Got back yesterday from a 10-day'er in Florida to see the aged relatives and such. We drove because my G/F likes to shop too much for us to take a plane back and forth, unless it's a C-5...
Left NJ apx 11:00 AM on 09/22 - across the Del Memorial and down US 13 for a dozen or so miles, and then south on 301. We crossed over the Chesapeake at Annapolis, and stayed on 50/301 for a good bit. Weather was great, hardly any traffic, and the Deville buzzed along as usual. Through Fort AP Hill in VA, and then got on I-95 for a while. Hit Richmond just around 4 PM - again, no traffic at all, didn't bother with the 295 loop.
About 10 miles or so south of Richmond, we hopped on 301 again, just for the change. I've done the I-95 loop back and forth so many times I have almost memorized all the exits. 301 parallels I95 much of the way south, and it was actually quite calming to just float down the 2-lane highway at 60 with nary a care in the world...rustic scenery and all.
About 90 miles into NC, we got on I-95, as it is an easier and safer drive in the dark...flew through, stopped at Pedro's for a quick couple of tourist pictures, and stopped for the night in Santee, SC.
Next day, back on I-95, nothing much to report. Kept the speed to around 74-77 most of the time, very few police seemed to be out. Georgia was just a quick 110 miles, a bit of construction here and there, but no slowdowns to speak of.
We went through Jax at just about noon on Friday, and although it could have been much worse, the traffic was less than I've often seen it. Again, we went straight through rather then taking the long bypass.
Stopped at the outlets in St Augustine to shop for a few hours, back on the road south around 3 PM. Got to Vero Beach where the parents are around 5:30 or 6:00, if I recall.
Southbound : 1,070 miles all told, 16+/- hours total drive time, avg MPG 28.3, avg MPH 64
For the next week we drove around, hit the beach a few times, took an overnighter to Palm Beach (where the mid-city construction in West Palm was the only real traffic hassle), and so on. Typical Visiting-the-parents-down-south stuff...
Left Vero 8:45 Saturday AM - straight up I-95. Couple of rain showers between Jax and Georgia state line, slowed to 50 or so with the rest of the traffic.
Hauled butt as much as we could, only stopped for gas and lunch. Northbound traffic on I-95 was again very light. 70+ most of the way with no problems. We decided to head to Norfolk and take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel on the way up, so I got off I-95 at Emporia, VA and headed east on US58. Norfolk about midnight, took a chance at the Ramada Inn, and conked out.
Up and out Sunday morning, had breakfast on the Bridge at 7:30, and then back on the road around 9:00 (Yeah, we had to cruise the gift shop.. lol)
Up US13 through the Eastern Shore, great weather, good road, smooth car, what more could you ask. No worries until I came around one bend in Maryland (in a pack of other cars) and saw the MD Mounties with about 6 cars pulled over, and a smokey pointing the radar right at me. I was doing around 61 in the 55 zone, but an F-150 was passing me, so I figured if the cops nailed anyone, it would be him. But they didn't bother with us. Just north of Pokomoke, if I remember...beware...
US 13 got busier and more of a pain as we got closer to Delaware and civilization. We hopped on DE 1 to bypass a bunch of it, and got off in time to take the Del Mem Bridge back across the river. We live about 10 miles south of the Bridge, I pulled in to the drive at 1:47PM.
Totals:
2,525 miles total trip
17:45 driving time north bound
28.1 average overall MPG, including the time in Florida. Considering the around-town stuff we did, I think that's pretty good...
The Deville never missed a beat. Set the cruise, leaned back, and it was like driving my living room.
Used about 3/4th of a quart of oil, from what I can tell.
First pick is Southbound I-95 in Georgia, and the other is Sunrise on the CBBT Sunday Morning.
Cheers!
