Driving across the country for the first time

killabees

killabees

Active member
Later this week I am taking my dog across country from Massachusetts to Oregon to visit with friends and look for studio/housing space. This will be my first drive across country/driving more than 12 hours straight and i'm wondering if anyone has solid advice to help with my trip. How long should I drive a day? Where should I stop along the way? I am an oil painter and I enjoy photography and am looking to find motivation along the way. So anywhere that sparks your interest probably sparks mine, urban or rural.

What are your experiences driving across country?
 
13637835:daOyster said:
Nah, that'll just weigh your car down more and ruin it's efficiency.
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You're greatest fuel economy is right before you run out. Just keep stopping to fill up a quarter tank.
 
13637838:ianrich511 said:
You're greatest fuel economy is right before you run out. Just keep stopping to fill up a quarter tank.
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And remember, if you run out Gatorade is pretty much gasoline, it's a useful environmentally friendly substitute.
 
Running out of gas isn't fun.

Personally I try to do as much of the drive as I can during the day, hitting animals at night is bad, just ask Troy.

I like to go about 150-200 miles at a time before stopping.

More than 14 hours in a day sucks ass.

Sunflower seeds are great, just engaging enough to keep you awake.

Lots of podcasts.
 
What route are you taking? Over winter break I went from NY to Chicago to Omaha To Denver to Zion NP to Vegas to San Fran so if you have any questions about those cities I can try and answer, if you are finishing in Oregon though you will probably head more north after Chicago, Chicago was an awesome city though, you should spend a night there and check it out
 
I'd recommend heading north after Chicago in order to hit south dakota, WY, and ID instead of nebraska and Iowa. Check out the Black hills, Devils Tower, then either Yellowstone and/or Tetons, Then most of Idaho is cool.
 
13638085:Sklar said:
Running out of gas isn't fun.

Personally I try to do as much of the drive as I can during the day, hitting animals at night is bad, just ask Troy.

I like to go about 150-200 miles at a time before stopping.

More than 14 hours in a day sucks ass.

Sunflower seeds are great, just engaging enough to keep you awake.

Lots of podcasts.
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I was thinking pretty much Npr (radiolab/this American life) solid advice thank you

.

13638100:607. said:
What route are you taking? Over winter break I went from NY to Chicago to Omaha To Denver to Zion NP to Vegas to San Fran so if you have any questions about those cities I can try and answer, if you are finishing in Oregon though you will probably head more north after Chicago, Chicago was an awesome city though, you should spend a night there and check it out
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It is possible I might be stopping in reno, no real route yet.

13638137:patagonialuke said:
I'd recommend heading north after Chicago in order to hit south dakota, WY, and ID instead of nebraska and Iowa. Check out the Black hills, Devils Tower, then either Yellowstone and/or Tetons, Then most of Idaho is cool.
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weather permitting, I will take the northern pass.
 
13638137:patagonialuke said:
I'd recommend heading north after Chicago in order to hit south dakota, WY, and ID instead of nebraska and Iowa. Check out the Black hills, Devils Tower, then either Yellowstone and/or Tetons, Then most of Idaho is cool.
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i drove from san diego to ontario canada, dedils tower is pretty neat, and the tetons were amazing to see. go to blue earth minnesota to see the jolly green giant lol. the badlans are another great place to see!
 
Are you on a tight timeline or can you take your time? I would recommend taking your time, especially if its your first time so you don't just blow past thousands of miles of cool shit.

The most I've done in a day is 16-17 hours before I had to switch out. Shit blows. If you can do it with people, I would highly recommend it. Plan to do 200-300 miles a day. You can do more, but once you start doing 500+ miles a day, for extended periods of time, it will not be fun haha.
 
I drove from south FL to WA and back twice in the last 2 years. The first time I tried to cover as much ground as possible in as little time as possible, so I was driving 12+ hours a day. That fucking sucks, I don't recommend doing that at all.

