Thank you all for your advice:

How long of a road trip would it take for a 12 volt battery brought to
life by a jump start to be fully charged?

Does driving fast or slow make a difference?  

or rather is it high RPM's that make the difference?

Let's assume standard clear freeway driving of 65 to 70 mph, how long
would it take for it to get full charge in that scenario?

[quoteYour cables and battery terminals must be cleaned regularly... Dirty
terminals equals
walking to work.  Battery cables have TWO ends.

A high school shop instructor a long time ago recommended scrubbing good
with a copper brush with baking soda and then putting petroleum jelly on
them with a little baking soda left on to neutralize any corrosive acid .
. those felt terminals help too, So I've been told . . .

the trippleA dude was all "yuck", because I had some old petroleum jelly
& baking soda goo left on since 2002, which I had to wipe off . . . . ,

I would think any corrosion was a result of the previous owner, even
though I am guilty as charged these were "dirty" in terms of not exactly
being "bare mineral metal"

(3) Check your battery for electrolyte (water) level.  Even most
'sealed'
batteries can be topped up with distilled water or electrolyte if
needed.
(4) If you have V-belts, they can become polished and slip.  Be sure
the
belts are good
and tensioned properly.  Cogged serpentine belts are usually immune to
this,
but the
tensioner must be working properly.
(5) Take the battery test with a grain of salt.  Crappo batteries are
often
deemed good
by crappo tests.  

^ & crappo testers too one would think . . .

I hate shady mechanics.  There almost as bad as shady Doctors.  A person
with good trustworthy advice about transportation efficiency is best
friend . . .

A person without such trust is my worst enemy.

(6) Some cars have more alternator problems than others. GM is
particularly
shitteaux.
Some remanufactured alternators are even more shitteaux than the
manufacturer ever
intended.

My rig is not GM
its a Subaru

(7) A light which is burning without your knowledge can make you
question all logic.
Trunk lights, map compartment lights, courtesy lights, and a host of
other
parasitic
current demands can make you question your sanity and lose your
religion.

You got a point there.  

I somehow wonder if someone slim jimmed my car and it left in on, there's
been a rash of car break in's in my neighborhood according to neighbors

. . but then again I've been known to leave the door slightly open from
the seatbelt's metal end getting stuck in the doorway . . . ., especially
when its still day light ('cause the door slightly open releases a switch
that turns the internal light on)

This mistake is especially likely when I'm tired and unalert, like I was
monday late afternoon, with enough daylight that I didn't notice it)  16
or 17 hours with the light on like that and nothing missing like my
stereo, gives me a good idea that it was my fatigue alone and hopefully
not sanity.

I can't trust anyone who has a motive to take more of my money than
they need to.  That is why I do all the work I can by and for myself.

Believe 1/2 of what you see, and none of what you hear.

Do your own testing.  Come to your own conclusions.

Lg