Speed limits on freeway - R-pod Owners Forum

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EchoGale

Senior Member

Joined: 10 Mar 2019
Location: FL
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 463

Topic: Speed limits on freeway
Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 10:40am

+1 to Pod Geek. Many of us have noted in the past that while the state highways seem like they'll take longer, if you are slowing to the recommended 60-65 in practice they don't.

Julie

Pod_Geek

Senior Member

Joined: 04 Dec 2019
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 260

Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 10:31am

Went > 10,000 miles towing the 195 last year.

60-65mph and 350 miles with arrival timed to be in daylight seems to be the sweet spot.

Best drives were on good two- and four-lane state highways...less stress than interstate driving. YMMV.

2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River
2018 RAM 2500 6.4L

EchoGale

Senior Member

Joined: 10 Mar 2019
Location: FL
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 463

Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 10:24am

When driving without the pod I go from Jacksonville Fl to Bath, Maine in two22 hour days (about 750 miles and 500 miles each varying due to traffic in the NE) by myself, so I'm good with long days. With the pod I don't go over 60 mph (tires are rated for 65 max) and I keep it between 250-300 miles per day. As the days wear on get tired quicker and I try to be always cognizant that a 7-8 hour day can become a 10 hour day with traffic or some other delay.

I do try to have food prepared and gear stowed in such a way that there is minimal work once I stop so I find this much easier than a hotel. No checking in, acclimate the dog, carrying stuff or sleeping in a strange bed.

One of the best things about the free camping website is you don't need reservations so you can drive until you are tired and then stop because everyone is right, you'll find your own pace. I think it's best not to push.

Welcome to the forum. There's lifetimes of learning here. :)

Julie

lostagain

Senior Member

Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2587

Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 9:14am

Yikes! a 44 oz Pepsi for the road? Shoot, with all that caffeine and sugar, I'd be a nervous wreck and wouldn't make it 50 miles before needing the first of several pee stops. The hotdog sounds good, though. Approve

We usually drive between 55 and 60 (I really mean I drive, since my wife doesn't) and I don't find it especially stressful. Our virgin trip with our F-150 was from Las Vegas to home, a distance of about 400 miles, in high winds all the way and a mix of rain, ice, and snow for the last 1/3rd of the drive. Though it was a bit tedious, I arrived home without being especially tired.

Most of the time it's quite comfortable driving, even in the desert winds we often encounter. I personally think that driving with a well balanced rig with adequate power and weight capacity is the key. Driving on the edge of the weight capacity of your TV and with inadequate power makes it very stressful. We were much closer to the TV capacity and power limits when we towed our 172 with our Dakota. It was much more tiring to take long trips.

We're leaving around the 1st of May to go to NY and are tentatively planning on 5 nights on the way. I guess one of the nice things about traveling with your own hotel room in tow is that if you find that you don't want to go as far as you planned, you can always stop earlier along the way. We'll see how it goes.

With all the folks who have gotten their vaccines coming out of their isolation, I suspect there will be traffic jams with cars and trucks with travel trailers in tow in the middle of Nowhere.

Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

StephenH

podders Helping podders - pHp

Joined: 29 Nov 2015
Location: Wake Forest, NC
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 6289

Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 8:56am

After a 10 hour trip turned into a 16 hour trip(before R-Pod days) followed a week later by a stroke, I do not do extended driving unless there is no other choice. I'm on an anticoagulant now to help prevent another stroke. We can by no means do the extended driving. If we cover 300 miles in a day, we count it good. We can do more, but no 500 to 600 miles. As has been said, you will learn what works for you.

StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...

ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

podwerkz

Senior Member

Joined: 11 Mar 2019
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 966

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 at 11:40pm

Yes, travel at a relaxed pace and guess what, you will arrive at your stop at the end of the day....relaxed.

At every fuel stop and every meal stop I always walk around the rig and check the temps...feel all the tires and hubs with the palm of my hand, and feel the brake drums with the back of my hand, and if tires, brakes, and hubs are warm (not overly hot), you are good for another few hundred miles. Then check again, repeat many times each day. Soon you will get a feel for the normal temps.

Of course, at every fuel stop, check your tow vehicle's oil level, visually check the coolant reservoir, etc, and visually check trailer lights, wiggle the safety chains, observe bolts and fasteners on and around the hitch area, etc. You can do some of this at the pump, or pull off to the side before you leave, maybe after you grab a roller dog, a bag of chips, and a 44 OZ Pepsi for the road!