Keep in mind that driving is actually really exhausting, it seems like you're just sitting in one spot the whole day so you can go forever, but your brain is constantly paying attention and it does take its toll. Plan out your days on google maps, they have very good time estimates. Now when I drive, I try to do no more than 8 hours unless I'm feeling really good at the end of the day, then I will drive another hour or so. It really depends on my next suggestion...

Trying to find a hotel or something in a foreign city sucks at night, a lot of the random towns you go through are horribly lit. If you're driving solo, I always try to get a hotel before it starts getting dark, unless I'm already in a big city... like trying to find a place to stay in Denver or Albuquerque isn't bad at all at night. Just something to keep in mind.

Also factor in your breaks. I usually stop once in the morning (10am or so), once at lunch, and then drive until dinner/hotel, or take a break around 3pm and drive longer/stop later, based on how im feeling. If you stop 3-4x for 15 mins each, you're adding another hour to the trip, so factor that in to when you plan on stopping for the day.

tl;dr plan your route out, if you keep it under 7-9 hours a day you probably won't hate your life.

Enjoy the scenery, it can be fun-ish your first time driving across the country, there's some beautiful parts of the country once you get through the shitty middle part.
 
trying to make the trip as fast as possible. I am going to have to walk my dog a ton during my travels at least an hour a day, so neat places are a must. what is it a three day trip at 12-14 hours a day?
 
13638514:killabees said:
trying to make the trip as fast as possible. I am going to have to walk my dog a ton during my travels at least an hour a day, so neat places are a must. what is it a three day trip at 12-14 hours a day?
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when i drove, i did some days at 15-16 hours, its not fun and hard to stay awake but you can make great time. sing along to the radio, chew gum and keep your mind stimulated.
 
13638514:killabees said:
trying to make the trip as fast as possible. I am going to have to walk my dog a ton during my travels at least an hour a day, so neat places are a must. what is it a three day trip at 12-14 hours a day?
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when i drove, i did some days at 15-16 hours, its not fun and hard to stay awake but you can make great time. sing along to the radio, chew gum and keep your mind stimulated.
 
13638514:killabees said:
trying to make the trip as fast as possible. I am going to have to walk my dog a ton during my travels at least an hour a day, so neat places are a must. what is it a three day trip at 12-14 hours a day?
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Probably more like 5 days. I've done Maine to California 7 times, would highly recommend going 90 to Chicago and spending a day there. The waterfront on Lake Michigan is awesome and theres tons of free stuff to do in Chicago, most notably the zoo. The coolest/quickest drive would be driving out 80 after Chicago and checking out CO and SLC ski areas, then through Tahoe to San Fran and up route 101 through the redwoods to Oregon. Would be way cooler than going straight through cheyenne to Boise and would probably only be 10 extra hours of driving time, although its cool to do either route once. Plus once you get to Denver its a easy day drive to SLC, and then an easy day drive to Tahoe/San Fran. Then you drive up to Arcata and spend a night then its a nice drive through the redwoods up to Oregon.

Let me know if you have any questions though i've done most routes including straight from mt. hood to boston.
 
I moved from Nj to Oregon and drove the whole way. If I was driving, I would have just went throught the night, selpt in the car, and picked up where I left off. Since my dad was driving, we did 9 hour days and stopped at Motel 6s along the way. Also, If i were you, id just hit up every good ski mountain along the way and just take the whole trip by stride with no agenda.
 
13638085:Sklar said:
I like to go about 150-200 miles at a time before stopping.

More than 14 hours in a day sucks ass.
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that's like 3 hours max.

The good thing about the interstates are plenty of places to stop and take a nap if you get tired.

Could bring a tent and camp, but that might require paying a bit more attention to your route. If you're going to get a hotel room for the night, it's best to do so before 1am imo so you actually are getting your money's worth,

Watch your caffeine intake at first. If you're trying to drive long distance, you want to pace yourself. If you start shotgunning rebulls in the first hour you're not going to do so well.

