So I'm moving...(need rest stop/motel-type advice)

[RootedPhoenix]

I'm moving in June from Sacramento, CA to Salt Lake City, UT.

I know that going on I-80 is probably the fastest way. Mom and I are taking this trip. (Mom's along for the ride! Yay road trip, lol.) Neither one of us has ever taken this part of the road, as we're used to the SLC to Los Angeles route.

My concern was what stuff is on that road. Rest stops, restaurants, motels. That sort of thing. We'll need to stop several times along the way, and probably once at a motel.

No pets or anything, so we don't need any that take pets, but we would love to find a nice motel. Stories are great, but there's only so many times you can say "The roaches were BIGGER than us! :eek:".

I was hoping at least a few of you guys knew what was on that road and what to avoid.

Thanks in advance. :D

[Eric the Grey]

Well, I can't help much when it comes to hotels or what not, but according to Google maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=*&sll=39.842286,-116.696777&sspn=6.223645,13.864746&dirflg=t&ie=UTF8&hq=*&hnear=&z=6), it's only a 10 hour drive. You could do the trip in one day, but it will be tiring if you cannot trade off the driving.

If you do plan to split the drive into 2 days, it looks like Battle Mountain is pretty much the mid-point. You might look for a hotel there.

As for rest areas, take them as they come. Most highways I've traveled will post signs a couple miles out from the next one, and just before, it'll tell you how far away the next one on the route is. It helps to know before you pass it how much further you'll have to go :lol:

Usually, there are also towns along the way where you could stop. Truck stops are generally the best place because they don't mind as much if you stop just to use the bathrooms. Some gas stations don't let you use them unless you are buying something.

A quick glance at the route (I80) shows a lot of towns along the way, so I doubt you'll have much problems in that respect.

Enjoy the road trip. Personally I love them, if I can take them at my own pace. If I ever win the lottery, I fully plan to purchase a motor home and travel the highways during the summer.



:cool: Eric the Grey

[StanFlouride]

It's really a straight drive, only about 12 hours including stops for meals. There's not a lot to see along I 80, it's all pretty flat desert but it is heavily traveled and so has many truck stops and rest areas.
It gets hot but is not as bad as Sacto in the summer.
Winnemucca, Elko, or Battle Mountain are all decent stopping places with lots of motels to choose from. Try Google maps "place name, motels, reviews" for the best for you.
i.e.,
Town House Motel‎
375 Monroe Street, Winnemucca, NV 89445-3615
(775) 623-3620‎
62 reviews : ****.5

[taxguykarl]

Once you come up with a promising place to spend the night, check trip advisor (http://www.tripadvisor.com/) for some reviews of it. Room Saver (http://www.roomsaver.com/) has lodging coupons--you can also get a copy at many truck stops and filling stations along the interstates. Run 'interstate exit guides' through your favorite search engine.

[Jester]

Also, find the toll free numbers for Motel 6, Motel 8, etc., and call them to ask where along your route they have locations. With one exception, I have never been disappointed in them. (Let's just say if you're ever driving past Florence, SC, on the freeway, keep driving. I don't know about the rest of the town, but the part near the interstate is fucking scary.) Remember, you don't need the Four Seasons or the Ritz, just a decent, clean place to sleep and shower.

That being said, I mapquested this. It's about 650 miles. About ten hours driving time. Depending on who's driving, that could be done in one day. For example, I could knock that out without a problem. My parents, however, limit themselves to 400-500 miles a day driving.

If you do decide to try this in one day, remember the most important rule of driving: when you think you're too tired to drive, you ARE too tired to drive. When you're so tired you start seeing giant donuts rolling down the highway, you are long past too tired, and you need to pull over immediately. Even if it's in Florence, SC. (And yes, that is what happened to me, after I drove 820 miles or so. Key West to Florence, SC, is a long fucking drive.)

[Aethian]

I usually just go with five or six hours of driving at one time. Make sure you have snacks that can help regulate sugars during the drive. Even if your not diabetic you would be surprised how the mundane driving can make you fall asleep and even get low sugars.

Enjoy the trip, talk lots, and bring lots of books on tape/cd. Good way to learn surprising things of your Mom/ancesters.

