Pondering routs

[fbhjr]

The day after tomorrow we leave for the job in Pensacola FL. My wife is
driving the first car, I am driving the second. (I’m not saying we will do
100% of the driving.)
There are two main routes to get there, the coast road and the inland road.


The coast road is shorter and often has better weather. But, it has about
$30 in tolls each way and hits every major city on the east coast. If you
time it right, you can miss the traffic. Time it wrong and it can be a
huge problem.

The inland road has no tolls, high speed limits and little traffic. But,
it is longer, runs along the mountains and can have some nasty weather this
time of year. Also, if might not have much traffic, but what it does have
is a lot of big trucks trying to make as much time across the country as
they can. This can be intimidating if you’re in a smaller car.
The other problem is the route is less easy to follow.
The coast road is 95 to 85 to 65 to the Pensacola exit.
The inland road is 84 to 81 to 40 to 75 to 24 to 59 to 459 to 65 to the
Pensacola exit.
When you’ve been driving for 18 hours, an easy sequence is better. (I
missed the 40/81 part coming home one year, we got stuck in a blizzard and
were 15 hours late.)

My wife’s car is leaving at one of those magic times where you should miss
all the traffic. So, she’ll probably take the coast road.

My car is leaving at the time that the coast road puts it going past New
York City at 5PM, and Atlanta at 7AM.
This is less than good.

I keep watching the weather. Bad weather is worse than bad traffic.
I’m sure I’ll decide by Thursday afternoon when we leave…

Comments

[charliemc.livejournal.com]

Praying for you both to get through without serious issues! I hope the trip works out well...

Have a good trip, Frank.

(hugs)

[malterre.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I think he should do simpler and safer since he's a bit of a leadfoot anway-I suspect if he does, he'll catch up with the "leisurely" car

[sorceress.livejournal.com]

Good luck, Frank! May the good weather and low traffic fairies be with you!

[fbhjr.livejournal.com]

If I hit traffic in NYC and Atlanta I won't catch up with anyone.
Certainly not a 4 hour head start.

[endlessblush.livejournal.com]

I wish you little traffic and sunny skies all the way and it goes without saying, safe travels.

[evrgreen.livejournal.com]

hoping for no traffic jams and smooth sailing for both of you!
I think/hope that the worst of the bad driving conditions will be past us all by Thursday, but who can tell with the weather these days. The potential for snow and ice in the mountains from the passing storm this week may make me more strongly consider the coasatal route too, even with undesirable timing. Hmm

[palusbuteo.livejournal.com]

It is what it is. I'll do my best to try and be a good copilot.

[cissa.livejournal.com]

We like going 87 (? I think) toward NYC- in our experience, it's faster and easier than going thu CT.