Try to get through areas that might have shit traffic at night. Cinci or whatever city that is in Ohio on 90 can be kind of meh. Other than that you probably won't have too many problems for traffic areas other than the random whatever.

Idk, driving across the country is fun. It gets old but it's still fun. I did 55k miles in the last year between my 2 suby's.

Watch your speed. Nothing to ruin your day like a speeding ticket. Pay attention, there are lots of ignorant fucks out on the roads not paying attention. Don't be one, and definitely watch out for them. If you feel yourself getting to tired to drive, pull over and catch some zzz's, even if it's just in the car because there aren't any hotels nearby.

A 24 pack of water and a couple 12 packs of mtn dew never hurt. Also some snacks if you like to much on stuff. I usually keep a bunch of gum as well.

The last time I drove out west I went from northeast NY to Denver straight in 25-26 hours. Honestly I'm generally just trying to make decent time. I'll stop for this and that sometimes, do a hike etc, but I'm driving around too much to drag out the miles too far.

That said if this is a more special deal I'd drag it out a bit. Find some cool places to swim, maybe there are some backroads that are nice, some mtns to hike etc.
 
I've logged more than a few long distance road trips, several of which I've done solo. I've learned a few key lessons along the way.

Pack your own snacks, food and beverages. So many reasons why this is crucial, but I'll touch on a few. The cost effectiveness of not having to pay ridiculous amounts of money for something as simple as a bottle of water at some over traveled truck stop/gas station/casino/theme park/employment center of the neighboring five counties/etc. right off the highway will add up. It also serves as a way to keep somewhat of normal diet or food intake schedule in check as well.

It makes stops that much faster where you can get back on the road with less wandering the aisles of gas stations trying to find the cure for your road trip hunger pangs. Stopping for gas is exactly that, just gas. I'd stop at highway rest stops to hit the bathroom, eat a snack or lunch, stretch the legs, and walk the dog before jumping back on the road.

Forget paying for a hotel and just take small naps at highway rest stops. One trip I was on I drove over 20 hours straight only to find that every single hotel in a 50 mile stretch of the interstate was completely booked for some strange event I had never heard about. Exhausted and frustrated after nearly 1350 miles, I finally parked beneath a lamp post at a rest stop and was able to get a solid nap in before heading back out. Since then, I don't even bother getting a hotel unless I have to. You'd be surprised at how many people do the same, I've never been in a lot that didn't have at least 10 other vehicles all camped out for a bit.

Hand sanitizing lotion/hand wipes/toilet paper/paper towels/trash bags. You see where this is going. Better to be prepared when you're 100 miles from civilization than having to throw away your favorite underwear from not being able to hold in that questionable gas station roller dog.

And finally, don't set unrealistic mileage or destination goals if you don't have to. It's amazing how many miles you can tick off on the odometer when you're in the zone, but sometimes your body says it's time to stop driving. Best listen to it, for the sake of yourself and everyone else on the road. These are the times it's nice to stop and smell the proverbial roses.
 
13638137:patagonialuke said:
I'd recommend heading north after Chicago in order to hit south dakota, WY, and ID instead of nebraska and Iowa. Check out the Black hills, Devils Tower, then either Yellowstone and/or Tetons, Then most of Idaho is cool.
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This, but don't go too far north to where you get into north dakota. There is absolutely nothing interesting here till you reach the badlands. And even then it's only like 20 mins to pass through them. Then there's nothing again through Montana till you're well west of Billings. Stick to SD then WY and on.
 
13638085:Sklar said:
Running out of gas isn't fun.

Personally I try to do as much of the drive as I can during the day, hitting animals at night is bad, just ask Troy.

I like to go about 150-200 miles at a time before stopping.

More than 14 hours in a day sucks ass.

Sunflower seeds are great, just engaging enough to keep you awake.

Lots of podcasts.
Click to expand...

