June 6: Google Maps says 20 hours, 38 minutes to Kansas City, Mo., taking I-90W and I-70 W for 1,406 miles. June 7: 21 hours, 43 minutes. For me, the joy of driving is to take my time and enjoy the sights along the way, so I want to give myself plenty of time.
I was originally going to give myself five days to get there which would mean leaving on a Sunday and allow time to do a little sightseeing along the way. This would also let me get the week’s work done before getting on the road. I’m only good for driving 5-6 hours a day and now, in looking at all the construction icons on the map along I-90 and I-70, I am not sure I can make it within that timeframe.
The 5-6 hours on-the-road hours usually includes stopping for one meal and perhaps doing a little sightseeing; an excuse to get out of the car and stretch. I need to be looking for a hotel by 2-3 p.m. as that’s when my energy runs out. I find myself dozing at the wheel and that’s scary.
I developed that routine back in 2013 when I went on my first trip. I’m usually up 4:30-5 a.m. and spend a couple hours on the computer and then out of the hotel by 8 a.m. It’s good to be settled in the next hotel by 4 p.m. which allows time for dinner and work on the computer before bed.
Another aspect of traveling has to do with the return trip. I like to take an alternative route on the way home as much as possible. Of course, that’s not always convenient when needing to keep to major highways and interstates, but some newness is essential. This often means that I can’t say, “Oh, I’ll stop there on the way home,” because, even if I do the same route, my mind is not in the same place.
So now I am thinking five days to KC aren’t enough. I don’t want to be late as I’m meeting up with others. I didn’t want to be gone more than two weeks, but when taking a driving trip, I have to take sightseeing opportunities. If I put more days in the beginning, does that mean I should short-shrift myself on the return? Does that mean I won’t be able to make stops?
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