[Jester]

One road trip suggestion: if you drink soda or feel that you will need caffeine, pick up a twelve pack of your favorite suck drink, and keep it in the car. It doesn't need to be cold. Also get one of those big hard plastic cups with a lid and straw....a road cup, if you will. It should fit right into one of your car's cup holders. Then, when you feel the need for a drink, pull in to the nearest rest stop/truck stop/convenience store, ask politely if you can get some ice from the soda machine (asking politely almost always gets a "yes"), fill the cup up with ice, then return to your vehicle and pour a can of your favorite soft drink in it. Saves money, saves time.

I am full of Road Warrior tips and advice, by the way. Some of it's even useful.

[AdminAssistant]

My trip between KS and AR is ~8 hours. I don't think I could do much more than that in one day. I've made the trip so many times that I'm down to 2 stops per trip, but don't push yourself. I tend to keep some snacks and water in the car, and maybe grab a pick-me-up at the gas station or at a fast food place (close to the interstate). The one exception is the trip home from Spring Break. I was at my SO's in Little Rock, and he doesn't keep any breakfast type food. I was starving, so I made it to Russelville (wanted to clear all Little Rock commuter traffic) and stopped at a Cracker Barrel. Mmmmm...pancakes. (PS I have always found the Barrel to be a consistently decent, cheap, down home meal. But I don't know how many they have out West.)

[Seshat]

Take rest stops. Take as many as you feel you need. Better to make a 2 day trip in 3 days than to end up in a hospital - or worse, put someone else in a hospital.

If your metabolism is normal, high protein snacks will give you more oomph over the course of several hours than high carb snacks. (carb snacks give you a spike, then a sugar crash.)

Remember your road courtesy for long trips.

If you're the lead vehicle in a chain of vehicles (ie, you're going slower), pull over and let the chain pass, then resume travel. (Besides, you want the people who are speeding in FRONT of you, not behind you.)
Long haul trucks can't stop on a dime, and have crappy turning circles. Give them room.
Long haul truck drivers tend to be road courteous - if it looks like one is trying to tell you it's safe to pass them, they probably are. Be careful, but go ahead and do it. Make sure you wave thanks!
If you're going down a mountain, you may see odd ramplike (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runaway_truck_ramp) structures at certain bends in the downhill. NEVER PARK IN THOSE. Those are for vehicles who have had brake failure - they'll bring even a truck to a complete stop.


Hm. Pack a medical kit, pack a car-care kit, make sure both are near the top of your packing or tucked in the side and accessible. Check your spare tire and make sure it's in good condition and fully inflated. Have your car serviced and have the mechanic give it a thorough once-over.
Take a charged cellphone (or two) that has good coverage for the areas you'll be passing through. Make sure you have a membership in some sort of vehicle-rescue club.

If it was me, going down one of the Australian inland highways, I'd add:
Both of you practice changing a tire BEFORE you leave.
Both of you make sure your first aid knowledge is up to date.
Carry plenty of water, both for drinking and for filling a radiator.
Carry a simple car-repairs book.

In the USA, where there's a lot more population density, that may not be necessary. Probably still a good idea, though.

[Jester]

I don't do this, but my parents do, and it might be something that would work for you and your mother: my folks, when they are going on road trips, pack a cooler with snacks and drinks, so they don't really have to stop if they don't need to. It is rather easy, if you pack the car right, for the passenger to dig through the cooler and find whatever the driver needs. Something to consider. One major benefit: you don't have to worry that the random convenience store off Exit 87A will have the snack you want or like.

[elsporko]

If there isn't a cooler then a cooler bag might do the trick. You can't fit as much in it, but all you really need to keep cold are the drinks.

[Aut]

