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Who's taken a lonnng road trip alone?
- Thread starter Jelder
- Start date
Well....most that drive those distances are crazy.....
... and tell them you are going to ski with your imaginary internet friends.
Thread Starter
TS
True enough- that’s why I love this site so much. All of us enjoying a shared obsession makes the unreasonable seem perfectly acceptable!Well....most that drive those distances are crazy.....
I'm good with solo road trips through the West, but the flatlands are too dull for me, and too much danger of falling asleep at the wheel.
Keep in mind that Christmas-New Years is among the busiest ski weeks anywhere. And Summit County is busy even at other times. Snowy Range, WY is a slightly shorter drive and should be MUCH less crowded. Or if you're an advanced skier, Mt. Bohemia in the UP has built up a pretty stellar reputation and is still a hefty road trip for you.
Keep in mind that Christmas-New Years is among the busiest ski weeks anywhere. And Summit County is busy even at other times. Snowy Range, WY is a slightly shorter drive and should be MUCH less crowded. Or if you're an advanced skier, Mt. Bohemia in the UP has built up a pretty stellar reputation and is still a hefty road trip for you.
Last year I did the 2022 DOMY (Days of My Youth) Ski Road Trip. I wouldn’t call it a looooooong road trip but it was a solo road trip nonetheless. I drove from my current home in Portland, OR past Bellingham to Mt Baker, then back south to Snoqualmie Pass and then to Crystal Mountain. These were all ski areas that figured prominently in my teens and I wanted to ski them again. The road trip was a blast. The best thing about a solo road trip is you can drive as you please without having to negotiate with anyone. You can change route, have breakfast when you please, two breakfasts if you like, pull in early or late, go to bed and wake up as you please. The skiing was not great, I was at the end of a heavy dump/rain/refreeze cycle but a good time anyway.
I have solo road tripped in Northern New England many times as my wife shuts down her season at the end of March, which is earlier then I do each season, but I don't think I could take the drive across the plains to try to drive out west. Those trips are only 4-6 hours and are long enough alone. Over heard someone say that the drive (this is from the NY metro) seems like a great idea till about the PA-Ohio line when you look at the clock and realized how much is left to go and how you could have been there 2 hours ago. Now driving around the Rocky Mountains is a different story. Looking forward to the safari out west in the future. Also gotta admit, love having the wife with on any trip.
As you can see dozens, perhaps hundreds, of us ski talkers drive long distances solo to ski. In feb 2021 I drove from wash dc to slc solo in two 17 hour sessions with an 8 hr motel stop in between. Not fun. Have driven across the us probably 20 times to ski, although usually with one or more companions.
in 1976 I took my first big solo ski trip driving dc to co and back. Slept 3 nights in old vw bug, not good. In my old age I don't try winter. sleeping in car anymore. Tent camped 3 nites crossing us in July 2020 with wife. I guess my recommendation is to skip car sleeping and stay in motel. Worst/cheapest motel is better than poorly prepared winter car sleeping. Also, if driving 1500 to 2000 miles each way I'd stay and ski at least 5 days in co. Paging @aveski and @Gary Stolt
in 1976 I took my first big solo ski trip driving dc to co and back. Slept 3 nights in old vw bug, not good. In my old age I don't try winter. sleeping in car anymore. Tent camped 3 nites crossing us in July 2020 with wife. I guess my recommendation is to skip car sleeping and stay in motel. Worst/cheapest motel is better than poorly prepared winter car sleeping. Also, if driving 1500 to 2000 miles each way I'd stay and ski at least 5 days in co. Paging @aveski and @Gary Stolt
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During 99/2000 I took a work sabbatical & spent most of the winter on the road with a few short returns to home base. I had a USSA Gold pass & my intent was to ski as many areas in the western US as possible. I managed over 30 different areas including a couple weeks in Europe.
l never slept in my car but was prepared to if necessary. I stayed in bottom shelf motels for the most part & I think the most I paid for a room was in Silverthorn, CO at $70 a night, most were around $40. I planned it so at the end of a ski day l was within striking distance of the next. I almost always met local ski partners right away which I don’t think would’ve happened had I been traveling with others. I had a great time, some memorable adventures & a bunch of new friends
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l never slept in my car but was prepared to if necessary. I stayed in bottom shelf motels for the most part & I think the most I paid for a room was in Silverthorn, CO at $70 a night, most were around $40. I planned it so at the end of a ski day l was within striking distance of the next. I almost always met local ski partners right away which I don’t think would’ve happened had I been traveling with others. I had a great time, some memorable adventures & a bunch of new friends
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Get her involved and bring her along. She can do some of the driving.
We have been doing that since 2014 when my son went off to college.
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I've a few miles behind the wheel. FWIW. Don't drive tired, take breaks. Podcasts/e-books help get miles behind you. VI your car periodically when you take a break or fuel. Nothing like a break down in the middle of no where to sour a trip. Drive safe and have fun.
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My wife quit skiing when our son went off to college. Before that we took family ski trips.
That's a bummer.
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No really long trips but I still frequently drive solo Vancover to Calgary thats about 1000k 600 miles and will ski solo enroute However I always prefer skiing with my friends in the towns between when they are available.
Find you have to be more cautious solo.
I rarely comfortably ski off piste or side country glades solo. It's always more assuring if you think someone can either pick up the pieces or at least help locate the body. Even if it's an illusion
Haven't slept over night in a vehicle on ski trips since vw van days Hope you don't discover too that a flea bag motels is actually cheaper than towing a car out of a ditch when you fall asleep
The thought of no morning coffee no shower after skiing and frozen washrooms when they are available dosent make me want to do it again.
I recently had to sleep in a warm train station for a night and that was bad enough
Find you have to be more cautious solo.
I rarely comfortably ski off piste or side country glades solo. It's always more assuring if you think someone can either pick up the pieces or at least help locate the body. Even if it's an illusion
Haven't slept over night in a vehicle on ski trips since vw van days Hope you don't discover too that a flea bag motels is actually cheaper than towing a car out of a ditch when you fall asleep
The thought of no morning coffee no shower after skiing and frozen washrooms when they are available dosent make me want to do it again.
I recently had to sleep in a warm train station for a night and that was bad enough
I've been in enough snowstorms in Montana and Wyoming not to have any desire to ever do it again. Add that to the fact that I really have a tough time driving 5 hours alone anymore even in summer and I'd rather do anything but that drive you're proposing. You're going to be spending more time driving than skiing.
I should do the same, with Stevens instead of Baker, because those are the DOMY also.
First of all, I have taken that trip several times, from Cadillac MI to Golden Co, where my former sister in law lives.
But I had company on the trip.
@Gary Stolt does long road trips alone a lot!
@Philpug drove from Philly to Reno back in 2010 with only Ziggy riding shotgun. (yes the Ziggy that Chez Ziggy is named for)
Phil also flew to NC last year to pick up our SS SkiTalk and drive back to Reno, but I flew into Colorado to meet him and ski a few days, so I was with him from Denver to Reno.
XM Radio, or a good playlist helps.
Also with hands free phone, its cool if you can call someone and chat a bit from time to time.
I skied at Stevens once in my youth, for some reason I did not form an attachment like I did the others. BTW, here are two photos from that trip. Mt Baker from Chuckanut Drive, and Mt Rainier from the top of Rainier Gondola at Crystal.
