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Who's taken a lonnng road trip alone?

Jelder

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So I'm thinking about driving alone from Michigan to Colorado between Christmas and the New Year. One of my daughters was on board until I told her that I didn't want to pay for flights, a rental car, skis, etc. Now I may just go by myself. I have an SUV that I can sleep in for a couple nights when going back and forth, and then find a place somewhere in the Loveland/A Basin/Keystone area and enjoy three days of bliss.

Has anyone taken this kind of trip solo? Any SkiTalkers planning to be in that area at the same time?

Jay
 

In2h2o

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Has anyone taken this kind of trip solo?
This brings back sooooo many good memories. I did this trip in 1982 from Wisconsin to Denver (straight thru) just on the forefront of the Christmas Eve Blizzard during my "winter break." But, I was a minor (what were my parents thinking???) traveling with a 18 yo (family friend) on my way to stay with my best friend for two weeks who's family had just moved to Fort Collins. Of course we came in on the start of the snowstorm it was pretty nasty and then were stuck in Denver at the 18 yo's brother house for 3 days. Have to say some fantastic skiing and really fun memories. I took the greyhound back home. Clearly no one would allow their children to do this type of trip in this day and age. LOL. So is your SUV set up for sleeping? Dealing with the condensation would be an issue as well as weather - can get some really nasty storms thru the flat lands..... (stranded in IOWA comes to mind). But it sounds like fun, I love adventure! and have done some solo SUV camping this summer.... but its 21+ hours to get to Denver? how are you breaking that up? 3 /7 hour days? When you're young its easy to switch off and stay awake but solo it would be tough for me to do really long days....... Also then long skiing days and the drive back..... just need to really think about the logistics / timing.
 

Pequenita

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If you haven't already, insulate the SUV if you plan on sleeping in it. Reflectix for the side and rear windows, and a reflecting sun shade can double as insulation for the windshield. I am near certain that the times I've slept in my car (without insulation) in the winter I would have been warmer in a tent! Agree with the observations that drifting snow in the plains is tricky. Also, my toes have never been colder than they were while driving between Oklahoma and Missouri, even with the heat on!
 

mdf

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I am near certain that the times I've slept in my car (without insulation) in the winter I would have been warmer in a tent!
When I was young, I drove coast to coast solo a couple of times. Drive till you can't anymore, pull off the road, sleep till you start to freeze, repeat. I only had a handful of 8-track tapes for entertainment till I bought several more (marked way up) at a gas station in the middle of nowhere.
 

fatbob

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Done way longer road trips. Sleeping in car in winter is ok in multiple short bursts for one night during an overnight drive but fairly ghetto and unpleasant for more than one night running.
 
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Jelder

Jelder

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There are relatively inexpensive blow-up type mattresses that fit between the first and second row of SUVs and come with pumps. I'm thinking a decent cold weather sleeping bag that I can borrow from a buddy, and then bundling up should be OK for a few hours of shut-eye, plus I can always start the motor and warm up if needed.
 

Dave Petersen

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The introvert in me LOVES long solo ski road trips. Last March I drove (from the Midwest) to Breck for a week, then drove down to Salida and skied Monarch and Crested Butte. From there I drove up to Sun Valley for a few days, and then headed home. I was gone 16 or 17 days. The key for me is Cruise Control, Google Maps on my iPhone, and Rock/Classic or Metal playing (and the occasional news radio when my ears start hurting and need a break). :ogbiggrin:

I would do it even more, but I'm married. Don't want to push things too much!
 

Pequenita

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There are relatively inexpensive blow-up type mattresses that fit between the first and second row of SUVs and come with pumps.
The air in a blow-up mattress will get cold and your mattress will lose loft because of the temp change. If you can, find something with a decent R rating. There's also not a ton of insulation in one of those things - a good barrier between the metal of your car and your back is really helpful. My in-car sleep setup uses an ExPed Megamat. I also put down those square gym rubber tiles in the back to level it out/provide a layer of insulation.
 

crgildart

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I'll do longer day trips and ski solo... I'll do 12+ hour drives solo but only if there's a pot of gold and family/friends at the destination..
 

KingGrump

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Done solo NYC/ CO, UT, NM, CA many many times in the last 20 years.
Chunk the drive into 8 to 10 hour days. Look for lodging within 5 miles of the main route. Stayed at either IHG or Hyatt on points.
 

David Chaus

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No sleeping in cars for me. Maybe one of these days I'll acquire a Winnebago Ekko. For now I'll just have to make do with my Forester, a hotel or two and some AirBnb's.

I have done a couple of solo driving trips, for instance from Seattle to Jackson and back. I have also done the first part of a solo trip, then had my SO fly to SLC and join me for the rest of the trip and the drive home. This year, we are starting out together for a trip from Seattle to Red Mt, then I drop her off at the Spokane airport and continue on my road trip (which includes a PNW Gathering at 49 N, Silver Mt and Lookout Pass, then Lost Trail before heading to UT.

My SO may or may not fly into SLC again, otherwise I'll drive home solo.
 

luliski

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I love a road trip, solo or not. I’m thinking of a solo drive to Taos from Sacramento area for the Taos mini-gathering. I just can’t deal with airports/airplanes anymore. I‘ve driven solo to SLC multiple times in the past few years, usually in one day.
 

Bad Bob

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Never done anything longer than Denver to Anchorage. It was in a VW Bug but that's close. In my gray haired days I still do several long solo drives often several times a year, in an SUV; now I stay in a motel since somebody else is paying for it. Personal preference was always a sleeping bag pad over an air mattress. Small town cemeteries were a good place to crash out for the night; quiet and nobody bothered you if you were gone early. Carry a paper road atlas, Google Earth normally works really well until you are lost in the back of beyond (State Atlas's are even better). Tell somebody your basic route plan and check in. Last but not least bring more money.

Carry on and have a really good time.
 

SpikeDog

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As for sleeping in your car - consider the possibility of the cops waking you up. I did a San Francisco to Boise road trip in '83, and decided to crash in Truckee right off I-80 around 10 PM. Got woken up by a flashlight in my face around 4 AM by the local cops. They left me alone after checking my military ID, but I was a bit shook by the experience and drove the rest of the way home. Never did that again.

I do love driving to the ski hills rather than flying, because I can bring all my quiver, as well as clothes, food, booze, tuning equipment, extra poles, laptop, and occasionally the wife.
 

oldschoolskier

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I've done trip or two like this one being over 1,600 miles in one direction both driven almost straight through in both directions. Doable yes, dangerous yes. Be careful, be safe.
 
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Jelder

Jelder

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I've done trip or two like this one being over 1,600 miles in one direction both driven almost straight through in both directions. Doable yes, dangerous yes. Be careful, be safe.
My family will ask "what if you run into scary people?", and I'll tell them "I am scary people." I'm not, really, but they'll feel better.
 

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