5500 mile trip with my 660 (long post- sorry :) )

 

Just got back from a trip to Grand Rapids, MI from San Diego.

The 660 was great to have as a companion. I've done this trip many times over the years and it was very nice to know exactly where I was and what was coming up. With the Garmin and my Valentine-1, I was ready to tackle the open road.

First leg I took the southern route, down the I-40. I was trying to make good time and figured the I40 would be easier than the I70 in the winter. My average went way down with a couple traffic jams in Arizona, then I got a ticket in New Mexico going 90mph by a cop who didn't use his radar gun (...). I didn't recognize the suv following me as a cop, and drove for several miles with him behind me clocking me grin. After that I was spooked and stayed 7mph over the limit for the rest of New Mexico.

In Texas there were cops galore on the I40 across the panhandle, so I took it easy there, too. My Starbucks POI's came in handy on the trip, but they led me astray more than a few times. West of Amarillo, there were two of them that I drove to that simply didn't exist. One led me to some farmhouse in the boonies, and the other led me to a doughnut shop which had great doughnuts, but horrible coffee.

After just one overnight stop in Oklahoma, I made it to Grand Rapids with an average speed of around 70mph and average moving speed around 75mph. Forgot to take a screenshot, but it was nothing memorable. I knew I had made the trip faster in the past. I've done all the site-seeing you can do on the trip in the past, but this time I wanted to just get there and get back with no fuss.

On the trip home, I left on Saturday and only made it 112 miles before the ice storm stranded me in southern michigan. I knew it was coming, and was going to try and head south of chicago that night before making my way west toward the I80/I70 route. So I was sitting in the hotel, wondering if I could still make it to San Diego on Monday in time to get to the Kennel to pick up my cat. I could have just picked him up on Tuesday, but I thought I would give it a shot and get home in my original goal of Monday, anyway.

I woke up at 6:00am and just went for it. It was still very cold and there was some scattered slippery spots on the road that slowed me down, but I kept trudging along. Iowa sucked because of the 65mph speedlimit and random slippery spots. Once in Nebraska, the limit went to 75mph and stayed that way most of the way home.

I would pull in to a gas station and start the pump, then grab a drink, go to the bathroom, clean the windshield and headlights, and get back on the road - like a pitstop. I grabbed drive-thru burgers and ate them on the road.

I crossed Colorado and most of Utah and stopped in Richfield for my alloted 6hr stop. I took a screenshot as I was coming up to my exit. I had good luck in terms of traffic and other delays on this first leg. I didn't turn my GPS off the entire way until I actually pulled in to the motel.

What the heck, why can't we post pictures? This is 2007 isn't it?
Overall Average: 77.1
Moving Average: 79.9
Max Speed: 160
Total Time: 19:58
Moving Time: 19:16
Stopped: 41:39
Distance Traveled: 1539.93

My max speed was reached in Utah on the I70. This has to be the most desolate, empty interstate in America. There's only one gas station off the I70 in eastern Utah- it's nuts. It isn't until Saline that you start getting to civilization and services.

After this, it was 600 miles to home. My average went down after being slowed in Vegas, a maddening traffic jam in Riverside on the 215, and a needed stop at a Starbucks where I just stretched my legs and relaxed for about 20mins or so.
Overall Average: 74.7
Moving Average: 78.4
Max Speed: 160
Total Time: 29:04
Moving Time: 27:43
Stopped: 01:21
Distance Traveled: 2172.69

I made it home within an hour of when I originally planned, and picked up my angry cat on time.

what road....

...did you clock the max speed of 160 at? And what are you driving?

--
........Garmin StreetPilot c550 / Nüvi 765...........

Sweet. I'm looking forward

Sweet. I'm looking forward to using my 660 cross-country when I travel back to AZ over the holidays.

--
Newest to oldest... Nüvi 660, Street Pilot 2720, Magellan SporTrak Pro, Lowrance Global Map 100

Empty Road in Utah

lsmonop wrote:

...did you clock the max speed of 160 at? And what are you driving?

I-70 in Eastern Utah in a 99 Porsche Carrera. I was actually still accelerating pretty good- was right in my power-band, but I saw taillights appear way in the distance.

I can not help but comment.

