How do you stay awake (long drive)?

[doc]

I get hypnotized by the road really easily. I fell asleep in the middle of the day - with the cruise control on 70mph - driving home from vermont. That was super scary but obviously it wasn't "my time". I bumped around in the grassy median which woke me up fast! There were no other cars on the road in either direction so I didn't hit anything drifting into the median or panicking and flying back out of the median and crossing all of the lanes to get to the right.

Unfortunately, talking on the cell phone -hands free - is the only thing that keeps me truly awake.

I try not to have to drive more than 2 hours. After 2 hours I'm going to be in trouble.

[uk elephant]

I blast the music and sing along. And I drink lots of water, then stop for a pee. And I munch sour patch kids, or candy crack as BF and I came to call it. Once we started eating them on one of our road trips we just couldn't stop. And all that sugar made us both way too hyper.

[DebW]

I go with cold air in the face and sometimes sing (but only when alone). Just got back after a 3 hour drive home from Vermont. I'd much rather do the drive in the morning than late at night. So I'll often spend a night somewhere rather than drive late at night. I've never fallen asleep driving, and I don't use caffeine. But I once fell asleep on my bike. I did not crash but woke up to find that I was heading straight for a concrete bench.

[KnottedYet]

Deb, you fell asleep on your BIKE? Wow, you are talented!

Good thing you woke up before the bench!

[DebW]

Deb, you fell asleep on your BIKE? Wow, you are talented!

Good thing you woke up before the bench!

I was 22 and madly writing up my undergrad thesis under deadline. The 3rd night in a row leaving my office at midnight was too much. The bench was only 200 yds from where I got on my bike, so the nap was very brief.

[Xrayted]

uk elephant - Mmmm... sour patch kids. They are the perfect movie snack with popcorn.

Deb - ohmygosh! On the bike? What kind of saddle are you using cuz I'd never be able to sleep sitting on the one I've got right now.

I don't drink coffee although on long drives I sometimes wish I did. A coke and snickers bar are always a good jolt.

[DebW]

Deb - ohmygosh! On the bike? What kind of saddle are you using cuz I'd never be able to sleep sitting on the one I've got right now.

Well, maybe that's the ultimate test for bike fit and comfort. I think it was an Avocet W-II saddle (which I don't use any more). Actually, I doubt the saddle was a factor, just my mental state, and maybe my general comfort with being on a bike. In truth, I was probably asleep on the bike no more than 30 seconds. If it had been 40 seconds, I would have woken up by landing on my head on the far side of the concrete bench, or maybe I would have slept quite a bit longer and woken up in the hospital. I was lucky that time.