What is the longest drive you can make from memory?

[BCRanger10]

What is the longest drive you can make from memory? How far can you travel without having to resort to Google Maps (or what ever other apps are out there)? How often do you make this trip? Do you ever get lost?

[Dragonpurple]

I can go places I have never been without using any maps by reading street signs and following directions. I do not even use GPS. I have driven from San Francisco to Wisconsin and back across North Dakota through all the upper states.

My generation has a way of giving directions that go something like this.

Go to this exit # turn right, go north about 10 miles, look for a red barn on the west side. The house just North of that is the place.

90% of the time it works great, the 10% when they didn't was cause someone painted that RED barn a different color or wasn't pay attention to signs.

[Red_Arrow]

When I was stationed in San Diego I would often make the drive to my parent's home in Northern Oregon. No problem at all. Also, after referring to maps the first time, I drove from Florida to Bath, Maine relying strictly on memory.

[BCRanger10]

Marines?

[Red_Arrow]

@BCRanger10 Navy

[TrueConfection]

I can drive west coast to east coast and vice versa without directions. However, finding a specific town or street is when I need directions. I got lost once after driving over 3,000 miles west to east (pre gps). I was given directions to where I needed to be, but the road names weren't listed and the person giving me directions was giviing me nicknames of the roads. I cried. 😂

[jennifer_bloom]

I do my drive but my dad can do a ten hour trip while only looking at the map twice to my uncles home or a one and a half hour trip while only looking at the map once to Niagara Falls.

[normalice]

In the US, once you know how interstates work, maps for most long distance driving becomes kind of moot.

[BCRanger10]

I'm tempted not to use GPS the next time I go to Chicago. I was pleasantly surprised this last trip about how simple it is.

[normalice]

Well, I mostly stay out of large cities. But most cities are set up for someone to be able to navigate without referencing a map, as long as you know where things are supposed to be relative to major landmarks. I just hate traffic so prefer to stay clear.

[WhiteSteve]

I had to drive all over New England and New York for my last job, so probably from here in the Boston area to the Price Rite supermarket in Cheekatowga, NY, near Buffalo. That’s a 7 hour drive or so. Wicked easy though, just get on the Mass Pike/I-90 and it’s a straight shot, the store isn’t far off the highway.

[FunkyMonkee]

From the Millcreek Mall in Erie to here, a little over 300 miles.

[BCRanger10]

Where is "here"?

[FunkyMonkee]

Lower Pa..

[BeMuse]

It depends on how much detail is involved, but it’s not uncommon for me to look at a map for 30 seconds and then drive 800 miles without needing to use GPS.

[SexyPetite]

My Dad and I both did an Iton Butt ride last year. That when a person rides a motorcycle for a 1,000 U. S. miles in just 24 hours. It was great. Although we couldn't see anything specific o to covid restrictions. We've got a list of places we want to take trips to that will take us 20 years to see all of them.

[MuddyMole]

It's only ever the first and last little bits that are tricky - you can't really get lost on a motorway network. I used to drive down to ski resorts in the French Alps (from southwest UK) pretty regularly, so I can do that without a map / satnav.
City driving on the other hand...

[MCheetah]

I'm not one of the bourgeoisie, rich enough to own and afford a car. But from bicycling experience and the few times I had to be designated driver for drunk friends, I'd say about an hour or so, or 35 miles. However, if it's a complicated route that requires lots of turns and such, then considerably less than that.

[AviatorTom]

I live about a 15 hour drive from my hometown, where I grew up. I've made the drive 4 times... long day. I have Google maps on my phone for assistance but I rarely use it... the drive is all on only four interstates. I've never gotten lost on this drive. Worst time was when a major accident closed the highway and I had to detour around it.

[andreasderjuengere]

In my experience, it's usually the last few kilometers that give us the problems. Long distance is a lot easier.
My ''inner map'' works well enough; except for Africa, I'd say.
But maps and also GPS are excellent tools.
Just saying: Going from Vancouver to Sothern Chile would not give me problems. But where the hack is the hotel that I booked in advance? :)

[andreasderjuengere]

A ''u'' went missing :D

[Anonymous]

as someone being you, who casted hypocritical commentary on a frivolous question a while ago-- i once asked as a veteran of the military.
so turn about is fair play i guess, do yo think people in third world countries have cars and worry about long drives, when struggling for food? i am sure you fast car driving as well right?

[BCRanger10]

I know who you are. I read your post.

I'll freely admit that my post was arguably out of proportion. It's not the first time I have, nor will it be the last, and nor am I the only one.

That said though, I'm not sure where the hypocrisy is in asking a question about knowledge and memory and also observing what I think can reasonably be considered a poor attitude about food in our culture, as well as the lack of prudence, patience, and discipline.

[Nightroads]

I did a nine hour trip between MS and SC a few dozen times. After the fourth or fifth time I stopped using gps.

[loves2learn]

Hmm. Approx 15 miles. I am terrible. Lmao. And some far shorter drives still require maps.

[HighValue]

I can make it from the Central Valley of California to Magic Mountain with no directions. It is simple though, just head south on 99 and there is a Magic Mountain exit sign even hundreds of miles away. :)

[OlderAndWiser]

I've driven from Belfast, Maine to Jacksonville, Florida without a map, GPS, or other navigational aid.

[WowwGirl]

Beautiful

[exitseven]

Just get on I-95 and keep going until You get to A1A.

[OlderAndWiser]

@exitseven That is the most direct route but there are other routes which are longer but quicker because of traffic conditions on I-95.

[exitseven]

yes, I remember taking a detour in North Carolina and saw a giant Ku Klux Klan sign by the side of the road.

[The_Maphio]

My orienteering skill is AWFUL. Thank goodness for GPS or I'd have had serious difficulties traveling in my professional life.

[exitseven]

I drove a lot before GPS was a thing. I made many interstate journeys from memory or maybe using something we called a roadmap.

[jshm2]

From my home to Belgium. Driven it enough times, could probably do it with one eye closed and a loud mouth American distracting me in the passenger seat.

[t-8900]

between my current address, traveling to previous, then traveling to previous of that it's 34 miles. So I'll go with like 35 miles.

[genericname85]

i don't know the kilometers exactly but i know it took 9 hours. in Europe, you get pretty damn far with that xD

[HellGeist]

I used to drive an hour to work every work day for several years so I had that memorized until recently when that company went under.

[Whatthefluff]

An hour and a half, tops.
But I am a new driver.

[Redstang88]

Does it count if you follow signs?

[BCRanger10]

Sure.

[Redstang88]

Well then probably Vancouver - winnipeg, done that drive a few times. It’s about 22 hours road time I think

[najekim]

Once I went from Kissimmee, FL up to Savannah, GA via highways then on to Wichita, KS in one drive. Took about 22 hours back when the freeway speed limit was 55mph and navigators were not around then.

[douride2]

I can drive from Toronto in Ontario to the west coast. That is about 2800 miles.

[WowwGirl]

To you🤣
Seriously though

[WowwGirl]

Or Oklahoma city

[BCRanger10]

🙌 it's pretty great here

[WowwGirl]

I-70

[Likes2drive]

From here (New York) to Florida to the town my dad lives in with out a map

[OddBeMe]

I can’t even get to QT without directions.