Yeah I smoked a deer once. $6000 damage, sucked. Idahooooooo hates Canada.
 
last time I drove cross country SLC->NH I slept in Lincoln, Nebraska then sent it all the way back home to NH only stopping for gas. Definitely wouldn't recommend it I was hallucinating by the time I hit Albany for the sunrise. Listen to your body when it's time to stop just do it, especially with a dog on board
 
13639348:ski.the.east said:
last time I drove cross country SLC->NH I slept in Lincoln, Nebraska then sent it all the way back home to NH only stopping for gas. Definitely wouldn't recommend it I was hallucinating by the time I hit Albany for the sunrise. Listen to your body when it's time to stop just do it, especially with a dog on board
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yeah last time i drove for 14 hours straight through the night I was straight hallucinating as the sun was rising. It was pretty scary honestly. I was happy to be home.
 
From someone who has made the drive almost a dozen times....

You're fucked. You will crash and you will die. DO NOT DO IT!

Stop in North Platte if you get the chance.
 
I did VT-CO over the summer:

1. Audiobooks - if you get into whatever the audiobook is about, you will actually want to keep driving to listen to it.

2. Already mentioned but sunflower seeds are great for staying awake

3. Doing more than 12 hours straight sucks but is totally doable, just make sure the minute you get tired/dazed, you pull over and power nap. Even 20 minutes can make a huge difference.

4. Taking your dog for walks will break up the monotony nicely

Definitely stop in Chicago. I did Burlington-Chicago in one day, which was brutal but getting that chunk of windy New England roads done is awesome, its straight pretty much across the entire midwest after that
 
I drove cross-country several times, and highly recommend it.

My tips:

Get off the interstate once you're west of Ohio, the state / US routes are nearly as fast.

Stop in the small towns, shop local, eat local, chat with the locals.

If I had my way, I'd go no more than 300 miles a day, which leaves time for photography, checking out the cities big and small. The Midwest is far more interesting than people admit, there's a bit of that myth / small town in everyone.

If you like national parks and such, buy a pass. Since you're headed to Oregon, places like the Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Crater Lake, etc. are along the way and well worth a stop.

My recommendations for places to stop, seeing that you're probably taking a northern route (aside from the parks above):

Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago, if you like architecture. Taliesin and Oak Park if you like Frank Lloyd Wright.

Mt. Rushmore and the Needles highway in SD, weather permitting.

T. Roosevelt National Park in ND, which is just off the interstate.

Devils Tower, WY.

Grand Teton, go ski a day in Jackson.

Craters of the Moon, ID.

Grand Coulee Dam.

Columbia River Gorge.

Bend, take the really lonely drive between Boise and Bend, it's some of the most isolated parts of the US right there.

McKenzie Pass (but it's probably closed this time of year).

Hell, even if you're headed to Portland, go all the way to the coast.

Have fun.
 
all went well. stopped in wy to ski with some friends. caught some rad pictures here and there. 14 hours a day isn't that difficult. Npr broadcast pretty much only chicago, boston, new york, and washington dc programs everywhere so it was never a dull moment.

Oregon is beautiful, but i would say Illinois, nebraska, and parts of iowa were terrible. Thanks for all the help!
 
If you are doing the usual 80-90 route and want a NICE hotel for the 60-70 usual rate in the middle stop in Lincoln NE or South Bend IN.

College towns with more hotels than they need (assuming you aren't passing through when Nebby or ND football are at home one of those 6 Saturdays a year) you'll see a 3 or 3.5 star at a good price and get a nice doubletree or hilton type hotel for what a motel costs.

You lose enough time stopping for gas, food, and to rest don't plan too many excursions just get where you are going in 3 days. 2 days hardcore driving 24 hours bullshit time. If you don't set to this it will take a week.

GL.
 
Me and my buddy drove 24 hours straight a few times, its fun.. Basically only stopping to eat food, destroy toilets, and get gas.

We just did drive until you're tired, then swap. I found eating trail mix helps keep me mentally awake cause you get zoned out after cruising on the interstate for awhile.

