How should I get across the country?

[manlymatt83]

Hi all.

I'm pretty stressed out right now. I'm going through a rough time, plus trying to move, plus trying to get a lot of work done, lose weight, eat healthy, etc.

I need to be in San Francisco next Friday, October 2nd. Flying is not an option.

I was planning on taking Amtrak out and back, but with how stressed I am, I don't know if I could truly relax enough to sleep on the train and/or enjoy the experience.

I was thinking of renting a car - which actually isn't that bad, I found a place that will rent a month for $600. This would give me more control, and allow me to get to/from the places I want to go quicker.

I really want to take the train trip, but can't decide if I'm relaxed enough to do it. Then again, the car could get annoying after a while, but I can't decide how I feel.

Thoughts?

 

[zerocool84]

Run like Forrest Gump.

 

[sash1]

(timewarp - OP below)

 

[venkman]

Train, driving would be a lot more exhausting/stressful. Not to mention, probably a hella lot more expensive. Why is flying not an option?

 

[Kirby]

scared of planes?

 

[venkman]

Originally posted by: nkgreen
scared of planes?

get over it. Only way to break that fear is to go up on them. You are talking the difference between a five hour or a three day trip each way.

 

[quackerww]

I took a train across the country... Fun except for the stops.

 

[kindest]

be like megan fox and listen to britney spears while you fly.. theres no way you will die listening to britney spears.. thats her logic anyway.

 

[Zensal]

Drive, but avoid the interstates completely. Their is so much breathtaking country that no one ever sees. Enjoy yourself.

 

[miri]

if you like driving and have a reliable car its not to bad. Ive driven cross country 3 times, two of those with other people. Had a lot of fun when I was with others. When I drove alone I left San Diego monday morning and got to Richmond, VA Wednesday night. I would not drive 3000 miles as the only driver in less than 70 total hours again though as I almost fell asleep driving.

 

[Born2bwire]

Wait... you want to rent a car and drive it cross-country round trip? Good luck finding a place that will rent you a car anywhere near a decent price. They ain't going to lend you a car for $600 a month so that you can put on 6,000 miles on it.

Seriously, fly. Would be cheaper and faster than driving for that distance (even if you do own, I have no idea what you mean) and you won't have to try to bum a night's rest in a seat on the Amtrak. I drove from central IL to Portland OR in two days, to and from. Very grueling since I drove from 6-9 or more each day. You could take your time and add another day or two and do the drive in 4 or 5 days, but then you add a lot of costs for food and hotel stays. If it is a question of gas, I drive if I can do it in a day but otherwise I try to fly because once you start hitting up hotels it makes flying about the same price if you keep to major hubs.

 

[tasmanian]

Originally posted by: Born2bwire
Wait... you want to rent a car and drive it cross-country round trip? Good luck finding a place that will rent you a car anywhere near a decent price. They ain't going to lend you a car for $600 a month so that you can put on 6,000 miles on it.

Seriously, fly. Would be cheaper and faster than driving for that distance (even if you do own, I have no idea what you mean) and you won't have to try to bum a night's rest in a seat on the Amtrak. I drove from central IL to Portland OR in two days, to and from. Very grueling since I drove from 6-9 or more each day. You could take your time and add another day or two and do the drive in 4 or 5 days, but then you add a lot of costs for food and hotel stays. If it is a question of gas, I drive if I can do it in a day but otherwise I try to fly because once you start hitting up hotels it makes flying about the same price if you keep to major hubs.

Just take a car on a "test drive."

 

[Miramonti]

I'd enjoy taking a train with a private cabin. Done it once and found it very relaxing and peaceful.

 

[Jeff7181]

Somersault.

 

[Born2bwire]

Originally posted by: jjsole
I'd enjoy taking a train with a private cabin. Done it once and found it very relaxing and peaceful.

I have given that some thought myself but I always found the prices too high. Last I checked it was something like $900.

 

[Sea Moose]

Mr Garrisons "it"

 

[CRXican]

no very manly after all

 

[Epic Fail]

What did you do to get on the no fly list?

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: Zensal
Drive, but avoid the interstates completely. Their is so much breathtaking country that no one ever sees. Enjoy yourself.

Yea and take 3x as long to get there.

 

[irishScott]

Swim. By the time you reach Panama it should be winter up here, and by the time you get back around it should be spring/summer again.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: Born2bwire
Wait... you want to rent a car and drive it cross-country round trip? Good luck finding a place that will rent you a car anywhere near a decent price. They ain't going to lend you a car for $600 a month so that you can put on 6,000 miles on it.

What are you babbling about? If he returns the car to the location he rented it from and he gets unlimited mileage up front they won't have any choice in how many miles he puts on the car.

I have rented 2 cars just to take vacations with them. I had both for two weeks and each time I put 2500+ miles on them with no problems.

My buddy and I also rented a truck to haul my trailer to CA and back to pick up a car. The truck had 20 miles on it when we picked it up and 4200+ on it when we returned it 77 hours later. That was not a problem either.

 

[guyver01]

i drove from NYC to Colorado in 2 days... averaging 18 hours a day..
San Fran wouldnt be more than another day..

 

[Born2bwire]

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: Born2bwire
Wait... you want to rent a car and drive it cross-country round trip? Good luck finding a place that will rent you a car anywhere near a decent price. They ain't going to lend you a car for $600 a month so that you can put on 6,000 miles on it.

What are you babbling about? If he returns the car to the location he rented it from and he gets unlimited mileage up front they won't have any choice in how many miles he puts on the car.

I have rented 2 cars just to take vacations with them. I had both for two weeks and each time I put 2500+ miles on them with no problems.

My buddy and I also rented a truck to haul my trailer to CA and back to pick up a car. The truck had 20 miles on it when we picked it up and 4200+ on it when we returned it 77 hours later. That was not a problem either.

I said reasonable rates. He's talking about $600 for a month, going to San Francisco and back, and putting on at least 6,000 miles. Take a quick look at some of the mainstream companies.

Budget: at Boston for Oct. 10-Nov 10 costs $850 cheapest car plus $300 in fees (though $100 was airport since that's what I chose).

Enterprise: restricts it's free mileage to 150 a day (would only net him 4500 miles for the trip) and restricts the free mileage region to east of Mississippi and north of Kentucky. That costs $676 plus $375 for extra miles without considering the fact that he is leaving the area for the cheapest car they have.

Hertz: Unlimited but $1500.

I have a feeling if he reads the fine print on that offer he's talking about he is looking at more. Going with Budget, that's a grand for the car plus gas. I don't know what gas costs, but being generous with 30 mpg and $2.5/gal, that's another $500 for gas (probably realistically another $100-$200 on top of that for the round trip). Since it is a cross-country trip, he has to pay for meals and hotel lodgings. A fast trip would be 6 days roundtrip, four nights of hotels that's another $120 if he can stand the roaches.

If he wants a car, he would be better off renting it in San Fran, the costs of transporting the rental just to and from are huge (~$650 on the cheap plus food and any fine print in the agreement). If he is willing to go direct to California then I doubt he feels that he really needs the freedom of the car in between.

EDIT: Heck, he could probably use the money he would have spent on transporting the car to upgrade to a sleeper cabin now that I think about it.

 

[TurtleCrusher]

Train brah. You'll be able to tell us cool stories too.

 

[JD50]

Fly.