This all might seem off-topic but it relates to the reason for slowing down and taking your time...its not a cross country race.

BTW...Just kidding about the Pepsi...

r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!

Tars Tarkas View Drop Down

Senior Member

Joined: 14 Jan 2013
Location: Near Nashville
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1446

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 at 11:32pm

How far you go in a day is a very personal thing. My wife won't drive with the trailer hooked up, but I routinely go 500 to 600 miles in a day if we're trying to get to a destination. I'm not bragging at all -- just saying what works for one person doesn't mean everyone has the same limits.

The trailer does really slow things down. A 600 mile day can mean 14 hours on the road (with time off for pit stops, gas, lunch, etc.)

2010 176
FJ Cruiser

Idahoan

Newbie

Joined: 16 Jan 2021
Location: ID
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 15

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 at 10:44pm

Good advice, Offgrid, and this is what I was thinking and why I asked! The 450 miles per day is my husband's idea, but honestly, I'm more inclined to take our time a bit and play it by ear. Everybody's different as far as what they can tolerate in driving, and both of us can drive several long days without much trouble---when we're not towing an RV! He is a safe driver and so am I, and the more research we do, the more we both understand that safety is the first concern when towing an RV. So slow and steady will win!

One of the great things about these apps for finding campsites is that we CAN play it by ear and don't have to sweat booking a site every night, since we won't really know how far we'll get. And another great thing is getting advice from folks who know a lot more than we do! Grateful for your thoughts.

LTheo
2018 179
2014 Toyota Tundra

offgrid

Senior Member

Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 at 10:31pm

More than about 400 miles in a day is exhausting towing a travel trailer. It's not like driving and staying in hotels. You are driving slower, the driving is more demanding, about double the fuel stops, and then you have to set up camp,either cook and wash dishes or unhitch to go find a restaurant. Then repeat.

If you're accustomed to auto/motel travel I'd subtract about 150 to 200 miles from your daily distance target. No one tows a travel trailer to get sonewhere quick.

1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Idahoan

Newbie

Joined: 16 Jan 2021
Location: ID
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 15

Posted: 27 Mar 2021 at 10:29pm

Thanks! We're not traveling for fun this trip. Just getting the R-pod home, so we're not staying over anywhere for longer than a night. Looking forward to longer trips in the future when we can stay a while and enjoy ourselves!

LTheo
2018 179
2014 Toyota Tundra

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
EchoGale Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 10 Mar 2019 Location: FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 463	Topic: Speed limits on freeway Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 10:40am
	+1 to Pod Geek. Many of us have noted in the past that while the state highways seem like they'll take longer, if you are slowing to the recommended 60-65 in practice they don't.
	Julie

Pod_Geek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 04 Dec 2019 Location: Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 260	Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 10:31am
	Went > 10,000 miles towing the 195 last year. 60-65mph and 350 miles with arrival timed to be in daylight seems to be the sweet spot. Best drives were on good two- and four-lane state highways...less stress than interstate driving. YMMV.
	2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River 2018 RAM 2500 6.4L

EchoGale Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 10 Mar 2019 Location: FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 463	Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 10:24am
	When driving without the pod I go from Jacksonville Fl to Bath, Maine in two22 hour days (about 750 miles and 500 miles each varying due to traffic in the NE) by myself, so I'm good with long days. With the pod I don't go over 60 mph (tires are rated for 65 max) and I keep it between 250-300 miles per day. As the days wear on get tired quicker and I try to be always cognizant that a 7-8 hour day can become a 10 hour day with traffic or some other delay. I do try to have food prepared and gear stowed in such a way that there is minimal work once I stop so I find this much easier than a hotel. No checking in, acclimate the dog, carrying stuff or sleeping in a strange bed. One of the best things about the free camping website is you don't need reservations so you can drive until you are tired and then stop because everyone is right, you'll find your own pace. I think it's best not to push. Welcome to the forum. There's lifetimes of learning here. :)
	Julie