My dad likes to mix 5hour energy and OJ for the long hauls, I have yet to try that haha
 
13650266:killabees said:
all went well. stopped in wy to ski with some friends. caught some rad pictures here and there. 14 hours a day isn't that difficult. Npr broadcast pretty much only chicago, boston, new york, and washington dc programs everywhere so it was never a dull moment.

Oregon is beautiful, but i would say Illinois, nebraska, and parts of iowa were terrible. Thanks for all the help!
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R u here now? If so good timing b/c winter is back.
 
Bump cause I don't wanna make a whole new thread but I have a couple questions haha

I'm driving from Western NY to Hood this summer by myself. I plan to go from:

Day 1: Orchard Park, NY - Omaha, NE (14.5 hours)

Day 2: Omaha, NE to just north of SLC (13.5 hours)

Day 3: SLC to Hood(11 hours)

That doesn't include stopping for gas or breaks or anything. Is that too much for one day especially since I won't have anyone to take turns driving with? Would it be better to add another day in there?
 
13638065:*DUMBCAN* said:
And remember, if you run out Gatorade is pretty much gasoline, it's a useful environmentally friendly substitute.
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I think you're thinking of brawndo, it's got what plants crave
 
I've never done that much but I've done a 24 hour drive a number of times.

- id shoot for a maximum of 12 hours each day, which isn't bad at all

- sunflower seeds are a great way to keep you occupied

- don't feel bad about stopping to take pictures,etc. it doesn't make much of a difference time wise in the long run and makes it way more enjoyable

- if youre in the middle of no where and might not see a town for a while, fill up frequently on gas. yeah youre milage is better when the tank is low, but there is nothing more stressful being almost out and not knowing where the next town is (I've made this mistake before. especially on long drives like this, you don't want more stress)

- podcasts or long mix tapes. if youre into it, i like to listen to the odesza no.sleep mixes when i do long drives
 
I know this is a long ways out but I've been planning a trip for summer 17 up to Gates of the Arctic from Minnesota. Anyone ever drive the Dalton, BC-97 or Yukon 1? Can a sedan make the trip in mid-summer?
 
13682308:Mingg said:
Bump cause I don't wanna make a whole new thread but I have a couple questions haha

I'm driving from Western NY to Hood this summer by myself. I plan to go from:

Day 1: Orchard Park, NY - Omaha, NE (14.5 hours)

Day 2: Omaha, NE to just north of SLC (13.5 hours)

Day 3: SLC to Hood(11 hours)

That doesn't include stopping for gas or breaks or anything. Is that too much for one day especially since I won't have anyone to take turns driving with? Would it be better to add another day in there?
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Definitely add another day. 14.5 and 13.5 back to back like that would absolutely kill.

I actually never stop for entire nights on long drives. I drove from Wisconsin to Washington last summer by driving like seven hours, pulled into a hotel parking lot to take a three hour nap in my car, woke up and drove until I was tired, took a nap. And repeat. That's a good plan, but it starts to mess with your head a bit when your sleep schedule is so wack.
 
My secret to long ass drives is stand up comedy on Pandora/YouTube. Except for that giant thing called the Midwest where no one has any data connection and there's nothing but a million miles of wheat in every direction. Make sure you are strategic about getting gas.
 
13682508:Sconnie said:
Definitely add another day. 14.5 and 13.5 back to back like that would absolutely kill.

I actually never stop for entire nights on long drives. I drove from Wisconsin to Washington last summer by driving like seven hours, pulled into a hotel parking lot to take a three hour nap in my car, woke up and drove until I was tired, took a nap. And repeat. That's a good plan, but it starts to mess with your head a bit when your sleep schedule is so wack.
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Good point. I mostly chose those places cause 1. I have family in Omaha that I could stay with overnight and save money. and 2, from Omaha to Hood there didn't seem to be any populated areas hahaha.

