Tips on completing the Long Haul

[a_d_a_m]

Might be a dumb question, but figured I'd ask anyway as this will be my first attempt at the Long Haul.

I'd heard a couple horror stories in 2014 about people not leaving their hotels early enough, and having to break some speed limits to make it to the next venue, only to get stuck in traffic and almost miss out on checking in entirely.

Is this still par for the course? This is going to be my big vacation next year, and I really don't want to make it WORK...you know? Is it better to abandon the 'official' route altogether and just drive the most direct route? I really would prefer to not do that every day...

[smalblock]

My wife and I leave around 7:30-8:00 AM, drive less than the speed limit and in 14 years, we have never been late. The reason we drive slower is to let others pass us and we admire their cars from the comfort of our A/C and not walking around in the heat.

[mike327]

If you bypass the route you are bypassing all the fun. Remember its the whole experience not the destination.

[a_d_a_m]

I guess an easy way to get the answer I'm looking for is: does anyone know what time they usually stop taking check-ins?

[cstmwgn]

Typically somewhere between 5:00pm and 6:00pm
IF you drive the speed limit or there abouts and leave at a reasonably early time - say before 9:00am in the mornings you will have to work very hard to be late barring no vehicle issues. Like Jack, we have been doing PT for 12 years and the only time I have missed a venue was when I had mechanical issues. When that happens give your credentials to a friend so that you can have them punch them and pickup your sway.

[a_d_a_m]

Gotcha - I think that's more the info I was looking for. 5 or 6pm is totally do-able.
Looking at the cities, I think the only one that will be questionable is the run from Atlanta to Darlington.
Thankfully, we opted to stay about an hour east of AMS so we'll have a nice little head start that day.


Thanks for the info, y'all.

[67 Malibu]

Typically somewhere between 5:00pm and 6:00pm
IF you drive the speed limit or there abouts and leave at a reasonably early time - say before 9:00am in the mornings you will have to work very hard to be late barring no vehicle issues. Like Jack, we have been doing PT for 12 years and the only time I have missed a venue was when I had mechanical issues. When that happens give your credentials to a friend so that you can have them punch them and pickup your sway.

Hey Allen - Take a second & tell us all you know about driving the speed limit.

[silver_bullet]

Now you had to go "there".......

[cstmwgn]

Hey Allen - Take a second & tell us all you know about driving the speed limit.

Come on now - I did say IF!

[Damon23]

I missed Houston in '16 totally and just double stamped the next day. No one checks the days just the amount of stamps. People put too much thought into this trip. Go, have fun and enjoy the ride.

[stu yoakam]

The time clocks are all set to random times anyway.

[Jesse James 80]

I usually spend Saturday looking over the vendor area/stuff pretty well... after that... it's the same stuff all week. Hot Rod might keep the clocks out until 5-6, but if you want to collect the daily magnets (I have all mine on the garage freezer, I like collecting them all) the vendors start packing up around 4:30. After Saturday I usually only hit the venue area for the stamp and my magnets. The rest of the week I watch the racing, watch cars roll in/out, or if it is as hot as the blazing fires of hell, it might be back to the hotel.

If you leave your hotel around 7:30-8 not only will you have plenty of time (barring a break down) but we normally stop for lunch or some other excursion and still make the venue by 3 ish most days. You also have to know your surroundings. We did leave a lot earlier (like 7am) on a couple of the days in TX in 2015 because we wanted to "beat" the morning traffic in Houston and a couple other large cities. Check google maps or other apps for construction and pay attention to if you're going to be going through a big city at lunch time, etc. and you should be fine.

Don't stress about the clock, if you miss a day, just double stamp. Don't miss the whole week and stamp them all at once, that may be too obvious. I would think that as long as you had a correct first day and last day stamp, you have enough of a valid argument to get your metal signs (not that anyone has ever actually checked mine other than to glance to see that all the slots are full).

Driving around with the huge group of hot rods is one of the best parts. So is driving through the small towns and seeing all the people outside waving. My horn got more use in one week than it probably had it's entire 50+ year history.

[mike327]

I just follow some old guys around and have a blast!

[pintoboy77]

Just follow and old guy in a black and silver Ford wagon. If you can!!!

[george1861]

If you bypass the route you are bypassing all the fun. Remember its the whole experience not the destination.

bingo on that!