News Three Guys Attempt Record-Breaking Road Trip

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Three men are attempting to break the record for the fastest drive through all 48 contiguous U.S. states, currently set at five days and seven hours. Driving a Scion xB, they had already visited 27 states by Tuesday morning, with 21 states left to go. Their route spans from Vermont to Florida, then up to the Great Lakes, back down to the Southwest, and finally to Utah. The trip is expected to cover approximately 7,500 miles, consuming around 268 gallons of gas, costing nearly $1,000 at current fuel prices. Participants in the discussion express curiosity about the logistics of such a trip, including the challenges of long hours in a car and the potential for unpleasant odors. There are also reflections on how costs have increased over the years, noting that similar trips were significantly cheaper a decade ago.
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Road-Trippers Confident They'll Set Record
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90245843
Morning Edition, May 7, 2008 · Three guys are driving across the country in an attempt to break a record for traveling through all 48 contiguous states. The current record is five days and seven hours.

. . . .

The men are driving a Scion xB and by Tuesday morning had hit 27 states, with 21 remaining.

The plan — a route from Vermont all the way south to Florida, up to the Great Lakes and back down to the Southwest before rounding up to Utah . . .

http://greatamericanroadtrip.us/

If you're young, single and have time on your hands . . .
 
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If i had the funds and the time i would take a year out to tour the US, i have plenty of internet
mates that share my love of old Britbikes over there, what a year that would be.
 
I wonder when the previous record was set and what the speed limits were then? Raised speed limits certainly could help. I wonder what they plan for the return trip. I could never do a trip like that...I need to stop for too many potty breaks. :rolleyes:
 
Moonbear said:
I wonder when the previous record was set and what the speed limits were then? Raised speed limits certainly could help. I wonder what they plan for the return trip. I could never do a trip like that...I need to stop for too many potty breaks. :rolleyes:

Just use one of those special little bags.
 
_Muddy_ said:
Just use one of those special little bags.

I'm kind of thinking the guys on this road trip will be spending the week after they return getting the car detailed to get rid of all the odors that a group of guys trapped in a car together for 5 days straight without stops other than for gas can emit (I guess they will fuel the car and empty the bottles at the same time?) That, or watch for the car to appear on eBay.
 
I worked with an engineer from overseas who was visiting the US on behalf of his company. They paid for him to spend several months in the US for training. His family joined him for several weeks. Toward the end of his term, he went on a two week vacation, in which he rented a car with unilimited milage. He then drove around the US and put about 11,000 to 12,000 miles on the car. I would have loved to seen faces on the agents when he returned the car. :smile:
 
The website states they'll end up covering 7,500 miles by the end of it. If that's true, with the Scion XB's getting about 28mpg hwy, they'll end up consuming ~268gal of gas and spending almost right at $1,000! Thats assuming an average of $3.75 a gallon, though.

It's sad to think that barely ten years ago the same trip would have cost only ~$300. Even less than that if they were driving, say, an '88 base model Civic hatchback
 

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