I've made that trip a bunch of times (try doing it with a toddler that screamed for 11 hours. She wasn't much of a traveller, she had a hard time falling asleep anywhere but her bed). There are lots of little towns along the way, but also lots of boring, flat, empty space. We've stopped in Elko a bunch of times. Plenty of hotels to stay the night. If you stop in Wendover, there's not really much there beyond the casinos. We had a hard time finding a place that wasn't fast food for dinner one night. And make sure you fill up the gas tank there. There are only a few gas stations between Wendover and Tooele, and whether or not they are open are hit and miss. We found that out the hard way the last time we drove through there. We'd had a sucky incident at the Pizza Hut in Wendover (very similar to TelephoneAngel's petrol station incident (http://www.customerssuck.com/board/showthread.php?t=60691). Hubby was not going to pay for it and have an additional charge and hold on the CC and it nearly turned into a fight and false imprisonment because they wouldn't let him leave and locked the doors. We'd already paid our correct bill before this started.) Anyway, we were so distracted by this incident, we forgot about gas and about 20 miles over the state line, we realize our mistake, but we keep going, praying and hoping for a gas station. The gauge had bottomed out at the 20 mile mark. It was dark, we had that screaming toddler and hubby and I were on edge. We drove for 50 more miles on that empty tank before we found an open gas station in the midle of nowhere (stopped at several closed ones in the meantime), and I cried. So yeah, make sure you fill up in Wendover.

There's a pretty cool rest stop a few miles into Utah on the Salt Flats. Gorgeous, especially if there's water there, but really bright during the day.

Mint works good at waking you up when driving. Probably good to have a supply of those on the monotonous, long parts of the drive.

Welcome to Salt Lake! :)

[AdminAssistant]

Oh, and keep gum (or something else to chew) on hand for altitude changes. Sometimes I keep a stash of gummi bears for this very reason.

[RootedPhoenix]

Oh, and keep gum (or something else to chew) on hand for altitude changes. Sometimes I keep a stash of gummi bears for this very reason.

Gum is awesome for that, but I hadn't thought of gummi bears. Good idea!

I'll have to tell Mom about stopping in Wendover. Thanks for that. Running out of gas isn't fun (especially not with a toddler, :eek:).

Thanks everyone for all your help. I haven't taken any long trips in ages and would have forgotten all this stuff without your help.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I'll have to tell Mom about stopping in Wendover. Thanks for that. Running out of gas isn't fun (especially not with a toddler, :eek:).


Wendover would be a great place to eat and sleep if you decide to stop there for the night. I was there last year. I stayed at the Montego Bay, which is a big casino/hotel complex.

Don't bother gambling in the casinos too much though. They're boring as hell and they all look the same.

[Seshat]

You have a toddler travelling with you?

Okay. SING. Singing is a great way to keep a kid occupied. Get a big book of children's songs, or a tape, or a CD, or something. Sing with them, and encourage your kid to.

Activity books and CLEANABLE drawing tools. Stuff you CAN get off the insides of the car, anywhere the kid can reach. Or cover all that area. If not, skip the activity books.

Toys, especially with the non-driving adult sitting in the back with the kid.

Get a book of road-trip games. Some of them (like alphabet ones) the kid may be too young for; but he should be able to look for a car of each colour, and a house of each colour, and signs that are square and sideways rectangles and up-and-down rectangles and triangles and 'stop sign shaped' (octagons).

Be prepared for more frequent potty trips, and for the trip as a whole to take longer than planned. Speaking of potty trips, you may want to pack a potty - the kid may be happier using one on a roadside 'emergency' stop.

And have your mechanic doublecheck the anchor points for the kid's car seat. You'll NEVER forgive yourself if you don't do that, and the anchor point fails in a crash. :(

[RootedPhoenix]

No, I've not got a toddler. Although, I can get mistaken for one sometimes, lol.

I was just responding to a previous poster's eek-worthy experience. But thanks nonetheless, as I do have to remember the music....! (ADD makes long trips less than amusing, you see.)

Must be excited about moving, must be excited about moving...
Next step is to pack boxes, OH YAY. *whimper* But I have boxes! Yay preparedness!

Thanks again everyone.

[Jester]

Mint works good at waking you up when driving. Probably good to have a supply of those on the monotonous, long parts of the drive.

Wait, what? Explain! I want to know about this. I've never heard about it, and as a person who doesn't drink caffeine other than necessary, I am all about alternatives to it. So, spill....how and why does this work?

You have a toddler travelling with you?

Okay. SING.

Or just bring duct tape. I find it makes things easier, not to mention quieter.





WHAT?!?!?


Be prepared for more frequent potty trips, and for the trip as a whole to take longer than planned.

This is not necessarily a toddler thing. Same thing happened to me with a girl I was seeing on a holiday trip up to Tampa. Took us over ten hours to get there because of this nonsense. She slept on the way back, and it took us less than seven.