I can not help but comment. I have driven professionally for over 40 years and I always wondered what the mind-set was for some of the drivers that attempt such stunts at the expense of public safety. I find it hard to believe that you are actually proud of what you attest to doing.
I have seen too many families destroyed by people like yourself.
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!!

ok

grncherry1 wrote:

I can not help but comment. I have driven professionally for over 40 years and I always wondered what the mind-set was for some of the drivers that attempt such stunts at the expense of public safety. I find it hard to believe that you are actually proud of what you attest to doing.
I have seen too many families destroyed by people like yourself.
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!!

If you've been on the I70 in Eastern Utah in the middle of the night, you'd know that I was the only one in danger. It's probably the most desolate stretch of interstate in America. If I had crashed, I would have killed myself and noone would have even saw me and not found me for days.

I let off the gas when waaaaay down the road a set of taillights appeared, and they were still over a mile away. I would never drive by anyone going that fast, and I wouldn't even do it if there were cars coming in the oncoming direction.

I'm not the type that weeves through traffic and blows through the neighborhood, but if there is a straight, empty stretch of interstate, then sure I'll have a little fun at my own expense.

Going fast

One time, way back in 1970, I was traveling west, in Kansas, in the Flint Hills. I was on my new motorcycle, a 1970 BSA three cylinder, (I still have it!) and I crested a small hill and could see everything for MILES. Nothing around. I twisted the throttle and let the thing go. Hit 125 and in a few minutes, passed a police car parked on a side road. I was sweating bullets, but he didn't even chase after me. I tell you, 125 on a motorcycle is SCARY!

--
John - with a Garmin 650 and a 750

Speed doesn't kill... Bad drivers do

grncherry1 wrote:

I can not help but comment. I have driven professionally for over 40 years and I always wondered what the mind-set was for some of the drivers that attempt such stunts at the expense of public safety. I find it hard to believe that you are actually proud of what you attest to doing.
I have seen too many families destroyed by people like yourself.
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!!

Why do you and many North Americans ( Canadians and Americans ) associate speed with safety. I lived many years in Germany where there were no speed limits on the autobahns and more often than not you got Porsches , Mercedes and BMWs speeding by at 150 - 160 mph without an issue. I think if those types of speeds automatically equated to a bloodbath, then our German friends would've placed speed limits on the autobahns a long time ago( and they actually have in various places ). I think the issue isn't so much speed as it is the speed variance between all the cars and the ability of most drivers to systematically refuse to obey any of the rules of the road, e.g. stick to the right lane unless you are passing, signal lane changes, etc. I think that accidents are caused by many factors although the North American mindset has focused on speed as the only one... probably because radars can't detect anything else but speed. What's more dangerous? The guy doing 35 mph in the left lane of an interstate or the guy coming up behind him at 120 mph? All I know is that if they were both doing the same speed or the first guy was way off in the right lane ( or better yet off the interstate completely ) there would be no accident.

For some reason

I think I would prefer to have a tire blowout or a deer cross the road in front of me when I was doing 65-70 mph rather than 85 mph or more.
Have had both occurrences happen !

--
MrKenFL- "Money can't buy you happiness .. But it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery." NUVI 260, Nuvi 1490LMT & Nuvi 2595LMT all with 2014.4 maps !

Not even a comparison

Not even a comparison between low performance American drivers and high performance German drivers. And the Autobahn and their cars are built to safely handle those speeds.

--
Newest to oldest... Nüvi 660, Street Pilot 2720, Magellan SporTrak Pro, Lowrance Global Map 100

Interstates are similar to the Autobahn

buffettck wrote:

Not even a comparison between low performance American drivers and high performance German drivers. And the Autobahn and their cars are built to safely handle those speeds.

The American Interstate system was modeled after the German autobahn. Eisenhower was so impressed after seeing their system, that he wanted one here, too. Before that the roads had high grades, no banks, sharp turns, no shoulders, etc etc. The I70, like the other interstates, is an excellent quality road, made for high speed transit.

Now of course in America, things work differently here. Too many cars putz along in the PASSING lane and don't get over, and the police don't issue tickets for it (it IS the law to stay in the right lane unless passing, btw). This is exactly the reason why when I speed, I don't do so around other cars, and won't go flying past them at triple digit speeds.

Cars nowadays are mostly rather safe, and my car in particular is certainly designed for covering long distances at high speeds in saftey. I just always assume that other drivers are going to cut me off or do something stupid, so I never, EVER drive like this if I think I'm going to be driving by other cars.

We've all seen the maniacs that are doing 120+ down the local highway, weaving in and out of cars. That is NOT me, and I hope I didn't give that impression in my post.

