This is admittedly the worst advice you'll get, but I tend to do one thing
to keep me alert when driving the 15 or so hours from Denver to Shreveport
(where my parents live.)

I chain smoke and drink Diet Cokes like a fiend.  I also do a good stretch
and walk around a truckstop every four hours or so.

Also, I have an Ipod with 10,000 songs so that I can address any mood with
music.  I never listen to talk radio or books on tape because they make me
drowsy.

If I'm with the wife and kids, I have a nicotine patch on, the girls watch
DVD's, and we split the trip into two days.

Joe T.

On Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 3:47 AM, Joy Hecht <jhecht@alum.mit.edu> wrote:

> On Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 1:31 AM, Richard Golen <rgolen@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Good Evening!
> >
> >
> > My wife, son and I are going to take our Westy on a road trip next week
> > from our house (south of Boston) to Sarasota, FL. It appears to be a 24
> hour
> > trip. My wife thinks it would be neat to making the trip non-stop (other
> > than gas, food, etc.).
> >
> > Admittedly some 25+ years ago I would do this at a drop of the proverbial
> > drop of the hat, and in fact have done it a couple of times. But being an
> > "old fart" I have some trepidations in doing a straight through drive. My
> > endurance, eye sight, etc. ain't what it used to be.
> >
> > The plan is to leave next Friday at 6pm drive through the night and
> arrive
> > early Sat evening.
> >
> > Any hints, suggestions, etc?   Red Bull? "speedballs"? espresso?   3 hrs
> > driving, 3hrs off??
> >
> >
> Yeah, why on earth would you want to do that?
>
> Or if you insist on it, six-hour shifts, one sleeps while another drives?
> Is your son of driving age?  With three drivers, it shouldn't actually be
> that big a deal.
>
> But I'd suggest you find some nice vanagonauts in, say, Virginia, and stop
> at their place en route, go out for dinner, enjoy their company, sleep
> soundly in your van in the driveway, in the morning have a shower and a
> nice
> breakfast, and then continue on your way.  Reverse the procedure on the way
> home.  Consider their company one of the nicer parts of your trip.
>
>
>
>
> Joy
>