get on the road. Pull a 17 hour day or so, pulling over to get dinner and a hotel room as it gets dark. This is usually North Dakota. Up at 3:30 again on Sunday, I'm setting up camp hunting Sunday evening.

Days are 8-10 hours, 17ish, 10-12ish

On the way back, I've left after the Thursday morning hunt, same general strategy, I'm home on Saturday. Getting an animal on that last morning does tend to delay things a little

Try and avoid big cities at the end of a day. Chicago is a f***ing nightmare after a long day.

Hotels are critical for me to pull this off solo. I NEED to get some quality sleep in a real bed.

 

[Trial153]

I leave about 4 am and drive about 18 hours, pull over and sleep a few hours then finish the drive the next day.

 

[Lelder]

Flying is my preferred way of hunting out west now but having your logistics lined up ahead of time for shipment of meat and gear home makes it really easy and fairly priced ( we shipped 350lbs from from Sioux Falls,SD to Pittsburgh for less than $400 2 day shipping). You save a ton of money if you are will to go to the freight shippers hub and pick it up rather than them drop it at your home.
You can also rent a 4x4 full size truck/suv for around $100 a day if you were kicking the flying idea around

 

[Lelder]

Solo Massachusetts to Western MT or Western WY. This will be my 5th time. Figure close to 36hours / 2500 miles each way.

I leave Friday after work, put in anywhere from 6-10 hours depending on what time I leave. Get a hotel room and crash. Up at 3:30, fuel up on coffee, get on the road. Pull a 17 hour day or so, pulling over to get dinner and a hotel room as it gets dark. This is usually North Dakota. Up at 3:30 again on Sunday, I'm setting up camp hunting Sunday evening.

Days are 8-10 hours, 17ish, 10-12ish

On the way back, I've left after the Thursday morning hunt, same general strategy, I'm home on Saturday. Getting an animal on that last morning does tend to delay things a little

Try and avoid big cities at the end of a day. Chicago is a f***ing nightmare after a long day.

Hotels are critical for me to pull this off solo. I NEED to get some quality sleep in a real bed.

 

[Lelder]

I’m newer to this forum was trying to quote Brendan’s post
I agree with the real bed to sleep in

 

[Brendan]

Here's some more tips.

Make sure the car is serviced and in good shape before you leave. Get AAA. Have a spare, etc. If you're going much off-road you need jack, come-along, etc, etc. Maybe chains?

Get a good cell-phone mount for your car that mounts in easy eyesight. I like the Pro-clip mounts.

Get plenty of chargers for phones, GPS, Inreach, tablet for the kid?

Apps: iExit is awesome for figuring out what's upcoming at every exit in terms of food, gas, lodging. Get a good podcast app and load up on podcasts. Waze for traffic and routing.

Keep your "hotel bag" separate so you can grab stuff easy to get in and out quickly and not be sorting through the bottom of a Kifaru...

 

[Wolverine]

For the long drives I simply take naps when I need to. My truck is set up for camping and sleeping in. Full size long bed with a cap on it. When I get tiered I just climb in the back and crash for an hour or more then wake up ready to go. Bed is set-up for comfort so no issues there and no hotel cost or schedule to deal with. Not a fan of paying just to sleep somewhere for 3-6 hours. Being flexible helps with avoiding high traffic times...I simply pull over and nap through rush hour and wake up to smooth sailing.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I do alot of long drives for work.
I usually try do the bulk on the 1st day so the 2nd day doesn't seems so daunting.
But if I had my hunt gear. I'd probably do some traffic naps as well.
But I'd camp it out somewhere at night.
That way I can keep and eye,ear on my gear.
No way I'm leaving 10k stuff and going into a motel.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I drive West from Florida a few times a year, usually Montana twice and Colorado once. I’m usually solo and the first few times pulled the 24+ hr drives and hit the woods straight. I don’t do that anymore, I end up being so worn down when I get there from the driving it affects the hunting. I limit myself to about 12hr (14hr max) driving days and either grab a hotel or sleep in back of truck. It cuts into hunting time but I’ve found it’s more effective to hit the woods fresh for 5 days than hitting them already dead for 7.

 

[wapitibob]

I dive as long as I can, sleep for a few (2-3) hours then finish. I never stay in a motel.
#1 on the list; don’t eat very much.

 

[tttoadman]

If you fly make certain the truck rental company understands you “need” a 4x4 truck. Some guys I met in ID came in and the rental company slid them in a 2wheel without them noticing. That wasted a day. They went back and got another truck. It broke down later. They spent thousands and only hunted a few days. I will pay the price to always be in control of my own stuff. If something goes bad it’s on me.

 

[Justin_avey]

I left from the Texas Arkansas border, straight through it would've been a 21 hour drive I stopped in Clayton nm and slept in the Jeep (opening antelope was the next day= no rooms available) the drove the rest. Stopped every 100-150 miles for a few minutes to stretch my legs and move around. Still made good time though for a solo trip, turned 21 into a 26 hour trip

 

[Dos Perros]

Drive straight through every time, solo or not, but it’s only 17-21 hours or so.

Do yourself a favor and be plenty rested ahead of the trip. I always tell myself I’ll get everything done a week or two before and I never do.

 

[Inconstancy]

For the long drives I simply take naps when I need to. My truck is set up for camping and sleeping in. Full size long bed with a cap on it. When I get tiered I just climb in the back and crash for an hour or more then wake up ready to go. Bed is set-up for comfort so no issues there and no hotel cost or schedule to deal with. Not a fan of paying just to sleep somewhere for 3-6 hours. Being flexible helps with avoiding high traffic times...I simply pull over and nap through rush hour and wake up to smooth sailing.

This. Had a Ford escort wagon that paid for itself in saved hotel expenses til it died.

 

[clarkbnd]

Plan now is to leave fri evening and drive 6 hours to friends house. Drive about 16 hours on sat and stop at hotel. Want to get good sleep before hunt. Sunday get up and drive the last 8-10 hours. Get there before dark and hike in. Monday morning be hunting. Really I'm just glad to hear that others are driving too. Thanks for all the advise and experiences.

 

[Backyard]

Solo here. I've got about 15 hrs. I sleep in my truck for my base camp when I get there so I set up my cot ready to jump in before leaving. Then after about 9-10 hrs of driving, I stop at any rest stop, jump in the back for about 6-8 hrs, Then get up make a cup of coffee and oatmeal quick and I'm ready to finish the trip. Works good for me.

 

[Shane071489]

This is a really good read.

 

[Mike 338]

Follow the setting sun.