From a thread discussing older versus newer editions of D&D at RPGnet, with an eventual focus on whether earlier D&D tried to be ‘realistic’ –
Travel times is another one of those weird spots where it’s become some what vestigial. Once upon a time how long it took you to get from A to B mattered a whole hell of a lot since every 8 hours (or whatever) you stood a chance of getting randomly mauled by a rampaging owlbear or a horde of orcs. Which, by the way, doesn’t simulate shit unless you honestly think everyone who travels gets eaten by a grue every 10 miles. But as random encounters fall by the wayside the real reason for wanting to know how long it takes to get from A to B becomes a whole lot less important except for time-critical style adventures. Lo is born the scene based travel challenges and planned possible encounters to keep up the mystery of travel, and so dies the art of the overland map and careful management of how long travel takes.
I like it.