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587	Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 9:14am
	Yikes! a 44 oz Pepsi for the road? Shoot, with all that caffeine and sugar, I'd be a nervous wreck and wouldn't make it 50 miles before needing the first of several pee stops. The hotdog sounds good, though. We usually drive between 55 and 60 (I really mean I drive, since my wife doesn't) and I don't find it especially stressful. Our virgin trip with our F-150 was from Las Vegas to home, a distance of about 400 miles, in high winds all the way and a mix of rain, ice, and snow for the last 1/3rd of the drive. Though it was a bit tedious, I arrived home without being especially tired. Most of the time it's quite comfortable driving, even in the desert winds we often encounter. I personally think that driving with a well balanced rig with adequate power and weight capacity is the key. Driving on the edge of the weight capacity of your TV and with inadequate power makes it very stressful. We were much closer to the TV capacity and power limits when we towed our 172 with our Dakota. It was much more tiring to take long trips. We're leaving around the 1st of May to go to NY and are tentatively planning on 5 nights on the way. I guess one of the nice things about traveling with your own hotel room in tow is that if you find that you don't want to go as far as you planned, you can always stop earlier along the way. We'll see how it goes. With all the folks who have gotten their vaccines coming out of their isolation, I suspect there will be traffic jams with cars and trucks with travel trailers in tow in the middle of Nowhere.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6289	Posted: 28 Mar 2021 at 8:56am
	After a 10 hour trip turned into a 16 hour trip(before R-Pod days) followed a week later by a stroke, I do not do extended driving unless there is no other choice. I'm on an anticoagulant now to help prevent another stroke. We can by no means do the extended driving. If we cover 300 miles in a day, we count it good. We can do more, but no 500 to 600 miles. As has been said, you will learn what works for you.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

podwerkz Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 11 Mar 2019 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 966	Posted: 27 Mar 2021 at 11:40pm
	Yes, travel at a relaxed pace and guess what, you will arrive at your stop at the end of the day....relaxed. At every fuel stop and every meal stop I always walk around the rig and check the temps...feel all the tires and hubs with the palm of my hand, and feel the brake drums with the back of my hand, and if tires, brakes, and hubs are warm (not overly hot), you are good for another few hundred miles. Then check again, repeat many times each day. Soon you will get a feel for the normal temps. Of course, at every fuel stop, check your tow vehicle's oil level, visually check the coolant reservoir, etc, and visually check trailer lights, wiggle the safety chains, observe bolts and fasteners on and around the hitch area, etc. You can do some of this at the pump, or pull off to the side before you leave, maybe after you grab a roller dog, a bag of chips, and a 44 OZ Pepsi for the road! This all might seem off-topic but it relates to the reason for slowing down and taking your time...its not a cross country race. BTW...Just kidding about the Pepsi...
	r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten!

Tars Tarkas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1446	Posted: 27 Mar 2021 at 11:32pm
	How far you go in a day is a very personal thing. My wife won't drive with the trailer hooked up, but I routinely go 500 to 600 miles in a day if we're trying to get to a destination. I'm not bragging at all -- just saying what works for one person doesn't mean everyone has the same limits. The trailer does really slow things down. A 600 mile day can mean 14 hours on the road (with time off for pit stops, gas, lunch, etc.) TT
	2010 176 FJ Cruiser

Idahoan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2021 Location: ID Online Status: Offline Posts: 15	Posted: 27 Mar 2021 at 10:44pm
	Good advice, Offgrid, and this is what I was thinking and why I asked! The 450 miles per day is my husband's idea, but honestly, I'm more inclined to take our time a bit and play it by ear. Everybody's different as far as what they can tolerate in driving, and both of us can drive several long days without much trouble---when we're not towing an RV! He is a safe driver and so am I, and the more research we do, the more we both understand that safety is the first concern when towing an RV. So slow and steady will win! One of the great things about these apps for finding campsites is that we CAN play it by ear and don't have to sweat booking a site every night, since we won't really know how far we'll get. And another great thing is getting advice from folks who know a lot more than we do! Grateful for your thoughts.
	LTheo 2018 179 2014 Toyota Tundra

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 27 Mar 2021 at 10:31pm
	More than about 400 miles in a day is exhausting towing a travel trailer. It's not like driving and staying in hotels. You are driving slower, the driving is more demanding, about double the fuel stops, and then you have to set up camp,either cook and wash dishes or unhitch to go find a restaurant. Then repeat. If you're accustomed to auto/motel travel I'd subtract about 150 to 200 miles from your daily distance target. No one tows a travel trailer to get sonewhere quick.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

Idahoan Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2021 Location: ID Online Status: Offline Posts: 15	Posted: 27 Mar 2021 at 10:29pm
	Thanks! We're not traveling for fun this trip. Just getting the R-pod home, so we're not staying over anywhere for longer than a night. Looking forward to longer trips in the future when we can stay a while and enjoy ourselves!
	LTheo 2018 179 2014 Toyota Tundra