Miles per year?

[user 38090]

Hi all, glad I found this forum. Am wondering how many miles you all drive per year. I'm asking mostly those of you that don't need to stop for any long length of time but are traveling for the sake of seeing the country. Also when you do stop how long is it for, a few days, week, month? I realize that this isn't an easy question to answer because there are many variables involved. Just looking for an average. Do you just travel from one coast to the other one year then back the next year? Do you follow the seasons? Do you follow the same basic route each year? Mostly interstates or back roads?

Okay, so this is more than one question, sorry. Am planning on heading out in Sept. 2024.

 

[NctryBen]

I hauled canoes and kayaks cross country for a few years... bought my truck with almost 200,000 on it. I had it set up where I could eat, sleep... everything in my truck. I tore mirrors off had people rear end my trailer... but no matter what I had everything fixed. I’ve bought my truck three times over with everything I’ve had to do with it. Four clutches, five alternators, five water pumps, two water pump pulleys, two fan clutches, one tranny, multiple starters and two windshields and a third soon. About 75 oil changes and other normal maintenance things like tires and such. Tie rod ends, ball joints etc... I now have 635,000 miles on it and I don’t hesitate to go... but now tired of DOT inspections and rigamorol, I’m retired and drive less and less. The more you drive the more stuff wears out... just saying. Driving in extreme heat is the worst I think.
So now I guess I follow seasons, grandkids, maple syruping, possibly work camping. I can’t take winters anymore so I run from that.
Travel while you can. See the things you can see now. Cause economics, age and lots of things can and will catch up on us all. But stay within a reasonable budget. Keep up a strong emergency fund, and keep up on your maintenance!

 

[eDJ_]

I would say it is different for everyone here. Some don't mind driving 600 miles in a day to get to some place they want to visit, while others won't drive more than 300 miles a week and see numerous places. Driving a lot wears out a rig, burns fuel, oil, & tires which is OK if you have the means to live like that.

Depending on what parts of the USA you wish to visit, that will have a direct bearing on the miles you'll travel. In the south or west you may rack up some serious mileage. As you are in Arkansas you have an advantage of being more centrally located to travel in any direction.

This Satellite view of the USA taken after dark may give you an idea of how far apart or close together things are.

Since you have until next September to plan, you may want to make a bucket list of places & things you'd like to see. In the bottom link below, there is a LINKS section where in the upper left hand corner you'll find: Trip Planning at Home or on the Road section.

The Fodor's links could be helpful. Free Campsites net has a "Trip Planner" which offers places of interest on the highway you are planning to use and will ask how many miles off the road you are willing to drive to see them. (when in camp you can plan the next leg of your journey and use this to get more out of your travels) iOverland is another good resource.

When I first hit the road in the early 70's I missed so much that I only learned about later. I racked up a lot of miles that could have been so much better used too. But my goal then was to find an opening in my field to start a career. When I go back on the road I'll do things much differently.

 

[maki2]

Not sure there is anything such an average number of miles or length of stay at any one sight for such a trip. But there is a fairly common standard for drive time in the daytime hours and that is being sure to try to find a campsite by 3:00pm. You do not want to be searching for one after dark as they can be difficult to see clearly as there are no streetlights other than in towns and cities. So if it is your plan to drive around after dark into and out on dirt roads such as NFS and BLM roads leading to dispersed camping then do install a light bar with search light capability for better visibility for “off highway” use.

 

[maki2]

But for your amusement here is a young couple attempting to visit all 48 lower states in 48 days. They are long time “Van lifers” who have started a coffee farm in Panama but also have a coffee shop in Stowe, Vermont. This cross country trip is just a fun challenge they have set for themselves this year.

 

[user 38090]

I would say it is different for everyone here. Some don't mind driving 600 miles in a day to get to some place they want to visit, while others won't drive more than 300 miles a week and see numerous places. Driving a lot wears out a rig, burns fuel, oil, & tires which is OK if you have the means to live like that.

Depending on what parts of the USA you wish to visit, that will have a direct bearing on the miles you'll travel. In the south or west you may rack up some serious mileage. As you are in Arkansas you have an advantage of being more centrally located to travel in any direction.

This Satellite view of the USA taken after dark may give you an idea of how far apart or close together things are.

Since you have until next September to plan, you may want to make a bucket list of places & things you'd like to see. In the bottom link below, there is a LINKS section where in the upper left hand corner you'll find: Trip Planning at Home or on the Road section.

The Fodor's links could be helpful. Free Campsites net has a "Trip Planner" which offers places of interest on the highway you are planning to use and will ask how many miles off the road you are willing to drive to see them. (when in camp you can plan the next leg of your journey and use this to get more out of your travels) iOverland is another good resource.

When I first hit the road in the early 70's I missed so much that I only learned about later. I racked up a lot of miles that could have been so much better used too. But my goal then was to find an opening in my field to start a career. When I go back on the road I'll do things much differently.

AK is Alaska, not Arkansas (AR).

I found a trip that covers 48 states that either hits places of interest or major cities in each. That is about 12000 miles. I'm in my 60s and have more time to travel now. Have seen the world but not much of the USA. Plus I'm tired of the cold and snow, 4" of snow and high of 34* today.

 

[INTJohn]

I’ve driven as few as 6000 and as many as 15000. I do warm sunny beaches. Mostly remote to semi remote. I don’t do large metropolitan areas - exception is San Diego, Ca.

intjonny livin the dream

 

[Tony's Dream]

I average 5-10,000 per year.

 

[NctryBen]

I can’t get below 20,000. But I’ll get there…

 

[rvwandering]

We drive about 15,000 miles a year making a loop around the country because we go to the southwest in the winter, north to Seattle to see our daughter in the spring/summer,west east (thanks bullfrog- we would have drowned!) to Pennsylvania in the fall because it's our home-base (no home there - just friends, family, and other ties), and south as it gets cold.

We drive for a few hours a day rarely going more than 100 miles, drive back roads as much as possible, try to choose different routes, stop anywhere from a day to a month.

 

[bullfrog !]

^^^You travel a lot farther going west to get from Seattle to Pennsylvania. Less swimming involved if you go east!

 

[INTJohn]

^^^You travel a lot farther going west to get from Seattle to Pennsylvania. Less swimming involved if you go east!

And if ya think gettin across the Pacific is tuff; try drivin over the Himalaya Mountains.
That’s why it’s called rv………..wandering?
Sayin………
jonny boi

 

[rvwandering]

Thanks guys - you saved us from drowning and dying in the mountains! Yeah, sometimes we don't know where we're wandering off to.

 

[Happy Camper]

My daughter just did a nine week road trip from Los Angeles to New York and back. They did North States first. Along the way east they stopped at national forests and other spots. Went to Canada twice. Then meandered back through Southern states.

9 weeks and 1 day. 11,000 miles.

You said you were taking off and when, but didn't mention if it's a long long trip with a home base or a complete change in lifestyle.

 

[user 38090]

Hoping it will be a lifestyle.

 

[Oldwolf]

The longest I have been out in my van is 3 weeks and 5000 miles. Hoping I can do more trips of that length once I retire (next year!).

 

[bullfrog !]

As I’ve gotten older I tend to go slower and less further. Used to be 35,000 miles a year as I went back east every year sometimes several times, now it’s more like 8,000 and a lot of that is in the southwest only.