I actually found two friends who want to do the drive with me and then they're gonna fly back after a week. If we each take turns driving, does that make the drive more manageable for those hours? It's 40 hours total so we could also drive 10 hours for 4 days.
 
13682561:Mingg said:
I actually found two friends who want to do the drive with me and then they're gonna fly back after a week. If we each take turns driving, does that make the drive more manageable for those hours? It's 40 hours total so we could also drive 10 hours for 4 days.
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Yeah that would be a lot better, as long as you are able to sleep in a moving car. I have the inability to sleep when somebody else is driving. I might just be anxious or something, but its impossible for me to sleep.
 
13682308:Mingg said:
Bump cause I don't wanna make a whole new thread but I have a couple questions haha

I'm driving from Western NY to Hood this summer by myself. I plan to go from:

Day 1: Orchard Park, NY - Omaha, NE (14.5 hours)

Day 2: Omaha, NE to just north of SLC (13.5 hours)

Day 3: SLC to Hood(11 hours)

That doesn't include stopping for gas or breaks or anything. Is that too much for one day especially since I won't have anyone to take turns driving with? Would it be better to add another day in there?
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I'm doing a pretty similar drive in August. I'll be driving from Scranton, PA to Portland, OR. It is a 45 hour drive. I'll be doing the drive with my fiance. I'm not the best passenger, so she'll only drive an hour or two each day.

My plan is to do the drive over 4 days. I don't really plan on seeing anything as most of the drive looks to be pretty boring. I think for your drive which is a few hours shorter, I'd probably push it and do it in 3 days as well.
 
It all depends on you. I'm generally trying to get places so I like to make up time.

1. Make sure your care isn't fucked

2. Make sure your car isn't fucked

3. stock up on drinks and food as you go.

I would generally go easy on the caffeine at first. The later you use it the farther you'll be able to drive. Also take it easy.

Bring good music. Sometimes I also drive without music just in my head thinking and slam out some serious hours in thought.

If you're fucked and barely staying awake/ having micro sleeps pull over. A nap in your car is better than crashing. Good to have a couple of pillows and a sleeping bag in that case. Also if you know you're likely going to have to stop, slamming more caffeine right before is a waste and will make it harder to sleep well, and get back on the road. Keep an eye out for cheap hotels if you're on a budget.

Idk, I've done 34+ hour drives straight before. I drive a ton. I unreasonable though but it's whatever.

Be careful and have fun.

Don't do anything stupid in Ohio/Indiana.

Don't speed too much if you're trying to avoid getting fucked with.

Try to get passed some of the shitty traffic city regions late night to avoid delays.

Could take it slow, hit some back roads, do some camping, could do it balls to the wall cracked out of your mind and sending it, and anything in between.

Have fun, make the highway your bitch, don't crash.
 
13639493:skierman said:
From someone who has made the drive almost a dozen times....

You're fucked. You will crash and you will die. DO NOT DO IT!

Stop in North Platte if you get the chance.
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What's so special about north platte? I have been there once and it was pretty shitty
 
13689377:ski.the.east said:
you're joking right?
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I just meant like where we would stop time wise splitting it up between more days would have left us out in the middle of nowhere lol. I'm not going that way anymore though so it doesn't matter.
 
13689377:ski.the.east said:
you're joking right?
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13689459:Mingg said:
I just meant like where we would stop time wise splitting it up between more days would have left us out in the middle of nowhere lol. I'm not going that way anymore though so it doesn't matter.
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Salt lake city, boise, cheyenne, denver, dubois, jackson, bend. Theres lots lol.
 
I like staying in Baker City Oregon. Pretty cool little town and very inexpensive lodging even compared to other towns in Eastern Oregon. On the way home it makes for an easy 1/2 day drive to Hood or the Willamette Valley.
 
13689475:Chubz. said:
Salt lake city, boise, cheyenne, denver, dubois, jackson, bend. Theres lots lol.
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We aren't driving through any of those hahaha. But we have it figured out. It's all good
 
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