You do the math.

[Magpie]

Wait, what? Explain! I want to know about this. I've never heard about it, and as a person who doesn't drink caffeine other than necessary, I am all about alternatives to it. So, spill....how and why does this work?


Because... you know, I never thought to find out why. To the best of my knowledge it's actually a compound in the mint oil that makes you more alert. Sharp flavours help too though, so you'll get an added benefit from that. I used to use it to perk me up in the mornings. (Caffeine mellows me out, so that wasn't an option).

[draftermatt]

The longest drive I have ever done straight through is St. Petersburg, FL to the last truck stop on I95 in North Carolina.

Basically 750 miles in about 11 hours. I could have kept going but my brain told my body it was time to let my driving partner drive the rest of the way.

Rest/Truck stops are the ONLY places you want to stop for bathroom breaks. They're kept relatively clean (especially compared to gas stations).

Carbo load for energy, when you feel tired stop and stretch or stop for the night.

Keep track of where you are and what hotels are around that area (signs are a good one for this)

If you stop make sure your stuff is locked up tight, out of site, or take it with you.

[Aut]

Because... you know, I never thought to find out why. To the best of my knowledge it's actually a compound in the mint oil that makes you more alert. Sharp flavours help too though, so you'll get an added benefit from that. I used to use it to perk me up in the mornings. (Caffeine mellows me out, so that wasn't an option).

I don't know how it works. I read it in a magazine once. And I find as I get older, I am more prone to highway hypnosis and the desire to nod off, so I tried it. And it worked - at least while the mint was in my mouth. I have super minty fresh breath on road trips, lol.

[Seshat]

Rest/Truck stops are the ONLY places you want to stop for bathroom breaks. They're kept relatively clean (especially compared to gas stations).

I've also been to small town/villages which maintain a wonderful little park on their main road, containing a bathroom complex, a little eating area and playground, an information booth, and their main shopping area across from the park - with the most tourist-friendly shops directly across from it (and the locals' shops down the road a bit).

If the park is well maintained, the bathroom complex is usually clean and stocked, in my experience. If the road is a quiet one but there are tourist shops that survive anyway, those shops are so good the locals buy stuff there. :)

[Becks]

Hold on. People STOP and SLEEP when they're moving long distance?

Ok, to be fair, when the MOTH™ moved me out to NJ, we stopped in OH and slept for a few hourse.

Moving from NJ back to WI, however, we only stopped to fill up the truck, really.

And both trips are why I loathe driving through PA.

[Jester]

One other thing that should be mentioned....if you stop to eat, don't have a really large meal, or you could get "food coma" sleepiness while driving. Basically, eat somewhat light. Nothing gut-busting.

[Andara Bledin]

Basically, eat somewhat light. Nothing gut-busting.
And, on that same note, don't eat anything high in carbs. Keep to things that are easily digested.

^-.-^

[AdminAssistant]

And avoid chocolate for in-car snacks. It melts. :p

[RootedPhoenix]

And avoid chocolate for in-car snacks. It melts. :p

Now I have a mental image of a moving truck covered in melted chocolate, driving through the Nevada/Utah desert....:roll:

[Seshat]

Of course - you'll be going through desert. Are you up on your desert travel safety? I'm not, but here's what I'd do.


Before the trip, I'd contact both my car club, and the police station near the edge of the desert. I'd ask for recommendations from both, on traversing the desert safely.

I expect they'd want me to carry X amount of water per person, and Y amount for the car, and possibly a shade device that could be rigged over the car and an emergency sign signalling a need for help.

I also expect that they'd want me to report in to the police before I entered the desert and file a 'trip intentions' form - saying where in/through the desert I'm going, when I expect to be there, and which route I plan to take. Then when I make it, I report in the police at the other end, saying 'I got here'.

That way, if I don't report in, they know to look for me - before my water runs out. And the emergency signalling sign and car shade makes it easier for them to find me.

Most of the Australians who take these precautions don't end up needing them - they make it to the other end just fine. But the police in Australia don't make their recommendations lightly, because they have to make too many rescues.

[Jester]

This is not the outback. It's the desert between Cali and Utah. It is not nearly as remote as some of the stuff in Oz.

