Whats your driving strategy when headed west?

[Fatcamp]

I carry too. I just have a hard time getting any sleep in an area with that much interstate traffic. It don't matter how big my gun is if I am asleep.

Honestly, unless it's a random violent attack being inside a vehicle is pretty safe. If someone is just gonna shoot me through the window they could do it anywhere. I'm wired pretty tight, but not that tight.

 

[Professor]

I don't think that is excessive. I know many people that feel the same. I also do not think an attack would be random. If someone is targeting people sleeping in cars at rest stops, then it is not random.

 

[Tufrthnails]

I don't sleep at rest stops. They are for bathroom breaks if I can't hold till next gas and food fillup. If I sleep I find an exit with a nice lit up hotel parking lot. I sleep there in the parking lot.

 

[ChrisS]

Driving from the northeast solo, I've left at 0400 and put on 20 hours, stopped for a night in a hotel, and back it the next AM around 0500 to finish it up, leaving time to stock up on anything I had to get in-state. That sucked. That combined with the elevation just left me feeling exhausted. This year, I'm headed to WY and I think I'll try Brendan's tactic of 5-6 hours, 12-14 hours, and then wrapping up the next day so I can get my camp setup and scout/hunt that afternoon.

 

[Brendan]

Driving from the northeast solo, I've left at 0400 and put on 20 hours, stopped for a night in a hotel, and back it the next AM around 0500 to finish it up, leaving time to stock up on anything I had to get in-state. That sucked. That combined with the elevation just left me feeling exhausted. This year, I'm headed to WY and I think I'll try Brendan's tactic of 5-6 hours, 12-14 hours, and then wrapping up the next day so I can get my camp setup and scout/hunt that afternoon.

After the Friday evening drive, I like the 17 hour day in the middle when heading west and you have the hunt to look forward to.

Up at 3:30-4 and on the road isn't very different than hunting wake up times. With a cup of coffee, I'm good driving those first 2-3 hours until it gets light without issue. Then, drive all day and it's getting dark on the western edge of the time zones 8-9? Picking up an hour, that's 17 hours of driving, all during daylight except the morning, stopping when it gets dark for dinner and a hotel.

My Montana drives are roughly:

Boston - Buffalo Friday after work, maybe a little less if I can't get out early.
Buffalo - Fargo, ND Saturday
Fargo - Western MT Sunday

Camp set up and hunting Sunday afternoon.

I may see if I can make room for a sleeping pad in the jeep this year and forego the hotel. We'll see.

 

[mcseal2]

My diesel I take on trips has a 40 gallon reserve tank on the bed that gravity feeds into the truck's primary tank. I keep a good eye on fuel prices too and always top them off before I get to far off a main road. If I can fuel up at a place like that it saves me quite a bit over fueling up in a little mountain town where they have a lot of freight cost getting fuel in.

I always have a bottle or two of Heat along for a gas motor, and for diesels I treat them up good with anti-gel before the trip. If the weather gets cold it's better to be ready for it than not.

 

[LongWayAround]

I'm never pushing it that far but sometimes up to 10 hours.

The plan is always leave after work. I always am not totally packed and or ready to roll. Habitual procrastinator here... Sometimes I still leave that night and drive until I get where I'm going.

Most often, I get home and square off my odds and ends, grab a few groceries and whatever I realized I'm forgetting. Then I try to get to bed about 8-9:00. I'll sleep until 2-3:00am and hit the road. I really enjoy driving at that time because I've had some sleep and there is no one on the road. I used to just haul ass but post-Lasik my night driving is slightly diminished (it seems to have affected my depth perception in the dark, clarity is good but I have to slow down some. This method beats the hell out of trying to drive all night and fighting off sleep at 80mph, for me. Your mileage may very (pun intended).

 

[Glendon Mullins]

Have drove to colorado and south dakota on vacations and montana hunting, i do about 12-14 hour drives n rest up at hotel or sleep at rest stop or truck stop etc.

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[Glendon Mullins]

I'm never pushing it that far but sometimes up to 10 hours.

The plan is always leave after work. I always am not totally packed and or ready to roll. Habitual procrastinator here... Sometimes I still leave that night and drive until I get where I'm going.

Most often, I get home and square off my odds and ends, grab a few groceries and whatever I realized I'm forgetting. Then I try to get to bed about 8-9:00. I'll sleep until 2-3:00am and hit the road. I really enjoy driving at that time because I've had some sleep and there is no one on the road. I used to just haul ass but post-Lasik my night driving is slightly diminished (it seems to have affected my depth perception in the dark, clarity is good but I have to slow down some. This method beats the hell out of trying to drive all night and fighting off sleep at 80mph, for me. Your mileage may very (pun intended).

So i am not the only one that uas problems at night after lasik, and here i thought i was just getting old or something

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[197]

I think the only reason to drive from the east coast is if you really need your vehicle for hunting/sleeping when there or have tons of gear or you have 3+ people where you can drive straight through in a Suburban and 2 can sleep. If 1-2 people, I am pretty sure it is cheaper to fly and rent a vehicle and you are refreshed and get two extra days of hunting! Heck, if you are hunting anywhere near Denver you might be able to hunt the same day! I leave on a 5 AM flight, arrive in Denver at 9 AM, have a four hour drive to Wyoming and will be hunting the same day.

Fly to Denver on Southwest for $300, rent a truck for $300 for the week (pack a cigarette lighter tire inflator, tire plugs, buy fix-a-flat when you get there), either ship back freight or pay extra for baggage on southwest (2 bags free, then $75 per 50 lb bag). If two people, it is $300 per person and you don't have to drive 25 hours to Denver. Get a Southwest credit card and use that throughout the year and fly for free on miles!

 

[FLAK]

I need to do it twice this year. Prolly gonna fly once to save time but I'm getting to the point I'd rather drive. It's really hard to get all the gear you need to be semi comfortable on a backpack trip on the plane. Then there's meat to get back, changing plane tickets or waiting on the one you have booked. Then again you might need another day or two. Driving gives you the freedom of coming and going as you please and you carry/bring back whatever you want.
Got a 20+ hr. drive to NM that will most likely be split in to 2 days and maybe more. It's a Javelina hunt over the Holidays. My son has been wanting one for a WHILE.
Gonna leave several days early since the wife and son are going on this one, and turn it into a family vacation. Nothing hardcore. Hotels and Restaurants. Going to enjoy.

 

[netman]

Indiana to Montana ( three times this year) 25-27 hour trip. I leave home at 0200 and drive to the rest areas around Buffalo/Sheridan Wyoming. Usually the one on the river east of Buffalo. I fix me a meal as I don’t eat when I’m solo driving and then climb in my nest in the truck bed and go to sleep. Have my Glock handy.
Wake up and finish the trip.
I usually stop at the Sportsman Wharehouse in Montana to stretch out and then drive straight to my camp site.
On the way home I drive as far as I can and motel up for the night. It’s nice to shower and sleep in a bed as I live in a tent during my hunting trips.
The key for me is to have several podcasts loaded up and no eating for hammering out the trip.
Can’t wait to go again!