We have both a convertible and a Tesla. Can enjoy them in shorter than 6 hr drives!
I grew up going on long car rides to visit my parents’ families (one side was in Boston and the other in Cleveland with my family in DC area). We almost always traveled by car rather than train or plane. We drove to Minneapolis to visit former neighbors and one summer, my mom drove me and my siblings to visit her sister in Missouri. My father actually bought her a CB radio that we had a ton of fun using. As a result, I never minded being in a car and when I was old enough to drive, began taking solo trips. In college, I regularly drove solo back and forth from MD up to NY, CT and Boston to visit my college roommates in the summers then after college, I drove often b/w NYC where I lived, to MD to see my family. Later while dating dh, on several occasions, I drove alone from MD to Maine where he was stationed, all prior to cell phones. Together, while engaged, dh and I spent three weeks driving from CA to MD. That was different, obviously, b/c I wasn’t alone.
Dh and I still take a lot of driving vacations with our own kids, up and down the east and west coasts. However, dh does most of the driving and I’ve gotten so used to it (I love being able to read with abandon!). Now I find that when I drive more than an hour, I easily get very tired (I’m 50). I sometimes am exhausted even driving two hours to the beach! Earlier this summer, while dh was traveling, I took two of my kids on a 6hr trip. They were happily ensconced in their phones/iPads, so I might as well have been alone. I did not enjoy the drive-lots of heavy rain and, I was tired! I had to stop several times to get out, walk around, go to bathroom sort of wake myself up. In my younger days, I would go as far as possible without stopping. Two things that help me on longer drives…listening to an engaging, entertaining audiobook and eating something chewy. Aside from caffeine, I’ll buy a bag of something like gummy bears, M&Ms, etc - the process of chewing (actually ice works for me too) helps keep me from getting tired for some reason.
I have an excellent sense of direction so I have no problem at all driving in and around new places, esp with the invention of apps like Waze. I look at a map before I go to familiarize myself and rarely have a problem finding where I’m going. I’m not a big fan of driving in unfamiliar places in the dark due to night blindness, plus I get tired so easily!
I don’t mind checking into a hotel alone, or anything like that. Really if it weren’t for the fact that monotonous driving (basically long highway driving) makes me tired much more quickly, I don’t think I’d mind a long drive. Unless I had a specific reason to drive, if it was a drive that took days, I’d more than likely fly instead. Fortunately most places I regularly visit are near major airports.
@mathmom, I’m a DC area native (on the MD side) and even I hate driving the beltway. Thankfully I rarely have to, although just two weeks ago, I had to drive it in torrential rain that was so heavy, the beltway was actually flooded (cars coming to nearly a completely stop to pass through the high water). Did I mention it was also rush hour? And I absolutely HATE driving in No VA though. Fortunately now that my kids no longer play travel/club sports, I rarely have to go there either!
I admit, H loves driving and I’m generally the navigator because I do a much better job of navigating and he is a better driver. We generally do road trips together, so don’t have much experience driving any long distance alone. I do a lot of solo driving but not for long stretches and not in unfamiliar cities. I have an awful sense of direction so having google maps on my phone has been essential (and GPS before this).
I have always disliked driving in bad weather and on bad roads–rainy, dark, etc., are not my idea of a good time. H loves coastal roads, the more windy the better, as long as they are properly banked in the correct direction.
Bearing down on 60. I don’t like rural night driving because my night vision has deteriorated in recent years, but I am comfortable driving alone and checking into hotels alone. The only thing that’s really changed since my youth is that I now insist on a decent car and will not stay at sketchy hotels in the middle of nowhere.
I’m also more aware of fatigue now than when I was younger, and less willing to jack myself up with caffeine to push through it. Air travel exhausts me more than driving though. Way too much stress and way too many rules and timelines I can’t control. For trips to see kiddo at college, my flight often arrives late at night and then I have a 45-55 minute drive to the college town. On those occasions, I check into a hotel near the airport, get a good nights sleep, take a leisurely breakfast and drive out to the school refreshed.
I’m fine with traveling alone and checking into hotels alone and eating alone. We are picky about getting a good car and a good hotel close to where we want to be. H will reject many cars before he accepts the one we will rent, especially if the rental is for a week or longer. H is in his mid-70s and is still an excellent driver.
I’m 56 and still like to drive. We do 8 hours Philly to NC several times a year (1 in NC uni, 1 lives in Winston-Salem.) I did the trip once by myself within the last year, no issues. DH, however, would never do that. He is less tolerant of the long ride than me and does not have good night vision. I actually find flying to be more stressful, with timetables, security lines, unplanned delays of unknown lengths, figuring transportation to and from airports, trying to fit everything into a carry on so as not to pay for checked baggage, etc. And the total travel time isn’t a whole lot shorter. I’d rather jump in the car and just go, with whatever “what if” stuff I want to take with me! Having said that, driving in steady rain really stinks and does make me nervous.
I’ve always disliked long car trips whether driving or as a passenger. I’ve also got poor night vision so I try to avoid night driving unless it’s an area I’m very familiar with. I’m ok flying by myself, staying in a hotel, and eating out alone.
I’ve done some pretty long road trips. My favorite was a ten day one I did in 2008…it was so much fun. But the longest I drove in one day was six hours.
My family lives a nine hour drive away…and I prefer to fly if I’m traveling alone.
At one point, I wanted to write a book called “Road Trips for Women Over 55”…I might just do that!
I drive coast to coast every few years by myself no problems. I never liked night driving because you do not see anything. I hike along the way, and I dont have to compromise with the wishes or needs of others.
My mom is 78 and has driven herself from the Oregon coast down to So Cal twice in the last six months. She’s crazy though. Love her all the same :-*
Both of us now 65 plus. Still do road trips but will no longer drive those extra miles and pull into the motel late evenings. We (well, I) are not great morning risers to get going and tend to leave after rush hour for trips. Several years ago we did pull into our garage after 10 or later because we were motel weary but in general we pace ourselves a lot more now. There has to be justification for having our own car (and the extra stuff we throw in it) for choosing driving over flying. Typically after flights we will declare we’d rather drive and after driving we should just fly and rent a car. Recent trips were justified by stopping at several points along the way or having our car there.
None of this has been solo. The driver does get tired, especially with bad weather or traffic. We both get road weary.
I still drive faster but H is now going so much slower. Wonder how much I will change in the next three years? For a long time now when son visits he tells us we should have zipped into that traffic. We are less likely to than in the past.
We’ll see what happens but for a week or two trip ack to WI from FL I am really considering not doing a three day drive with a pit stop at his sister’s along the way. Have seen the same scenery too many times by now.
@jym626 – dang … where’s the I’m not worthy emoticon???
^:)^ There it is , @droppedit !
@droppedit - sent you a pm
Add me to those who love to travel alone. But I hate to drive. I would take a plane to an airport close to your mom and rent a car. You can build up points with the condo
I didn’t even like long drives when I was 30 @VaBluebird. Fortunately, mom (1921-2018) only lived 20 miles away, so a weekly visit to her in assisted living was not a big deal. Is she [or the place] capable of Skype or FaceTime?
Long drives make my back hurt, driving at night is tough on the eyes, flying is a royal pain. Get off my lawn!
Do you have alternative ways to get to your destination like airplane, bus, or train?>>>>>>>>>
OP here, yes, I could fly and rent a car.
I drive 6.5 hours to see my mom at least 4 times a year, usually alone. I actually prefer it to dealing with the airports on both ends and I have my car while I’m there. I’m 62.