Best of luck ... let me know how it goes.

I am a little wary of "-take a week off and drive the 4 hrs or so and get as much training as possible during that time. And then repeat as often as necessary/possible. "

Unless you can take a week off every other week or so ... that may not be a good way. You may be better off taking fridays &/or mondays off and doing sequential 3/4-day weekends until you "git 'er done."

In the old days it was common for people to solo a 2-33 in two weeks or less of flying every day at commercial operations -- indeed many years ago I instructed for one outfit that "guaranteed" it -- on closer inspection that guarantee wasn't worth much.

That wasn't such a good idea, and I wouldn't recommend or expect it today .... but it shouldn't take twice that to get to the private pilots ... of STEADY flying.

Remember that back in WWII both fighter and bomber pilots were trained from nothing in 60 days ... granted a lot of them did not last long in combat, but they were trained to handle much more complex aircraft (and instruments, night flying, rudiments of gunnery and combat) in 60 days!

But while you are learning ... and indeed until you are well through the PP and have some experience beyond that ... flying steadily is key.

And if you do want to get a glider club off the ground ... then find at least 10 like-minded people ... and get back to me and or others ... and you'll be surprised how much help and experience will materialize.

Cheers,

Lee