I guess I should be ashamed too>>>

grncherry1 wrote:

I can not help but comment. I have driven professionally for over 40 years and I always wondered what the mind-set was for some of the drivers that attempt such stunts at the expense of public safety. I find it hard to believe that you are actually proud of what you attest to doing.
I have seen too many families destroyed by people like yourself.
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!!

But I'm not...empty straight road, dry weather, good visibility forward...have at it if you like...I do...like Eltorrente, if I off myself my family would shake their heads and say I went the way I wanted to...personally I think the real crime is a 55/65 mph national speed limit on roads designed for 85/100 safely in many places. I've driven across country many times and frequently I am the only one on the road for miles and miles. Maybe we should require a special license to be on the Interstates and then you wouldn't have left lane bandits ruining travel for everyone else! I drive ALOT and the most road rage and "weaving in and out" I see is caused by drivers who will not get out of the way and use the left lane for cruising, rather than passing...I have no beef with people driving at a slower speed if that is all they are capable of doing but they should stay right or get the heck off the interstates!

Regards, Ted

--
"You can't get there from here"

Good to burn the gunk out of a car like that>>>

eltorrente wrote:
lsmonop wrote:

...did you clock the max speed of 160 at? And what are you driving?

I-70 in Eastern Utah in a 99 Porsche Carrera. I was actually still accelerating pretty good- was right in my power-band, but I saw taillights appear way in the distance.

but only 160...did you take a plug out smile :)

Regards, Ted

--
"You can't get there from here"

American drivers and Interstates

Our interstate system may have been modeled after Germany's, but it sure is a poor sister... The Autobahn is constructed much differently than our interstates, thicker and better roadbeds, and when they repair the Autobahn, they REPAIR it. They just don't pour a slurry of hot patch into the hole, they do it the RIGHT way!

I won't even comment on European drivers as opposed to American drivers. Sometimes I think most American drivers got their driver's license in a Wal-Mart.

--
John - with a Garmin 650 and a 750

how dare you?!?!?!

JSFJr wrote:

Our interstate system may have been modeled after Germany's, but it sure is a poor sister... The Autobahn is constructed much differently than our interstates, thicker and better roadbeds, and when they repair the Autobahn, they REPAIR it. They just don't pour a slurry of hot patch into the hole, they do it the RIGHT way!

I won't even comment on European drivers as opposed to American drivers. Sometimes I think most American drivers got their driver's license in a Wal-Mart.

I got mine at Brookstone (sniff sniff) smile :)

Regards, Ted

--
"You can't get there from here"

agree

TMK wrote:

Maybe we should require a special license to be on the Interstates and then you wouldn't have left lane bandits ruining travel for everyone else! I drive ALOT and the most road rage and "weaving in and out" I see is caused by drivers who will not get out of the way and use the left lane for cruising, rather than passing...I have no beef with people driving at a slower speed if that is all they are capable of doing but they should stay right or get the heck off the interstates!

Regards, Ted

This is a great point and I totally agree. The driving requirements are different on the interstates. The fact that the very name is INTER-STATE should indicate to people that it is a high speed transit road they are on for covering long distances. All driving on the interstate system needs to be taylored to maintain higher speeds safely.

The left-lane bandits drive me nuts and cause more problems than anything. They are just driving blissfully along, with a long line of cars trying to get by. There should be at least more road signs reminding people to stay right unless passing, or a ticket will be issued.

I don't think it's unreasonable to have higher driving requirements for interstate-travel.

Another thing to note is that I would feel much safer in my car at 90mph than I would in something like a Semi, a pickup, an SUV, or even a typical family car going 75-80mph in a "panic" situation.

Too funny!

JSFJr wrote:

Sometimes I think most American drivers got their driver's license in a Wal-Mart.

Ha, ha! There's actually a DMV branch in one of our local China-Marts. No kidding!

--
Newest to oldest... Nüvi 660, Street Pilot 2720, Magellan SporTrak Pro, Lowrance Global Map 100

AH-HA!

Obviously, some shoppers got licensed by mistake... Or maybe on purpose.

I remember, years ago, (again!) renewing my driver's license when I lived in Georgia, watching a lady (sorry girls!) attempting to parallel park, part of the test. Must've taken her 10 tries, at which point she wound up parked with one rear tire up on the curb. Minutes later, she came out of the DMV office, hoisting her new license in the air, "I got it, I got it!"

God help us.

--
John - with a Garmin 650 and a 750