How long does it take to build up OTR stamina?

For me ill drive the #### out an 11. If I'm gunna get 700miles down the road I'll start with a good brakefast and hammer down. If i need miles that day I can't screw around. I eat pre trip and bolt. It's the sitting around that gets me.

 

OTR stamina? LOL
OTR is like retirement. Under most loads you can really stop whenever you want, take as long as you want, you'll have plenty of time if you aren't an idiot with your clock.

If you really want some stamina go for linehaul on a 600 mile bid with 4 hooks.

I've never had a problem driving 8 straight, watching my clock burn for 30, and leaving for the next 3.
After months of that I did notice that it wasn't healthy at all and I could feel it in my body. So I started walking around on my 30 instead of watching the clock

 

I hate the 30 rule. Should be acumulative instead of one shot. I like to stop every so often to take a leak or grab a drink or just becuase. But sometimes that 30 rule screws me up. I started useing it as my fuel brake haha

 

If the run is so tight you don't have time to stop and take a leak a couple times over the 8 hours then it's too tight. 2 quick stops at rest areas won't take 15 minutes total. Normal weather and traffic can easily eat up more than that.

 

Sitting around is really bad. Even now just sitting waiting on something. Im not whining but something as simple as waiting in a VA for the ex to come out of there in those chairs accumulate problems over the day knowing we need to be sharp to do rush hour traffic on the way back.

Many times 10 was not enough, I'll move down the road an extra 5 hours and log it back on paper for the next day and take off rather close to it on paper to be back on track. It's too bad the law does not allow for the practice of choosing to do some work extra to get ahead on a long trip each day in a space of time allowed.

I remember one perfect 10 hour trip, Seabrook NH to Port Truckstop near tunnel off 95 in Baltimore. I pulled the brakes with 4 minutes to the good that day. Load of soda I think it was It was a flawless trip down 95 and across the GW and so on. In those days we ran the back roads across Jersey coming out in the area of Trenton to bypass Turnpike tolls.

 

It was my doing on the tightness

 

What the hell are you talking about WITHOUT energy drinks or coffee? I'm serious on that, but BESIDES that, get your eyes checked, seriously. If your eyes are off even a LITTLE it can beat the crap out of you energy wise when your driving for hours. Thinking you see fine and passing an eye test isn't an indication in case your thinking that. My prescription is +0.5 which isn't even enough for most people get glasses over it. I can pass the eye tests all day long. Driving at night without them destroys me while using them keeps me awesome! Don't go wearing them into DMV for obvious reasons but go to lens crafters and get a test.

 

Stay away from caffeine & sugar. Your body adapts to them both and you just need more and more to have any effect on your alertness. At some point even 10 cups of coffee a day will have no effect on you. Get rest, keep your mind occupied while driving with music or podcasts or satellite radio or plans on how to find where that 4-wheeler lives and, never mind. It will quickly become normal to stay in the seat for most of a day.