Several yrs ago, in May, I drove from Denver, Colorado, to San Jose, California, in 2 days.
This November, I need to drive, from San Jose to Fort Collins, in a 1st gen Chevy Volt. Should I plan for 3 days?
Tips on good but inexpensive hotels around Winnemucca, NV, Salt Lake City, UT assuming 3 day trip?
Any other tips? Tips for the Volt?
Have the vehicle inspected thoroughly (brakes, steering and suspension, tires, alignment–checked and corrected if needed, etc etc) before the long trip…
As someone that worked at a shop right off 2 interstates (I65/I40) and close to another (I24) for many years, I have seen hundreds maybe thousands of out of towners passing through breaking down from this that or the other…
Lots of I thought my tires, or brakes, or ball joints, or whatever were good, and wasn’t…
Google is your friend. The chance anyone from those places seeing your post is really low.
Thanks @davesmopar
This is a 1220 mile trip in Nov. Would u do it in 2 or 3 days assuming there is no restrictions?
Wouldn’t it make more sense to use sites such as Trivago, Expedia, or Hotels.com for a thorough hotel/motel search?
Only you can know how many hours on the road you can handle. There was a time when I could have made that in a day and a half. Now it is 2 full days at least.
I used to do a trip like that in one long day…but I am older now!
600 odd miles per day is pretty easy driving on an interstate especially if you have 2 drivers.
The Volt is essentially a hybrid no matter what GM insisted so you will have gas stops, not long charge stops, like any other ICE vehicle.
Compared to May, this is Nov - so shorter day time - besides potential snow…
Hence I posted this here.
BTW, I figured hotels on Goog - there is a casino too
As Mr Volvo said, only you know what your daily driving limit is…
I can’t tell you what to do, but if it was me making that drive by myself, I would try to make it in 2 days if it was a business type trip, if it was a vacation type trip and I had a couple weeks for the trip, then I would take 3 or 4 days and enjoy the views (if any) a little more…
I agree with Mr VDCdriver, check travel sights to help plan out your drive… Check rest stops as you get close to your overnight stay to look for coupons and any entertainment you may be interested in for that evening…
Now if you will have another driver riding with you, then y’all could swap out driving and make it in one day…
Back in 1970, I drove from NJ to Daytona Beach with a couple of friends, so switching back & forth between drivers allowed us to go non-stop (except for gas & restroom breaks). On the final leg of our return to NJ, I was dozing when I was suddenly awakened by the sound of a lot of gravel hitting the right side of the car. I asked the driver what had happened, and he told me that, “everything is okay because I woke up when we drifted onto the gravel shoulder”. 
Even with multiple drivers and naps, driving straight-through can sometimes be dangerous.
About 5ish years ago, my daughter and her best friend at the time drove from Nashville to Los Angeles in 2 days, they did stop off (somewhere) in Texas at a family members house for the night… They drove straight through on the return trip, they would swap driving at every gas fill up…
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Gotta know your limitations. Ive driven 800 miles in a day, but 400 is more my speed now. I also remember we flew into denver for a wedding one weekend in esrly october. As we left wth the rental car he said youd better get out of here as soon as you can sunday before the storm hits. We made it but just before the storm shut everything down in october. Good luck to ya sll.
@ 80 mph, that is only 5 hours. That is while driving the speed limit, people feel they need to drive 10 mph over the speed limit in the interest of safety.
No matter how hard i try i fugure an average of 50 mph whetherbi drive 70 or 80 with eating and breaks. So 12 hours for 800 miles with a time change. Flying is not much better with airport times, rental car return, and long term lot. Just saying colorado is tricky like california.
If you see this. I use duck duck go on an iPad, an IPhone should allow you to download it, I don’t know, my phone is Samsung.
For me, 600 miles is generally my limit, and I’m driving with one or more dogs, so rest stops are longer​
For me, that drive would take about 2 weeks, at least. Not because I can’t drive 600+ miles per day but because Utah is my favorite state to vacation in. I’d go through Yosemite, visit Mono Lake, then down to Death Valley, up to Great Basin, on to Zion, then up to Bryce Canyon, follow Scenic Rt 12 to Willis Canyon, some of the slot canyons off Hole in the Wall Rd just outside Escalante, stop for coffee at Kiva Koffee House, then Lower Calf Creek Falls. I would be tempted to take the Burr Trail from Boulder City but not in a Volt, just stay on SR 12 to Capitol Reef and follow the paved part of the road down the Water Pocket fold. Then up to I-70E to exit 204, Hi 128 to Moab follows the Colorado River and is almost as scenic as SR-12 (BTW both are more scenic than Big Sur). Visit Arches NP and especially do Delicate Arch at sunset (bring flashlight or headlamp). If conditions are right, this will take your breath away. In Moab, eat at the Sunset Grill. The motel just below the grill is the lowest cost Motel in Moab and still pretty clean. Then south out of Moab to Monticello, 491 to Cortez and visit Mesa Verde and finally make your way to Ft Collins. You could go back to 70 from Moab and skip Mesa Verde as that is a long way out of the way.
This is why I like a car that will brake on its own if it sees a danger in front - it saved me once on a rental. My own nicer cars don’t have these features unfortunately, except kid’s.
I kind of agree with @bing
One option is to start early like 5am - then by 10am you prob would have done half the journey. Maybe this is my takeaway - make it into 2 days but start early at 5 or 6am. Then I could finish in 2 days despite being Nov. Maybe then 80mph till 10am. After a break, it will be 55mph as everyone is sharing the road coupled with sun heat.
If I start 9am I prob can only do 450miles and it will be very tiring at the end of the trip.