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It is 2500km each way, but fairly easy direction wise:
90 (1/2 hour)
84 (1 hour)
91 (1/2 hour)
95 (10 hours)
85 (10 hours)
65 (2 hours)
South into Pensacola.

Given the distance, that’s not a lot of highway changes. And, some of them you stay on for a long time.

We’ve been doing these shows since 2002. At least 5 of the folks going have been driving this route for 10+ years. Three of us since 2002.

So, you’d think we’d be OK getting there.

But, time and time again folks have gotten lost on that route.

Driving down last week, the middle car drove right past route 85. They’ve been known to follow the wrong road for 6 hours before noticing. This time, it was only about 20 minutes.
There is a countdown as you get near: 3 miles. 2 miles. 1 mile. Exit now!
They didn't see any of those signs.

After Atlanta my wife suggested both of us move to the van and rest while other’s drove.
"Nope," I said. "They’ll get lost."
"It’s follow 85 until 65," she said. "They won’t get lost."

Our guest star joined me in the Bluebaru and we set out after the van. I drive a bit slower than Casey, so they disappeared ahead of us over the next 3 hours.

Then, my phone rang.
"We are where 10 meets 114," Casey said. "Which way do we go?"
"What?" I asked.
"We don’t know where we are, or where to go."
"Put my wife on."
"I fell asleep and now have no idea where we are," she said.

I pulled off at a gas station and tracked her phone with mine. I was able to give them a direction to go.
"Why did you get off 85 before it reached 65?" I asked.
"I was asleep," she said. "I don’t know."
The consensus from the folks who were awake was "It seemed like a good idea."

They got back on the highway and continued.
Our guest star looked at me.
"Now I know why you don’t sleep," she said.
"And, this is one of the good crowds," I said. "You should have seen the one that tried to drive out onto the runways at the Atlanta airport."

So, that’s why I stay awake the whole trip.
Someone has to.