While precautions are a good thing (and I do recommend the water), as a desert rat myself, I would say some of Seshat's recommendations are a bit of overkill.

West Texas? Sure. Where you're going? No, not really.

[Spiffy McMoron]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard that police/professionals/locals in the know/someone advise you not not use the a/c in your car when driving in the desert. The reason is that running the A/C compressor forces the engine to work harder, which means that it's more likely that your engine will overheat.

True or false?

[Jester]

I'm from the desert. Never heard that. In certain parts of the desert, it can be very dangerous to the passengers of the vehicle to NOT run the ac. But there is some small truth in this, in that the ac does make the engine work a little harder. But it should not be a major issue unless the engine is already iffy.

[Andara Bledin]

True or false?
I can't say for certain, but I do know that there are signs plastered on all the major passes here in Cali to not run the air if it's mid-day and you're going uphill due to overheating issues.

I happen to know that the a/c will have a noticeable effect on engine performance, but I suspect that it's much more notable in older cars with older technology.

^-.-^

[Seshat]

This is not the outback. It's the desert between Cali and Utah. It is not nearly as remote as some of the stuff in Oz.

While precautions are a good thing (and I do recommend the water), as a desert rat myself, I would say some of Seshat's recommendations are a bit of overkill.

That's the trouble with giving advice from half a world away. :rolleyes: Ah well.

[Jester]

I suddenly realized that there is something else I should mention. There are a couple things that you should have in any car, but especially in a car making a road trip. Specifically, a good set of jumper cables and a good, working flashlight, with the batteries kept up to date. I personally recommend a Mag-Light, not just because of their reliability as a light source, but because they double rather well as a skull-cracker self-defense weapon. I suggest the 3D or 4D models. "3D" and "4D" refer to the number/type of batteries the Mag takes. I have a 3D in the Jestermobile.

[RootedPhoenix]

That's the trouble with giving advice from half a world away. :rolleyes: Ah well.

And yet, there's something good in it...telling somebody where you'll be and when you'll be there. There's less of a chance that something will happen on such a traveled road, but you never quite know. Weird stuff happens all the time. I'll make sure to have a couple people as contacts, so that they'll know to expect us.

Thanks for that help Seshat. And thanks everyone else too. It helps a ton. :D

In looking at a Google map earlier today, I figured that we could either stop in Battle Mountain, NV or Winnemucca, NV for the night. Is one better than the other or are they roughly the same?

[TheSHAD0W]

Mythbusters did a study on it, and running the air conditioner spends LESS fuel than having the windows open. Open windows produce a lot of drag.

[Eric the Grey]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I've heard that police/professionals/locals in the know/someone advise you not not use the a/c in your car when driving in the desert. The reason is that running the A/C compressor forces the engine to work harder, which means that it's more likely that your engine will overheat.

True or false?

There is definitely some truth to this, especially in older cars, or any car that is prone to overheat. I had not thought of the heat issue when I posted earlier, and there have been some good tips added since. I feel foolish for not thinking of it earlier, having lived in the Nevada desert for a few years... :ashamed:

Pack water! 1 gallon jug for each person traveling in the vehicle would be my advice (and of those who advised me of what to keep in the car when I lived out there). Yes, the distances aren't as bad as some areas of the globe, but if you do have problems, having the water with you will help until someone drives buy and is willing to stop.

Watch the cars temp. If it starts getting warm (assuming you have an actual gauge, and not just an idiot light, and turn off the AC if it gets overly warm. It can help let the engine cool down a bit.

You might well want to have the coolant changed shortly before you leave, just to make sure there are no issues.



:cool: Eric the Grey

[Green_Fairy]

I suddenly realized that there is something else I should mention. There are a couple things that you should have in any car, but especially in a car making a road trip. Specifically, a good set of jumper cables and a good, working flashlight, with the batteries kept up to date. I personally recommend a Mag-Light, not just because of their reliability as a light source, but because they double rather well as a skull-cracker self-defense weapon. I suggest the 3D or 4D models. "3D" and "4D" refer to the number/type of batteries the Mag takes. I have a 3D in the Jestermobile.

also! always know where you towel is :D

[RootedPhoenix]

also! always know where you towel is :D

:roll: Can't forget that! Essential stuff! :D (I love those books.)