The 1000-Mile Day: A Transit of Mojave and Great Basin

[MarkBC]

Yesterday, in my car. 1008 miles according to my odometer, and the time came out very close to the Maps estimate of 16 hours.



I drove through a great diversity of desert terrain. I saw a roadrunner in the Mojave and a pronghorn in the Great Basin of central Nevada and a coyote in the Great Basin of southeast Oregon.

No, I guess this isn't a proper trip report -- not a proper trip. No camping and not done with my camper. But I wanted to document it nevertheless.

Ever since I drove ~940 miles in a day, driving home from central Wyoming after the 2017 total solar eclipse, I thought that 1000 miles in a day would be a nice round number to hit. Yesterday the opportunity presented itself. Now my quest is complete.

 

[PaulT]

Yeah, perhaps. Did you compensate for the effect of tire wear on your odometer?
A one % error could put you below that milestone. Better run it again with the camper to be sure.

I used to run long days but these days staying awake and safe for that long would be a challenge.

1008 miles without smelling wood smoke. Quite a sacrifice, I'd say.

Paul

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Mark, you’re a brave man... and slightly crazy. I’d fight a man all day long before doing that.

 

[ski3pin]

You are a brave man and I quest I'd never want to duplicate - but I have, many times, in a far distant life I no longer remember. Chalk it up on the record books and enjoy. Nice route through the middle of Nevada, by the way.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Wow Mark that's a good drive.
Like Ski in a "past "life I also made 2 super long day trips.
Bermmerton Wa to Salinas Ca.about 14 hours.
In a brand new, almost the first one on the road ,1967 Mustang GT.
That's when I5 was just being built through Ca but finished
through Oregon.

Did you hit DV at the 127* temp yesterday?

I bet it's nice to be home.
Thanks for the report.
Frank

 

[MarkBC]

My only regret was that I wasted all those decades as a research chemical engineer... when my true calling was obviously long-haul OTR trucker.

.................................................................................

Frank, I didn't really go through Death Valley -- just skirted the eastern fringe on 127.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Mark maybe in a past life you were a OTR trucker.
Frank

 

[lmwilco1]

Ironman for sure, I find about 600 miles is as much as I want to drive in a day.

 

[slash2]

I did sort of the motorcycle equivalent back in the day, a little under 500 miles from Half Moon Bay to a tiny town called Orovada in northern Nevada on a '79 Harley Low Rider with no windshield or helmet. I was headed home to Idaho after a month of wandering around Utah, Arizona and southern California on the bike.

I thought I was hallucinating towards the end of the ride when I saw a bunch of little green lights floating above the road in the dark coming towards me. It was only at the last moment that I realized they were coyotes in the middle of the road. I somehow managed to dodge through them without hitting one.

A short time later I arrived at my buddy’s father-in-law’s ranch where I had arranged to crash for the night. He was waiting for me when I pulled up holding a bottle of Black Berry Brandy and his Big ‘Ol ranchers paw extended out for a hand shake.

At that point I could barely open my hand from gripping the throttle all day, let alone give a good showing for myself with a firm handshake, so I just stuck out my arm and gritted my teeth while he crushed my hand like a limp rag.

The long pull on the Black Berry Brandy was heaven after that day.

 

[LuckyDan]

An epic drive for sure. Hopefully you were able to maximize the daylight hours to truly take in all the surroundings had to offer. At least what you could take in while driving.

Congratulations.

 

[MarkBC]

An epic drive for sure. Hopefully you were able to maximize the daylight hours to truly take in all the surroundings had to offer. At least what you could take in while driving.

Congratulations.

Yep, it was daylight, visible most of the way - twilight as I dropped down into the Warner Lakes Valley.
The whole route is familiar territory to me - especially the northern half, but I don't get tired of seeing it.

... And it's WAAAYYY more interesting than US 97 and I-5 - which how I got to SoCal.

 

[CoreyTrevor]

Not with a FWC or even a FWV (four wheeled vehicle), I did a 1030 mile day in 2003 on a R1150GS, from Fredericksburg, Tx to somewhere west of Phoenix. It was about a 14 hour trip, 80-85mph all day on I10. I was trying to get home to the Central Ca coast in 2 days.

I doubt I will ever subject myself to a day like that again, but it seems to be popular with streetbike riders to do big mile or multiple big mile days. I just wanted to get off the stinkin' freeway and be home!

 

[billharr]

When I had my 2012 BMW K1600GT that was just getting the day started. Still do 400+ as a nice day ride on my 2020 BMW S1000XR.

Just an old may with saddlebags.

I did sort of the motorcycle equivalent back in the day, a little under 500 miles from Half Moon Bay to a tiny town called Orovada in northern Nevada on a '79 Harley Low Rider with no windshield or helmet. I was headed home to Idaho after a month of wandering around Utah, Arizona and southern California on the bike.

..........